VC Aribisala Emphasises Commitment To Academic Excellence, Warns Against Cultism

Traditional Rulers, Religious leaders, and Chiefs in Irepodun Irepodun today joined workers and students of the Federal University of Technology and Environmental Sciences, FUTES Iyin-Ekiti, to offer prayers for smooth Academic excellence, breakthroughs in meaningful research works, and rapid development.

The session also featured prayers against untimely death, disunity, rebellion, stagnation, kidnapping, retrogression and other forms of evil against both staff and students.

The programme attracted Council member, Prof Rotimi Sanya, the Oluyin in council, led by Oba Adeola Ajakaye, Alare of Are Ekiti, Oba Boluwade, Olumu of Omu Ekiti, Oba Oluwadamilare Omobiire, Elesure of Ensure Ekiti, Oba Adebamiji Ajibola, Oniropora Ekiti, Oba Joel Ajayi, Eleyio of Eyio Ekiti, Oba Olatunji Fajigbe and the Chief Imam of Iyin Ekiti, Alhaji Useni Sanusi.

Speaking at the Programme, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Gbenga Aribisala, emphasised the readiness of the university to deliver a quality education that would help its graduate students to stand out in terms of science and technology. Professor Aribisala explained that FUTES was specially designed to breed students who would have a meaningful impact on society in terms of Technology and help to proffer solutions to problems of unemployment and Environmental challenges, saying that measures had been put in place to achieve all the lofty dreams.

”We are ready to deliver quality education to our students, which will make them a class of people who are safe from unemployment. I want to commend our staff and students. In fact, the way I would like to see newly recruited staff who have quickly adjusted and have been active and supportive, making the students comfortable. Please keep it up.”

”The first lecture will start on Monday next week by God’s grace. We appreciate the contributions of our leader, our President, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, and traditional Rulers, Chiefs as well as religious leaders for their support at times”

While assuring the students and staff that all things would soon be in good shape, Professor Aribisala urged the students to see themselves as an image of the university and desist from acts that could negatively affect their future dreams. Professor Aribisala said “We have a transportation policy now, as soon as we are going to make transport available. That we make it easy for staff and students to come from different areas to the university. I must also say that we are very much committed to staff and students’ welfare. I want to encourage our staff to always put the university first in order to be among the best universities across the globe.

”I want to commend our students for doing well. Every time I see them lined up, I say, yes, these are our students. We are here to move them forward. It’s not just for academics to work for them. It’s also for their characters. And I want every student to be aware that we are not here to join women or men of any kind or live a wayward life, but to be of a good character and impart meaningful contributions to society” Professor Aribisala

The Vice Chancellor, however, warned that FUTES’S management would not tolerate cultism, unregistered associations, organisations, or groups, night parties, clubbing, and other youthful exuberant activities which could drag the name of the university into mud, saying that the management was ready to assist brilliant students and brilliant but indigent students.

In his message, the General Evangelist of the Gospel Faith Mission International, Dr E.O. Falade, tasked students to be obedient, shun cultism, focus more on their studies and always serve and carry God along in whatever they are doing to have His presence in their activities.

”My message to the students is that they should be obedient, they should be focused and also they should have the fear of God in them because many students today go into cultism, they practice all this nonsense they should not do so, they should focus more on their studies and serve God and carry God along in whatever they are doing and it shall be well with them” Pastor Falade

While emphasising his belief in the abilities of the FUTES’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Aribisala, the Religious leader called on staff to shun every negative behaviour that could set back the progress of the university and academic programmes.

”Definitely, there shall be new songs in this university. In fact, it gladdens my heart to see the whole Kabiesi, the Oluyin, Oba Adeola Ajakaye, standing up, praying. It means great things have started in this town, (Iyin-Ekiti ). The Vice-Chancellor somebody I know very well. He is capable, competent and very Resourceful and I pray that God will use him tremendously. And this university will begin to witness good things. We begin to experience academic excellence and break through” said Pastor Falade.

On his part, the Oluyin of Iyin Ekiti, Oba Adeola Ajakaiye, advised the new students to prioritise safety and always report any strange movement in their environments.

”Security is the concern of everybody, both the students and the workers, and even the indigenous, including myself as king, we want security, and we’ve put a lot of things in place. We have our own internal security committee and we put a lot of things in place to checkmate any intruder”.

Oba Ajakaiye, however, appealed to all visitors to come and register in the palace for proper monitoring and warned that the community would not tolerate any form of indiscipline that could affect the image of the town.

”The Traditional Ruler spoke further on the issue of House rent, ” we have mitigated the high cost of rentage just for people to appreciate that this is a new university, again there are some schools of thoughts that say it’s an opportunity to invest that is an opportunity for people who want to make money, but because we want the university to be on a strong footing we don’t want to drive people away to neighbouring towns, we want the university to be encompassing, that’s why we are trying to ask the landlords, and agents to try as much as possible to reduce the cost of the house rent”. Oba Ajakaiye.

While rounding up the Programme, the Registrar, Mr Oluwole Dada encouraged some of the staff and students who were yet to do necessary registration and profiling to do so, saying that the management would not be responsible for anyone who failed to submit all necessary information.

Mr Dada also urged the students to always keep to the rules and regulations of the university, saying that the university would not hesitate to show the way for anyone found wanting or flouting the order.