The Federal University Oye Ekiti has received members of the Faculty of Agriculture for a strategic engagement on the faculty's progress and pressing needs, with management outlining priorities for institutional development and academic excellence.
S. B. Fakayode, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, expressed appreciation to the Vice Chancellor for granting the faculty audience, noting that all previously submitted requests for resources had been addressed.
"It is a privilege to meet and have a discussion with our Vice Chancellor. We will not take this for granted. As I speak with you, sir, I am bold to say that all the requests we made have been taken care of," Fakayode stated.
The Dean disclosed that the faculty had successfully concluded key Memoranda of Understanding in staff exchange and student training programmes, raising concerns over staff welfare, including a backlog in promotions, and infrastructural challenges such as leaking roofs and inadequate laboratory equipment.
Joshua Olalekan Ogunwole, Vice Chancellor, disclosed that the university management had already planned a visit to the faculty, describing the meeting as timely and significant.
He emphasised the need for due process and accountability, stressing that Memoranda of Understanding must be functional and properly documented.
"We acknowledge your MoUs, but they must be living and active. No MoU should be signed without the knowledge of the Vice Chancellor, as there are checks and balances in the system," Ogunwole stated.
On staff promotion, Ogunwole maintained a firm stance on meritocracy, noting that academic progression must be earned through scholarly excellence.
"Promotion is not welfare; it must be earned. Nobody makes a professor; you work for it and earn it through strong recommendations. The era of becoming a professor through internal advertisement alone is over. A professor must be an authority in their discipline and contribute meaningfully to policy and development," he stated.
The Vice Chancellor condemned withholding students' results, describing it as unacceptable, while assuring the faculty of management's readiness to address maintenance concerns.
He outlined new strategies to tackle security challenges across university facilities, including deploying trained guard dogs such as Rottweilers and German Shepherds in strategic locations.
Ogunwole disclosed plans to transform the Ikole campus, announcing free transportation for staff from Ado Ekiti to Ikole, with the first TETFund intervention prioritizing infrastructural upgrades, including replacement of dilapidated buildings.
