Adeyemi College community set for varsity status implementation

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The entire management, staff and students of the Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, currently wait with bated breath for the implementation of the transmutation of the college to a full-fledged Federal University of Education.

Adeyemi College currently awards degrees in affiliation with the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, in addition to the regular NCE certificates, but an act of parliament, which has been assented to by the president, has now conferred on it the legitimacy to run as a full university.

However, though the approval for this transmutation has been given, with the enabling bill passed, assented to and even gazetted, the institution and its stakeholders have waited until now for the implementation.

No one knows for sure why this all-important decision has been stalled till this moment, as no official explanation has come from the relevant federal authorities.

The provost of the college, Dr Samuel Akintunde, when asked to comment on the development on Wednesday last week told the Nigerian Tribune: “Yes, on December 23, 2001, the president assented to that bill and I think around February this year, the gazetting was done.

“But up till now, we have not been communicated in this college about the act or the gazette.

“Stakeholders have, however, been monitoring and following events.”

The Nigerian Tribune recalls that in 2015, the college was upgraded in the twilight of the President Goodluck Jonathan administration.

There was a spontaneous frenzy of activities in the college then to adjust to the new reality, but almost as soon as the announcement was made, it was reversed – even after a vice-chancellor had been announced.

When this writer visited the institution recently, it was obvious that in anticipation of the much-awaited new status, the college, which by every imaginable standard had been running with infrastructure befitting of a university, had been upping its ante still.

There are currently new structures built, while some existing facilities have been upgraded. Some kilometres of roads have also been constructed to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the college.

An imposing new ICT auditorium is in place, done through BOT (Build, Operate, Transfer), while a number of capital projects are either completed or at varying advanced levels of completion. A completed Central Library structure was also being painted.

This writer was also taken on tour of some of the facilities, including a Demonstration Farm, containing a rabbitry, snail farm, poultry, piggery, oil palm plantation, cassava farm, among others.

There was also an irrigation farm – all of which, according to the farm manager, Mr Akinwekomi Kehinde, are for research purposes.

New programmes have also been introduced. According to the provost, there are now two new departments: Political Science Department and Theatre and Creative Arts Department, in addition to the new programmes.

“Today, we have a Centre for Skills Development and Entrepreneurship where we train our students in various endeavors of entrepreneurship,” he added.

Adeyemi College of Education covers a total land mass of about 264,792 hectares (654,314 acres). It has a total staff strength of 1,160, comprising: Academic 485; Administrative (Senior) 276; Administrative (Junior) 48; Technical (Senior), 309; and Technical (Junior) 42.

There are a total of 21,815 students, consisting of degree students, 10,817; NCE students, 4538; postgraduate, 30, and Part-time degree, 971.

The chairman of the governing council of the college, Alhaja Idiat Babalola, also spoke of plans to enter into joint venture with some major film makers and producers to put into commercial use some of the natural scenes and architectural structures that dot the college landscape for production of films and musical videos, as part of efforts to increase ACE’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

According to her, the measure was conceived to augment funds from the federal government.

Though Mrs Babalola did not give details of the planned venture, she, however, disclosed plan to deploy the newly added Department of Music and Theatre Arts to train potential actors and actresses, especially those from the catchment states around it, similar to what Wale Adenuga’s Film Institute is doing in Lagos and Ibadan.

She particularly enthused over the upgrading of the college to a full-fledged university, noting that the college had long been prepared for it.

Asked what he thought was responsible for the peace that had subsisted on the campus in terms of staff /management relations, the provost, Dr Akintunde said, “My style has been open-door policy. I think what has paid off is the open door-policy and continuous engagement.”

He said that the sustenance of this peace and the tradition of open administration are what he intends to leave behind as legacies after his tenure runs out.

“I expect that administration will be very open here. I also expect that the tradition of skill acquisition for students will continue,” Akintunde said.

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