The VC, Professor Olusola Bandele Oyewole (Left) in a warm handshake with Chief Olusegun Oshunkeye OON, OFR during his courtesy call on the latter.
Renowned corporate Administrator and Chairman, Board of Directors, Nestle Nigeria Plc, Chief Olusegun Oshunkeye, has assured stakeholders that the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olusola Bandele Oyewole, has the wherewithal to take the institution to unprecedented heights.
Chief Oshunkeye, an Honorary Graduand of the University (Doctor of Science, Honoris Causa, 1998), gave the assurance when Professor Oyewole paid him a courtesy call in his Office, in recognition of his contributions to the development and progress of FUNAAB.
Congratulating Professor Oyewole on what he described as a well deserved appointment, Chief Oshunkeye, who was the University’s 1998 Convocation Lecturer, said FUNAAB is lucky to have him as Vice-Chancellor, assuring that his rich experience of the University system and virile international exposure will progress the institution to the next level.
Chief Oshunkeye, who is a Fellow, Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, London and Fellow Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), described Professor Oyewole as a man of vision and driven by genuine passion to work the vision.
According to him, “We are lucky to have an experienced man who has been in the University since its inception, as Vice-Chancellor. Professor Oyewole has the much-needed experience, not just in FUNAAB, he’s been to other countries as an international man”
“Given the experience he has gathered, there is an opportunity to move the University forward. I have really seen that he’s a man of vision and he’s driven by genuine passion to actualize that dream”, he added.
Chief Oshunkeye promised to deploy his wealth of experience and contacts towards the success of the administration of Professor Oyewole and the University at large.
He called on members of the University Community and other stakeholders to cooperate with the Vice-Chancellor and
support his vision, which he said is in line with the dreams of the University’s Founding Fathers, in order to make the University a model among its peers.
His words, “from what I have heard about him ditto our discussion this morning, I’m convinced that he’s indeed a man of vision. I want to say that I’m already part of his vision and I will assist to help actualize the vision”
“Based on this, Professor Oyewole deserves the support of members of the University community and other stakeholders”, he added.
Disclosing the essence and outcome of the meeting, Chief Oshunkeye said, “We are thinking of having a University venture, which will impact positively on the University and the host communities at large”.
The Venture is to go commercial within the University setting, but it will be tied to research, which is the strength of the University, such that the output will be highly useful to industries and profitable to the University”, he stated.
Speaking further, he said, “We want to have a symbiotic relationship with the University which he (Professor Oyewole) represents and I, represent the industrial sector, by virtue of my background in the industry for 40 years”
“We want to see how the needs of industries are met by the knowledge and competencies of the University for the benefit of the populace and the University. I’m happy that our discussion today has been very positive”, he declared.
Also baring his mind on the visit, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Oyewole said, “The discussion is about how our University can be more relevant to our society. It is about how FUNAAB can be at the forefront of development. It is all about how our University can make our community know that we are really there for their socio-economic needs”
Speaking further, Professor Oyewole who lauded Chief Oshunkeye’s professional acumen as a renowned Chartered Accountant, Management Specialist and a reference point in leadership, stressed that “we discussed a lot together and I’ve learnt from his wealth of knowledge and I’ m sure that you will be seeing the impact on our University and the Community as a whole”.
It would be recalled that FUNAAB and Nestlé Nigeria Plc have been enjoying collaboration over a period of time. For instance, Nestle Nigeria embarked on an On-the-Farm adaptive research with FUNAAB in 1995, aimed at ensuring massive production of Soyabean, to meet the need of Nigerians.
Similarly, the first Project on field screening of Soyabean Cultivars, which was sponsored by Nestlé for the collection of high-yielding adaptable pest and disease resistant initiatives for the South-West, was carried out by FUNAAB in collaboration with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan.
This was later followed in 1999 by the pilot popularisation of Soyabean production in three of the FUNAAB’s Model Extension Villages.