…as UTME declares institution 5th Most-Sought-After of 176 varsities.
Ekiti State government has unveiled plans to partner Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) ahead of this year’s National Festival of Arts, Culture and Tourism (NAFEST) which would commence in November.
The partnership, according to the state would ensure a successful outing of the 34th edition of NAFEST.
This was just as the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) declared FUOYE as the fifth Most-Sought-After University of 176 Universities in Nigeria.
Following the nod given by the National Council for Arts and Culture and the Federal Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism
to the Ekiti State’s Ministry of Arts, Culture and Tourism, to host this year’s edition of NAFEST, the state government has set up the NAFEST’s Local Organizing Committee (LOC).
The LOC, chaired by the Ekiti State Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism , Professor Rasaki Ojo Bakare, on Tuesday paid a Support and Advocacy visit to FUOYE’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina.
They were, however, warmly received at the VC’s Conference Room on the Oye-Ekiti campus.
A press statement co-signed by the Public Relations Officer, Foluso Ogunmodede and the VC’s Special Adviser on Media Matters, Wole Balogun disclosed that the Committee sought the University’s support towards a successful hosting of NAFEST in Ekiti State.
Its members comprised top functionaries of the state government, the Ministry and the academia, including the state’s Commissioner for Youths and Sports; Hon. Micheal Awopetu, Honourable Commissioner for Environment; Barr. Iyabo Fakunle Okiyeme; Mrs. Kayode F. F, Director of Finance and Accounts, Mr. Olajide Timothy, Director of Administration and Supplies, Mr. Tunde Adewunmi, Director of Documentation and Publication, Mr. Babalola Abdul, Director of Corporate Affairs and Communication, Mrs. Toyin Mercy Oyadeji, Director of of Tourism, Mrs. Banke Olwale, Head , Marketing and Business,r. Festus Abegunde, Public Relations Officer, Mr. Micheal Omojola, Media Officer, Mr. Adelusi Adebanji, Director, Culture, Hon. Sunday Awoyemi, Director General, Public Works, Mrs. Ajayi Modupe, Chief Internal Auditor, Dr. Lilian Bakare, (FUOYE) Dr. Ade Adeseke (EKSU), and Dr. Sola Balogun (FUOYE).
Also in attendance with the VC were members of his Management team, DVC, Administration, Prof. Olusola Omotola, DVC, Academics, Prof. Olusola Ojo, Acting Bursar, Mrs. Bolanle Ajagunna, Acting Registrar, Mufutau Ibrahim, Chief Security Officer, Paul Ogidi and Librarian, Dr. Isaac Idowu.
Speaking further on the mission of the LOC’s visit to the VC, Prof. Bakare, who was FUOYE’s pioneer Dean of Post Graduate Studies, said “we congratulate you, on behalf of the Ministry and the LOC and the state government for your emergence as the VC at a time like this and we pray that your tenure will be the beginning of the realization of God’s visions for FUOYE.
“The NAFEST and National Sports Festival were the two national assets that Nigeria created in 1968 as the civil war raged as internal mechanisms to bring all the warring factions together so that Nigeria may be one again.
“Between then and now, 33 editions of the festival have been held. This year, Ekiti State is hosting the 34th edition. This is the first time the state is hosting a national event of this magnitude. The narration has always been that the state has no facility and has no population to host such an event.
“But because of the tremendous job that this administration has done, which are evident in our successful outing in the last lnternational Arts and Crafts contest where Ekiti State beat all other contestants, both local and foreign to emerge the best and the state also emerged the second best in NAFEST in Jos last year, the National Council for Arts and Culture and the Federal Ministry of lnformation, Culture and Tourism agreed that Ekiti should host NAFEST 2021.
“Hosting the festival is not just a one man’s job, every Institution that occupies space in Ekiti has a role to play if the state would have a successful NAFEST.
“We are expecting a minimum of 75,000 guests and tourists from both foreign and domestic destinations. We are here to inform you that FUOYE is a critical stakeholder in the successful hostng of the festival. There are activities that would come to the Campus.
“Particularly, we are raising 2000 volunteers of young men and women to work with us in different aspects of the festival hosting. 1000 out of them will perform and we are hoping that out of these 1000, we would raise 300 from FUOYE, particularly from the departments of Theatre and Media Arts and Mass Communication. They would learn a great deal and acquire practical knowledge that cannot be obtained in the classrooms. We will bring our auditioning and recruitment next week. The campus will benefit a great deal while we will also need your support.
“We will also need the University for some other assistance such as accommodation and transport facilities. We want to make Ekiti proud and want to make history, to ensure that the state hosts the best NAFEST so far.”
Responding excitedly, the VC assured Bakare and his team of FUOYE’s support.
He also urged all stakeholders in Ekiti project to ensure that they join hands together to develop the state so that it could experience meaningful growth in all ramifications.
Fasina said: “Ekiti is blessed. The state has one of the best in medical tourism. The best consultant in Medicine is here. The opportunities are so huge. We need to open up more space. We have passion for the state to develop and the people should allow it to develop.
“Culture brings change, development and unity. It will always bring development for those who are receptive so we thank God the state has someone like Prof. Bakare. Whatever you are seeing in the department of Theatre and Media Arts, Prof. Bakare is the brain behind it. We will support you. Governor Fayemi has helped us in this University. He is somebody who knows how to create oppurtunities for others.
We will support you in everyway. We will collaborate with you. Your success is our success.
“We are glad that FUOYE has emerged the fifth position out of 176 Universities with regards to the most-sought-after University in Nigeria. We are becoming popular because we are achieving greatly. We are bringing development into the towns around us. We are relevant in terms of population. We also have resources as well as qualitative education .If we have industrialization in the state, we should be vibrant, dynamic to effect change.
“Let us allow our people to give ideas on areas that can bring development. This is what we are doing in FUOYE and we are progressing. For instance, over 2000 have registered for our Daily Part Time programmes. We want all the towns around us to feel our presence. We also would wish that roads from here are opened up for further development,” he advised.
