From Olanike Olawole-Orebe
It was pomp recently at the FUOYE Faculty of Arts (FASA) flagship event, tagged Fasabration 2021, which featured several exciting programmes such as the Dean’s tournament, otherwise called BTO-FASA Dean Cup; an intra faculty football competition, “Melting Pot”, which is an intra- faculty academic debate, a lecture on marketing works of Arts and the inauguration of the endowment of the ROB-FASA Awards, an Awards, Medals and Cash Prizes for diligence and academic success funded by Prof. Rasaki Ojo Bakare, current Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism, Ekiti State.
While the event kicked off with a seminar/lecture by Dr. Sola Balogun of the Theatre and Media Arts (TMA) Department and a team of promising student writers on the theme Creative Writing as Business, it climaxed on a joyous note with Prof. Bakare’s endowment of cash awards to 32 outstanding students as well as garlands for winners of the Dean’s football competition.
An impressive report of the FASA event signed by both Mr. Tayo Isijola, a lecturer with the TMA, and Mrs. Ada Amaechi of the English and Literary Studies Department,(ELS), reads: “On Thursday 24th June, FASA held her flagship event with recorded success during her week tagged FASABRATION 2021. The day’s programme, which combined the final match of the BTO-FASA Dean’s Cup (intra faculty football competition) with “Melting Pot” (intra faculty debate), also witnessed the inauguration of the endowment of the ROB-FASA Awards (Awards, Medals and Cash Prizes for diligence and academic excellence). Prof B.T. Opoola (Dean Faculty of Arts), who had also endowed FASA with a perpetual trophy for the BTO-FASA Deans Cup, was accompanied to the football pitch by Associate Prof. Laide Nasir (TMA), Dr (Mrs) Lilian Bakare (HOD TMA) and Dr Oladimeji (LNL), to take the 1st kick for the final match that held between English & Literary Studies (ELS) and Linguistics & Nigerian Languages (LNL) departments. At the end, LNL, who seemed to have spoken the football language better, won the Trophy.
“The Melting Pot debate (3rd edition) held at the Main Auditorium, and was also keenly contested by the 4 departments- Theatre & Media Arts (TMA), History & International Relations (HIR), English & Literary Studies (ELS) and Linguistics & Nigerian Languages (LNL). The respective group spoke to the topic: “Which Department is most vital to the purpose of the arts?”, and the result, later announced by Dr Fatusin (Chief Judge), indicated that each one led the other by a very arrow margin.
“In the nick of time, Prof Rasaki Ojo Bakare (Hon Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism- Ekiti State) arrived while the Judges went about result summation, and was led into the auditorium by the Dean, Faculty of Arts and the Director- GST unit (Dr Oyedokun). The event was also graced by the esteemed presence of the Dean, Students’ Affairs, Prof Dosu Malomo.
“In his endowment address, Prof Bakare hinted that he had obliged FASA’s proposal because it provides an opportunity to give back to the society by encouraging students to strive towards diligence and academic excellence in an era of misplaced values and priorities. The applause that greeted the address rose to a crescendo when the benefactor committed himself to sustaining the endowment as long as “the Lord continues to grant the gift of life”.
“The endowment provided medals to 8 diligent students, as well as certificate and cash prize of N5,000 for each of the 32 students with a CGPA of 4.0 and above, in the 300level, across the four departments.
“Afterwards, the results of “Melting Pot” debate was announced, and ELS emerged winner. The student body is thankful to the Honorable Commissioner and the pioneer Dean of Faculty of Arts (Prof Bakare) and the incumbent Dean, Faculty of Arts (Prof Opoola) for their support and commitment to the development of FASA and the entire student members.
” They expressed more thanks to the Dean Faculty of Arts, Dean Student Affairs, the HODs, and other members of staff for their presence, particularly the Panel of Judges (Dr Fatusin, Dr Oladimeji, Mr Ajayi and Mr Uzordinma Umenyilorah) and the accurate time Keeper (Dr Agofure Idogho”
