The fruits of the memorandum of understanding signed between the Federal University of Technology, FUTA, Akure, and the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), Tallahassee, Florida, USA, are already blossoming as arrangements have been concluded for the commencement of undergraduate and postgraduate students and staff exchange programme between the two institutions.
To concretize the collaboration, Professor Oghenekome Onokpise, the Associate Dean, College of Agriculture and Food Sciences, FAMU recently paid a 3-day working visit to the School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology (SAAT) and School of Engineering and Engineering Technology (SEET) for on-the-spot assessment of human and material facilities.
Receiving the visitor, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adebiyi Daramola said the visit underscored the progress being made in the actualization of the collaboration after the visit of FUTA’s team to FAMU .Professor Daramola said “Your coming is a continuation of the relationship started with FAMU with our visit. I am glad you are using your esteemed position at FAMU to sell Nigeria to the world. Nigeria is the first African country to benefit from this collaboration and I am proud you chose FUTA. This is to confirm to the whole world that our University is the best in Nigeria. It is also to tell parents that once their children enter FUTA, they can end up in one of America’s topmost universities. It is an exchange programme that will benefit our society”.
Speaking further, Professor Daramola said American academic environment is robust with a lot of opportunities open to FUTA and other schools. He therefore encouraged staff and students of FUTA to maximize the opportunity FAMU is offering through the collaboration.
Addressing the University’s management,professor Onokpise said he was enthralled by the sense of mission of FUTA management and its readiness to collaborate with leading universities around the world. He expressed his delight in returning to his fatherland to contribute to the development of the education sector. He said “I left for USA in 1985 and having stayed long, I have realized there is a need for a “redrained back” so as to build and rebuild the nation intellectually for the future of Nigeria. Nigeria is not as bad as she is been painted because there are other worst African countries”.
Professor Onokpise warned against over dependency on crude oil because very soon, there may not be the market for oil again. He said “Even the USA has moved away from depending on oil, diversifying to other natural resources. Nigeria has a lot of potentials in Agriculture and other natural resources. It is high time she harnessed those resources to build her economy. This is what this collaboration between FUTA and FAMU will encourage. I have interacted with staff and students in both Engineering and Agriculture and some of them have indicated their interest in the exchange programme. I am excited and feel proud visiting FUTA. I am very sure this collaboration will work out well to the advantage of FUTA and Nigeria”.
During the visit, Professor Onokpise interacted with staff of School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology (SAAT) and the School of Engineering and Engineering Technology where he extensively elaborated the benefits of the collaboration. The Dean, School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology (SAAT), Professor J. A. Alokan and Professor Omotayo Adewuyi of the School of Engineering and Engineering Technology led the staff to the interactive session.
