FUNAAB Named Mentor to New Abdulfattah Durojaiye University

ABEOKUTA

The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, has taken on a new national role after being named the mentoring university for the newly licensed Abdulfattah Durojaiye University, Abeokuta.

The appointment, announced on August 6, 2026, places FUNAAB at the centre of another effort to strengthen Nigeria’s expanding private university system.

The development also carries a personal dimension. ADUA was founded by Dr. Abdulfattah Durojaiye, a FUNAAB alumnus and member of the university’s Alumni Association.

ValidViewNetwork reports that the announcement was made during a courtesy visit by Durojaiye and members of the FUNAAB Alumni Association to Vice-Chancellor Prof. Babatunde Kehinde on Thursday, August 6.

Durojaiye was accompanied by the Global President of the FUNAAB Alumni Association, Otunba Bolaji Gbadamosi, and other executives of the alumni body.

A university returning home for mentorship

For Durojaiye, the appointment represents more than an institutional arrangement. He described FUNAAB’s selection as ADUA’s mentoring university as “a dream come true,” expressing appreciation for the opportunity to establish a formal relationship between the university he founded and his alma mater.

According to the information released on the development, the National Universities Commission has approved ADUA to begin academic activities with three faculties, eight departments and 13 academic programmes.

The programmes will cover Applied Sciences, Computing, Management and Social Sciences.ValidViewNetwork reports that the mentorship is expected to provide ADUA with academic, administrative and technical guidance as the new institution begins operations.

Prof. Kehinde congratulated Durojaiye on the establishment of the university and pledged FUNAAB’s support for its successful take-off.

He said FUNAAB remained committed to providing academic mentorship, institutional guidance and technical assistance to help the new university develop sustainably.

FUNAAB has done this before

The latest appointment is not an entirely new responsibility for FUNAAB.In September 2015, the National Universities Commission directed FUNAAB to mentor Mountain Top University and Chrisland University, both newly approved private universities in Ogun State at the time.

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The arrangement covered areas including staff development, knowledge exchange, facilities sharing, teaching, learning and research.FUNAAB described the mentorship as part of its responsibility to help newly established institutions develop in line with NUC standards.

The relationship has also gone beyond a formal designation. Mountain Top University has continued to engage FUNAAB in areas of institutional and professional collaboration. In February 2024, an MTU delegation visited FUNAAB’s Nimbe Adedipe Library to explore cooperation in library services and other areas.

From FUNAAB classrooms to leadership elsewhere

The university’s influence can also be traced through academics and administrators who have taken their expertise beyond its campus.

One prominent example is Prof. Adeniyi Tajudeen Olayanju, a professor at FUNAAB who previously served as Vice-Chancellor of Landmark University and later became the pioneer Vice-Chancellor of Philomath University, Abuja.

He also served as Dean of Students Affairs at FUNAAB and pioneer Dean of Engineering at Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology.

Another example is Prof. Olufunke Rebecca Vincent, a FUNAAB academic who served on sabbatical at Chrisland University.

FUNAAB records show that Prof. Vincent became the pioneer Acting Head of Chrisland University’s Computer Science Department between January 2018 and June 2019.

She also served as the university’s pioneer Chairman and Director of ICT. Her contribution included helping Chrisland secure approval for its Computer Science programme and introducing programmes in Cyber Security and Software Engineering.

The relationship has also produced movement in university administration. FUNAAB records identify Elvis Lawale, who became Registrar of Chrisland University, as a former FUNAAB staff member.

These examples illustrate a broader pattern. FUNAAB’s institutional influence has not been confined to Abeokuta. Its academics, administrators, knowledge and facilities have contributed to the development of other universities.

Alumni now returning with institutions of their own

The ADUA development adds another layer to that history. This time, the institution seeking mentorship is not simply another university located within FUNAAB’s immediate academic environment. It was founded by one of its own graduates.

That gives the relationship an unusual symbolism; a former student has returned to the institution that helped shape his academic journey, this time seeking its experience to help build another university.

ValidViewNetwork reports that the development also highlights the increasing role of established Nigerian universities in supporting newer institutions as the country’s higher education sector expands.

Prof. Kehinde also commended the FUNAAB Alumni Association, particularly its United States branch, for supporting the university through scholarships, tuition assistance and feeding programmes for indigent students.

The Vice-Chancellor noted that FUNAAB had previously participated in institutional mentorship and expressed confidence that ADUA could develop into a competitive centre for learning, research and innovation.

Beyond one university

The appointment comes at a time when Nigeria continues to expand its university system through the licensing of new institutions.

For new universities, obtaining a licence is only the beginning. Building academic systems, developing programmes, establishing quality assurance structures and producing credible graduates require institutional experience.

That is where mentorship from an established university becomes significant.FUNAAB’s earlier relationship with Mountain Top University and Chrisland University shows that such partnerships can extend into staff development, research, facilities, academic programmes and knowledge exchange.

The new partnership with ADUA therefore places another responsibility on FUNAAB: to transfer institutional experience while allowing the new university to develop its own identity.

For an institution founded by one of its alumni, the assignment could become one of FUNAAB’s more distinctive mentorship relationships.

ValidViewNetwork reports that the success of the partnership will ultimately be measured not by the announcement itself, but by how effectively FUNAAB’s academic and institutional experience helps ADUA establish strong foundations for teaching, research and innovation.