In the past few days, the name of the First Technical University, Ibadan, has been ringing like a loud bell. The reason is not just because it held its second convocation with a grand style, but because it also underwent a kind of baptism. This happened when the Visitor to the University, Engineer Seyi Makinde, renamed it after his predecessor, the late Abiola Ajimobi, who established the institution.
But while the renaming has been the most widely reported, there are other vital goodies that Makinde delivered at the event held in the Library Hall of Tech-U, which graduated 165 students, 24 of whom got first class. The Governor promised to release an outstanding N1bn grant to the university, which had in recent years largely been fending for itself – except for the intervention of the Tertiary Education Fund (TETFund). Also, Governor Makinde unveiled another scholarship package for the university, while he promised his government would build a health facility on the campus. The entire Tech-U community thus feel delighted and would not mind if the convocation could come every day.
On his part, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Adesola Ajayi, had an inspiring story to tell at the ceremony. According to him, Tech-U is recording progress in all areas. He noted that, as it did last year when it gave its 12 pioneer first class graduates an offer of automatic employment, it would absorb the fresh 13 first class holders from the Faculty of Engineering and Technology too. While the Chancellor, Chief Tunde J. Afolabi MFR, also expanded the good news by renewing the Josephus Foundation Scholarship that a good number of the students enjoy, Ajayi said:
“The historical relevance of this 2nd Convocation Ceremony is that it marks the graduation of the pioneer set of engineering students. It is worthy of mention that despite the prolonged COVID-19 lockdown and the associated challenges, Tech-U has kept faith with the ideals for its establishment by ensuring that students graduate on record time, exactly five years after the admission of engineering students in 2018 and after four years for those science students admitted in 2019 for four-year degree programmes.
“The Visitor, Sir, I took office as the 2nd Vice-Chancellor on 8th of May 2022 after having served the University as the pioneer Director of Academic Planning and Partnerships (2017-2018) and Pioneer Deputy Vice-Chancellor (2018-2022) under the tutelage of Professor Ayobami Salami whose courage and doggedness gave the University a strong and sound foundation upon which the future of the University now rests. With nothing else other than two buildings, Prof Salami facilitated expansion of physical infrastructures and ensured that all organs of the University became functional and running by the end of his tenure. All these strides made it easy for me to step in as his successor. I have set for myself the goal of ensuring that while building on the foundations already laid, the University over the course of my tenure will grow to become an irresistible choice for admission seekers in all our academic programmes and a model for administrative and financial efficiency, prudence, transparency and accountability in all university transactions.
“To achieve the foregoing, we have leveraged our ICT infrastructure to commission the development of applications that make academic, administrative, financial, as well as student services easier, faster and accessible online. Beginning from the next Semester starting in April, it will be possible for many of the management and other staff to discharge some of their functions remotely and in real time thereby increasing efficiency and freeing our time to pursue and explore partnerships with the larger society. Until now, much of our functions are built around our physical presence on campus but through several interrogations and consultations, and with the benefit of experiences during the COVID-19 lockdown, we have been able to adopt an integrated model that will lead to reduction in costs and increase in efficiency. This will also be applicable to academic activities- teaching and research.
“The management has sustained our avowed commitment to adopt global best practices. The Senate of the University has approved and continues to nurture a dual mode of instruction including up to 30% online instruction in its regular programmes. All University financial transactions are done electronically (the University does not even have a cash office) by students and service providers and financial transactions are done electronically for ease of monitoring. The University’s accounts up to December 2021 have been audited by external auditors and copies submitted to the Office of the State’s Auditor General. The absence of the Governing Council has delayed the commencement of the process of external audit of the year 2022 account.
“Faculty members have guided our students to undertake projects that have direct and immediate relevance to society. We have developed product protypes among which are electronic circuits, abuwe soap, otherwise known as ose dudu which has a higher medicinal value and is available on a commercial scale. All disinfectants and hand wash used in this University are produced by us. We have developed protocols to utilize local wastes to cultivate and produce mushrooms under ordinary ambient room conditions. Health drinks and weaning infant formula have also been produced from locally-available agricultural products. Many students have found a calling in other entrepreneurship areas such as music, film, and several other service areas. We have continued to support them in all directions, knowing that today’s world of work has no place for disciplinary restrictions and has rather become more flexible than ever before, with the future promising to be more dramatic or unpredictable in this respect.
“The motto of the University, Developing Brains, Training Hands has been and is still the guiding philosophy for all academic endeavours in this University. We are not particular only about what our students learn (knowledge) or acquire (skill) but equally about what they can do and accomplish with what they know (entrepreneurship) to make the society better through the imprints of their endeavours. Every Tech-U student, therefore, runs three programmes concurrently – Bachelor degree programme, and two Diploma programmes respectively in Entrepreneurship and French Language. We have received inspiring and motivating stories about the performance of our students from several places where they have gone to do their industrial attachment. Among those that have graduated and those graduating today, several of them are already earning a living and increasingly becoming less financially-dependent on their sponsors even while being students. Your Excellency as part of the entrepreneurial spirit we inculcate into students, they have been responsible for making the paints we use for our buddings and for actually painting such.”