It was a carnival-like celebration on the campus of Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo on Friday 20th October, 2023 as the whole campus erupted into unquenchable flame of joy and happiness moment the news of approval for immediate implementation of its University Status was announced via a circular from the Federal Ministry of Education Abuja.
The entire campus became agog which joyful celebrations.
Some stakeholders who had been on the forefront of the struggle to see the College become a full fledged university were seen dancing and exchanging pleasantries over the news. Some of the stakeholders include the National body of Alumni Association, COESU and NASU and students.
The Alumni Association received the cheering news at its National Secretariat during its National Executive Council Meeting.
It will be recalled that the National Executive Council of the Alumni Association headed by its national president, Dr Festus Olowogboyega Oyebade at the National Convention of the body in February, 2023 pledged to work for the actualisation of the dream of the University.
The College which had been upgraded into full-fledged university by the administration of President Muhammad Buhari by an Act of the Parliament was gazzeted in 2020 but its implementation had since been stalled.
The efforts of National Executive Council, COESU, NASU and Osemawe in-Council over the matter of implementation of the gazzete yielded significant result on Friday, 20th of October, 2023.
In a release signed by the Assistant Director, Press and Public Relations in the Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs Obilor-Duru Augustina Okechi, on behalf of the Honourable Minister of Education dated 20th, October 2023 and titled, FG: Approves Immediate Establishment of Seven (7) New Tertiary Institutions which was made available to the public reads in parts as follows;
“In line with the present administration’s commitment to ensure continuity in governance and policy consistency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu(GOFR) has approved the staggered Establishment of Four(4) Colleges of Education to be converted to Federal Universities of Education, Two(2) Federal Universities of Agriculture, Two (2) Federal Universities of Medical and Health Sciences and Five(5) Colleges of Education”
Mrs Okechi said that the approved institutions for which the establishment process would commence immediately include Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Kwale, Delta State and Federal University of Agriculture, Mubi, Adamawa State.
Colleges of education converted to federal universities of education are Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, Ondo State and Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri, Imo State.
The newly approved colleges of education are Federal College of Education, Ilawe Ekiti, Ekiti State, Federal College of Education, Ididep, Ibiono, Akwa Ibom State and Federal College of Education (Technical), Yauri, Kebbi State.
“The establishment and conversion of these institutions is a further demonstration of President Tinubu’s Education for the Renewed Hope Agenda and will help in improving access to tertiary education in the country,” she said.
While reacting to this, the National President of the Alumni Association of Adeyemi Federal University of Education, Dr Festus Olowogboyega Oyebade said that the good news was a welcome development which he said was long overdo. He appreciated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for granting the approval for the implementation of the College as a full fledged university.
Olowogboyega alluded the victory to the portion of the bible, Psalm 126 which says “when the LORD brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed.
Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy”
He concluded by congratulating the entire members of the Alumni, COESU, NASU, students and management for this great achievement.
