The Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Prof Kolawole Salako, has asked Pro-chancellors of universities of agriculture in the country to restore management science courses to the institutions.
Prof 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 topmost echelon of 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 (Academic), Prof Morenike Dipeolu, the VC noted that agricultural programmes cannot exist in isolation of other disciplines.
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While adding that every human development programme is required in an agrarian community, Prof. Salako urged other sister universities to fully work to achieve the restoration of management courses.
Prof. Salako said: “If agriculture must be a business to provide employment for a huge part of our population, then programmes, which play roles in value-addition of agricultural products, must be included in our curricula.”
Members of the CPFUAN also agreed 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
(Barr) 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 9-member Technical Committee to create a policy paper for consideration at CPFUAN’s next meeting. The technical committee is to be chaired by Prof. Salako while other members include the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Registrar, and Director of Academic Planning from each of the three universities.
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