A total of 3,493 fresh students of the University have been matriculated in the 2013/2014 Academic Session, which was presided over by the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olusola Oyewole.
Speaking at the occasion, the Vice-Chancellor said the total number of applicants who sat for the Post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (Post-UTME) in the University was 25,467, out of which 3,493 were eventually offered provisional admission. Professor Oyewole admonished the students to consider themselves fortunate to have secured admission into FUNAAB, considering the high number of prospective students, who applied to be considered for admission, because the University had witnessed remarkable progress and development in all ramifications as espoused by its founding fathers and that by virtue of the admission, they had become a vital stakeholder in the history of the University. He, however, warned that “the University has zero tolerance for academic indiscipline, disrespect for constituted authorities, rascality, irresponsible unionism, cultism, laziness, truancy and vandalism, noting that FUNAAB was convinced that the pursuit of academic work flourished best in a free and peaceful environment, devoid of rancour, anti-social behaviours and other un-warranted disturbances”.
“Any student found to have falsified or forged any of his/her credentials will be promptly asked to leave the University and may even be handed over to law enforcement agents for prosecution. Hence, students who engage in examination malpractices and other-related vices will have to face severe sanctions ranging from rustication to expulsion”, he warned. While disclosing that efforts had been made by the University Administration to provide adequate facilities that would enable students maximize the opportunities of being in a University for personal growth and development, but cautioned them when he said, “cross the lawn and go back home”.
The Vice-Chancellor said concerted efforts would be made to ensure that students in the University were empowered through entrepreneurial skills, given the opportunity to showcase their talents and continuously win more laurels for the University and the country at large because “the University Administration is committed to equipping the Sports and Wellness Centre with modern gadgets to enhance peak performance, health and wellness status of staff and students a continuous demonstration of the support given to the activities of the Student Union. He lauded the outgone Student Union Executive for being mature and having played responsible Unionism while in office. “Matriculation is not just a ceremony of merry-making and taking of photographs, but a serious business of oath-taking and signing of legal documents.
It is an agreement between you and the University with a promise to perform your duties and obligations; to respect, defend and promote the rules and regulations and the good name of the University. Let the Students’ Handbook be your guide. Always endeavour to study and digest the contents to make you better students”, he advised.
Professor Oyewole, while encouraging the students to also visit the University’s website, which he noted had been greatly improved for useful information, added that in the bid to ease the transportation challenge being experienced by students, more buses will be purchased while the University’s Management Committee on Transportation will be fully commercialized into a Bureau of Transportation, for efficient and better service delivery.
He enjoined parents and guardians to have keen interest in the activities of their children and wards by visiting them in their hostels and off-campus residences. “Do not assume they are grown-ups. While you pray for them, ensure that they shun bad companies and associations”, he stated. The Vice-Chancellor described the matriculating students as the “youth that will own tomorrow” and challenged them to be focused, truthful, visionary, hard working, committed to worthy cause and fear God in all they do.
Meanwhile, students with exemplary performance in the 2013/2014 admissions exercise were also recognized. They are: Ezeokeke, Daniel Tochukwu (Mechanical Engineering); Udoh, Patience Anietie (Banking and Finance); Akinsanya, Oluseyi Adesegun (Animal Nutrition); Falasinnu, Victor Oluwaseun (Electrical /Electronics Engineering) and Abibu, Ibrahim Ayinla (Accounting).