Restore management sciences to agric varsities, FUNAAB VC pleads

Vice chancellor, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Professor Kolawole Salako, has asked pro-chancellors of universities of agriculture in the country  to prevail on the Federal Government to restore management science courses to the institutions.

Professor Salako said this while addressing members of the newly-formed Committee of Pro-chancellors of Federal Universities of Agriculture in Nigeria (CPFUAN) drawn from the FUNAAB; Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (FUAM); and the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU).

Represented at the committee’s maiden meeting by the deputy vice chancellor (academics), Professor Morenike Dipeolu, the VC noted that agricultural programmes could not exist in isolation of other disciplines.

While adding that every human development programme is required in an agrarian community, Professor Salako, urged other sister universities to fully work to achieve the restoration of management courses back to them.

Professor Salako said: “If agriculture must be a business to provide employment for a huge part of our population, then programmes which play key roles in value-addition of agricultural products must be included in our curricula.”

Members of the CPFUAN also agreed at the meeting to work harmoniously to transform agriculture from theoretical into the practice level, particularly on the restoration of management sciences to universities of agriculture in the country.

Pro-chancellor and chairman, governing council of FUNAAB, Dr Aboki Zhawa, stated that universities of agriculture in Nigeria should be at the forefront in formulating policies for the advancement of agricultural development in Nigeria.

Zhawa, who is also the chairman of the committee, stated that the universities could exert such influence through their impacts and output of researches.

The committee further constituted a nine-member technical committee to create a policy paper for consideration at CPFUAN’s next meeting.

The technical committee is to be chaired by Professor Salako while other members include the deputy vice chancellor (academics), registrar and director, Academic Planning from each of the three universities.