FUNAAB Vice-Chancellor bags “Kwame Nkrumah Grow Africa Prize for Excellence” award

….. reiterates commitment to production of graduates who are self-reliant and wealth creators.

The Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Prof. Olusola Babatunde Kehinde FGSN, FIHS has been honoured with the prestigious award of Kwame Nkrumah Grow Africa Prize for Excellence by Grow Africa Youth Initiative (GAYI).

This was contained in a statement by Kolawole Adepoju, the Director, Public Relations of the University.

According to Adepoju, the award was presented to the Vice-Chancellor in his office by the President of Grow Africa Youth Initiative (GAYI), Mr. Notchiso Toure and it was witnessed by the University Librarian (UL), Dr. Abayomi Kehinde Owolabi, and Deputy Registrar II, Vice-Chancellor’s Office, Mr. Moses Ayanda, among others.

The award was in recognition of the selfless leadership prowess of Prof Babatunde before his emergence as the seventh substantive Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta and appreciation of his modest achievements since assuming office as the Vice- Chancellor.

“Presenting the award to the Vice-Chancellor, the President of GAYI, Mr. Toure disclosed that the award was genuinely informed by the fact that Prof. Kehinde had distinguished himself as a selfless leader from scratch to the Vice-Chancellorship of FUNAAB.

He described the Vice-Chancellor as an exemplary leader, especially in Africa; a role model, a detribalised Nigerian, and a lover of students and youths, with credible credentials for efficient service delivery.

Speaking further, Mr. Toure who is from Ivory Coast, a French-speaking country spoke through Comrade Ozim Temple, the Director of Programme who read his speech in English at the presentation of the Award.

At the presentation of the Award, Mr. Toure revealed that “The Initiative is aiming at transforming Africa into a global powerhouse of the future by delivering inclusive and sustainable development for the country”.

He explained that as part of measures to realise the body’s objectives, it recently flagged off a regional exchange programme tagged, “Stay Back In Africa” to encourage Africans to stay back in their continent and harness the potential therein for meaningful development.

Mr. Toure disclosed that GAYI is also at the Vanguard of the campaign against drug abuse among youths, especially in tertiary institutions.

In his response, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olusola Babatunde Kehinde expressed gratitude to the leaders and the entire members of Grow Africa Youth Initiative for honouring him with the Award.

He described the honour as a challenge to increase the stake of commitment to quality leadership, exemplary mentorship, and enhanced service delivery as a University Administrator and in other endeavours.

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Prof. Kehinde lauded the objectives of GAYI, especially on the exchange programme themed, “Stay Back In Africa” and the fight against drug abuse among the youths.

He pointed out that Africans should be more concerned with harnessing and developing the potentials of Africa, to make it great instead of migrating to other continents for greener pastures.

Prof. Kehinde disclosed that some years back when he started his career as a lecturer with a meager salary, he didn’t envisage traveling abroad in search of golden fleece even when he was surrounded by promising opportunities to do so.

The Vice-Chancellor stated that rather he stayed back in the country to develop himself and contribute meaningfully to the development of FUNAAB, Nigeria, and Africa at large.

He informed his guests that FUNAAB has been at the vanguard of the campaign for “Stay Back In Africa” by introducing and inculcating entrepreneurship in the curriculum and minds of FUNAAB students respectively. noting that by so doing, FUNAAB is encouraging the teeming students to be self-reliant and wealth creators.

He added that FUNAAB over the years, has been at the forefront of campaigns against drug abuse through the hosting of sensitization programmes and engagement of the students in sporting and entrepreneurship activities, to prevent them from being idle.

The Vice-Chancellor charged the Grow Africa Youth Initiative to extend its campaign to FUNAAB Students, assuring the body of management’s support without compromising standards”

ValidViewNetwork had earlier reported the emergence of the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta as the 2nd best University in Nigeria and 26th in Africa.