—25, 000 students to graduate in 12 years

By Dayo Johnson,Akure

The Acting Rector of the Ondo state owned Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo,r Simon Adegun, has hailed the timely intervention of governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa which saved the institution of total collapse.

Adegun, attributed the major improvements in the institution in the last one year to the timely intervention of the governor.

Speaking during a press conference to herald the institution’s 12th–23rd Combined Convocation Ceremony, the Rector, ” the governor’s decisive interventions helped to revive the institution and restored its stability.

Adegun lamented that the institution which was once in a near bottomless pit of hopelessness, has regained stability and is witnessing steady growth.

He said, “To the glory of the Almighty God and with deep appreciation to the Ondo State Governor and Visitor to the Institution, His Excellency, Hon. (Dr.) Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, the situation at Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo today is encouragingly pleasant.”

The acting rector, recalled that when he assumed office in October 2023, staff were owed 14 months’ salaries, the institution’s business ventures were moribund, and most of its academic programmes were due for re-accreditation.

Adegun noted that the intervention of the governor by increasing the institution’s monthly subvention and approving special intervention funds to offset salary arrears, reduced the debt from 14 to three months.

“When I came on board, workers were owed 14 months’ salaries, the staff schools were shut, and our business ventures were lifeless. Academic culture had practically disappeared.

“Mr. Governor demonstrated uncommon kindness by reducing the backlog of unpaid salaries from 14 to just three months.

” He also approved a substantial increase in our monthly subvention, which enabled us to resume full salary payment.

Adegun added that the governor also approved funding for the re-accreditation of 68 academic programmes, all of which were successfully cleared by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).

According to him, the governor further directed and funded the current combined convocation ceremony, the first in 12 years, adding that the last one was held in 2013, adding than no fewer than 25,000 graduates will receive certificates during the week long ceremony

“The last convocation was held in 2013. Mr. Governor insisted the situation was unacceptable and provided funds for this combined convocation. Without his support, this historic event would not have been possible,”

He said the Polytechnic’s business outfit, OSPO Ventures, had been revived, while the staff schools reopened for the 2025/2026 academic session.

Adegun also disclosed that the Artisan Centre had resumed activities and that preparations were ongoing for large-scale crop cultivation on the institution’s land.

According to him, the Polytechnic has been designated as a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Vehicle Conversion Centre and as the TETFund Entrepreneurship Development Hub for the South-West zone.

Adegun also announced that a team from the institution won a Gold Medal at the Global ICT Competition in Shenzhen, China, while a lecturer and a student emerged as the Best Engineers in Ondo State.

He declared that “The Polytechnic is back on its feet, academic culture has returned, and our morale is high.