The Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), which was established about 34 years ago at the former site of Federal Government Girls Secondary School, Owerri, before it moved to its present site, was to, among other things, promote “teaching, research and community service.”

Movement from its temporary location (presently occupied by the Imo State University, Owerri) after 10 years of operation was as a result of increasing academic demands, and in a bid to expand the institution’s horizon and avail it ample space to carry out its assigned tasks.

For lengthy periods since its inceptions, FUTO, like other federal varsities has not been insulated from the perennial paucity of funds, which has stalled the realisation of their potentials.

This has also foisted a situation, where much-needed infrastructure are either inadequate or non-existent.It was this scenario that Prof. Chigozie Cyril Asiabaka, who is holding sway as the school’s sixth substantive vice chancellor, set out to change upon commencing his single five-year tenure on Sunday, June 19, 2011.

Since assuming office on Monday, June 20, 2011, the vice chancellor who made, “Quest for Excellence” his watchword, has toiled assiduously with his management team, staff and students to reposition the university, which rough existence up till the recent past has not been in doubt.

Evidently, the increasingly onerous task of repositioning the institution has seen inroads being made in areas like infrastructure; staff and students welfare schemes; improved community relations, especially with the host community and linkages with other institutions.

However, to make a headway, Asiabaka said that he had to dismantle the hitherto order of building strong individuals in the school, replacing it with that of building a strong institution.

According to the don, who bows out of office later this year, “I have devoted the last four and a half years to the building of a strong FUTO and not strong individuals,” he recalled.

The university administrator, who trained up to his doctorate in the United States, said his decision to work towards repositioning the university rather than creating strong individuals threw some selfish officials of the institution into an “unhappy state.”

On the flip side, the benefits that come with the repositioning, he said, are all too glaring for all to see. For instance, the institution has risen from the 48th position it was upon his assumption of office in 2011, to 12th out of the 114 currently assessed and ranked by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

Recalling how the journey started, Asiabaka said, “On Sunday, June 19, 2011, I assumed duties as the sixth substantive vice chancellor of the FUTO. Determined to transform the university to a top–class institution, I started my first day of work in office with my inaugural “State of the University” address on Monday, June 20, 2011, where I laid the road map for my five-year tenure.

“I espoused my vision and mission and these were encapsulated in my mantra, the “Quest for Excellence,” which means following the part of transparency, accountability, probity, zero tolerance for corruption and equity in the daily activities of the university. As a result, some people were visibly unhappy,” Asiabaka, said.

Continuing, he said, “I am glad that four and half years after, we have started to reap the harvest of the mantra. Our university was ranked 48th among Nigerian universities in 2011. The latest ranking put us at 12 out of over 100 universities listed, that is among the first 20 universities in Nigeria.”

The university helmsman explained that out of about 50 projects initiated since he assumed office, over 40 have been completed with the balance at different stages of completion.

Still within the period under review, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), bankrolled the construction of numerous structures in the institution, as well as released about N1bn for the construction of an industrial research park, where technological researches, incubation, inventions and initial productions, manufacturing and administrative works can be done.

Asiabaka enumerated some of the projects executed by his administration to include, “ the Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Engineering and Engineering Technology complex; a 1, 000-seater capacity lecture hall/auditorium; new buildings for post-graduate school; the Department of Optometry; Department of Dental Technology; Department of Physics; School of Environmental Technology, Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies; FUTO guest house, Public Procurement and Research Centre.

The new Information and Communications Technology (ICT) building, a 174-room Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) hostel; Centre for Research and Technical Assistance for Youth Development; School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology Department building; School of Management Technology complex; School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology building, Phase I; and the School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology building, Phase II.

Others are, a 32–room academic staff office facility for the School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology; a library complex, an administrative block for the Institute for Women, Gender and Development Studies; academic staff offices and classroom block for the School of Science; the Department of Geology building, Public Health building, lecture theatre for the School of Science and the School of Science workshop and laboratory.

The transformation process in the school also found expression in the rehabilitation of dilapidated buildings in the school including the 500-seater capacity lecture theatre; repair works on FUTO roads one, two, and four; rehabilitation of the School of Science lecture hall; rehabilitation of the School of Management Technology and expansion of the university library among others.

To ease the transportation problems faced by staff members and students, he said that his administration procured six 57–seater air conditioned Ashok Leyland Falcon City buses and two 32-seater Toyota coaster buses.

The administration, which also acquired and installed solar panel street lights along major roads on campus, still within the period under review, purchased, supplied and installed three 500 KVA Perkins sound-proof generating sets; procured and installed 4, 536 double-star classroom desks and 301 computer sets and accessories; constructed a tennis court and mini stadium among others.

The vice chancellor, who also listed the construction of new roads to the hostels; stabilisation of erosion sites at the Directorate of General Studies and School of Management Technology, as some other areas where his administration intervened, enumerated some projects that are ongoing.

They include the construction/furnishing of two hostels for male students; two hostels for female students, furnishing of academic staff building, three 800-seater capacity auditorium with offices for the School of Biological and Physical Sciences; School of Environmental Sciences and Health Technology; construction and furnishing of School of Engineering and Engineering Technology workshop and laboratory; and the Nuclear Science and Engineering building. The construction and furnishing of Research and Development laboratory, Oil and Gas laboratory as well as the Research and Technology Park are ongoing.

On academic programmes, he said the NUC, has assessed and accredited 39 out of the 41 programmes with 22 of them enjoying full accreditation while 17accreditation are on interim basis. Two of the programmes were denied accreditation.

The VC disclosed that the new programmes in the Department of Human Anatomy and the Department of Physiology, School of Health Technology, were in the processes of getting the nod, while plans are afoot for the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri (FMC) to metamorphose to FUTO Teaching Hospital.

As a way of boosting workers morale, Asiabaka said a total of 117 persons were promoted professors (44 readers to associates professors, and 73 associate professors to professors). Also, a total of 349 persons were promoted from lecturer II to senior lecturer. In addition to this, a total of 1, 511 non-teaching staff were promoted from 2011 through 2014.

As a way of opening up the school and providing platforms for cross-fertilisation of ideas, the vice chancellor said the school has linkages with 24 reputable institutions, five of which are in the United States including the University of Georgia and Dillard University, New Orleans.