….As 131 graduating students bag first class

The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), Professor Abayomi Fasina has said that the Federal Government is implementing a major initiative to boost agricultural production by providing special funding to federal universities, with several institutions receiving N1 billion each including FUOYE.

Recall that a total of N30 billion was set aside to be distributed among agricultural universities to establish mechanised farming and livestock production.

The objective of the initiative is to leverage the expertise of university faculties of agriculture to enhance food security, increase food production, and engage in modern agricultural practices.

Prof Fasina who spoke yesterday at a press conference to herald the 10th convocation ceremony of the university, said that the idea to give universities N1 billion each for agriculture, infrastructure and production, is for them to be able to feed its students and the communities surrounding them.

On the research grants, he disclosed that some academic staff have got grants of more than N430 million, adding that he has attracted more than $55,000 finding program to the university.

Giving the total breakdown of the graduating students, the Vice Chancellor said that out of a total of 7,396 students, 131 of them made first class, 2,519 made Second Class Lower, which 3,777 made third class.

Speaking on infrastructural development, he noted that it has remained a defining feature of the administration. “Under the widely acknowledged Blue Roof Legacy, the University has successfully executed over one hundred and sixty infrastructural projects across its
campuses.”

According to him, the University recorded a 310 per cent increase in Internally Generated Revenue, expanded its faculties from eight to 18, and increased academic programmes from 73 to 91, all of which have either full or interim accreditation.

Fasina said the institution had emerged as the fourth most subscribed university in Nigeria and was ranked fourth nationally in the 2026 Times Higher Education rankings.

He added that FUOYE also recorded outstanding performances in global rankings, including the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, World University Rankings by Subject, Interdisciplinary Science Rankings, and Sub-Saharan Africa Rankings.

He disclosed that the former Vice Chancellor of the university who are over age 70, including Profs Chinedu Nebo, Isaac Asuzu and Kayode Soremekun would be honored with the Emeritus Professor in recognition of their contributions.

“In further recognition of academic leadership and service, the University introduced a new Emeritus Professors policy, under which all former Vice-Chancellors, upon retirement, are to
be conferred with the title of Emeritus Professor. This policy preserves institutional memory, honours distinguished service, and ensures continued intellectual engagement.

“At this convocation, the University is proud to confer Emeritus Professorships on Professor Chinedu Nebo, Professor Isaac Asuzu, and Professor Kayode Soremekun.”

Speaking on Diaspora Professors Programme, Fasina explained that it is a process through which distinguished scholars from the global academic community would contribute to teaching, research, and collaborative scholarship.

He said that notable among diaspora Professors coming to FUOYE included Prof. Hartmut Herrmann and Prof. Khaneh Wadinga Fomba of the Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research, Leipzig, Germany, whose engagement has strengthened international collaboration and research capacity within the University.