A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ayo Arise, has lauded what he described as a “Phenomenal growth” at Federal University Oye Ekiti (FUOYE) under the immediate past Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof.Abayomi Fasina, saying the development is tremendous with great impacts in the host community, Oye Ekiti and Ekiti North at large.
He specifically commended the academic and administrative strategies adopted by the authorities of the University on educational transformation, giving a positive influence in Ekiti State.
The former federal lawmaker who spoke in Ado-Ekiti at the weekend praised the university for honouring eminent Nigerians at her 10th Convocation ceremonies. He said: “The university had recorded development in the last 14 years of its existence, particularly under the eadership of the immediate past Vice Chancellor, Professor Abayomi Fasina”
He described the honour as “a fitting tribute to decades of excellence, sacrifice, and nation-building of the recipients.”
Among those bestowed with honorary doctoral degrees were the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, CON; the Oloye of Oye-Ekiti, HRM Oba (Sir) Oluwole Ademolaju Adugbole III, OON; and Most Rev. Dr Matthew Hassan Kukah, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sokoto.
Also honoured were His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, CON, the Sultan of Sokoto; Justice Walter Onnoghen, former Chief Justice of Nigeria.
Senator Arise, who represented Ekiti North Senatorial District between 2011 and 2014, said he shared a long-term relationship with the honourees.
His words: ” Myself and the Sultan came across each other about 37 years ago in Freetown, even though I never knew he was going to become a Sultan.
He took me as his brother. He later became Nigerian attache to Pakistan and later Sultan of Sokoto.
“For Bishop Kukah, I have known him since the 1990s. I saluted his efforts in ensuring peace and religious harmony in Nigeria.
Senator Arise added that: “FUOYE had become the most sought-after university in Nigeria, in the last four years, with a student population of over 60,000″.
He equally saluted the vision of the FUOYE Council chairman, Senator Victor Ndoma Egba, adding that the university is now the fastest-growing university in Nigeria.
The APC Chieftain also commended Oba Ademolaju’s quest for peace and development of the university, in particular and the Oye Kingdom.
” I congratulate FUOYE, particularly the phenomenal growth the university has witnessed under Professor Fasina. In the last four years, FUOYE has remained the most sought-after university, with over 60, 000 students. The university is still growing in leaps and bounds.
It’s an amazing feat, because it’s one of the Federal Universities established by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011. And of course, the collegiate type system of running the university has ensured that the development is spread across Ekiti communities in Ekiti North.
It’s a testament to the support we gave to the university. I also salute the chairman of the council and former leader of the Senate, Senator Ndoma Egba, for his vision.
He had conducted two Convocation ceremonies within a spate two years. This is commendable. I know him to be a man of excellence.”Arise said.
