Ololade Adeyanju/
The pioneer Vice Chancellor of the newly upgraded Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo, Professor Olanrewaju Olaniyan, has disclosed that academic activities will commence in the institution by December.
Olaniyan, who assumed office about two weeks ago, made this known during a courtesy visit to the Chairman, Oyo Metropolitan Development Association, Archbishop Emeritus Ayo Ladigbolu, at his residence, in Oyo, on Thursday.
He said the university had put everything in place to start admitting students ahead of the December resumption date.
According to the VC, the institution will offer 50 courses to start with and gradually increase the number as its human capital and infrastructure expand.
Olaniyan, who was accompanied on the visit by some management staff of the institution, assured his host of the university’s preparedness to meet up with the requirements for accreditation of the courses by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
“Our plan is to commence academic activities before December 16, because our university will clock one year on that day. We got our licence on December 16, 2022.
“We have identified 50 programmes we are starting with and have written to the National Universities Commission to seek for its approval. We’re hopeful that we will be ready for the NUC’s inspection before the end of October.
“And with what we have on ground, I am confident that we will meet up with all their requirements,” Olaniyan said.
While welcoming his guests, Ladigbolu thanked Governor Seyi Makinde for his administration’s decision to upgrade the institution from a college of education to a university.
He also expressed appreciation to the vice chancellor for the visit, while enjoining him to treat everyone fairly and justly.
“My main counsel for you is to ensure that you treat everyone fairly and justly. This is because the entire Oyo town is like a single household. We’re all interconnected. So an offence to one will ultimately translate to an offence to all,” Ladigbolu said.
He assured Olaniyan and the university management of the unrelenting support of the entire Oyo metro area in order to make the institution a reference point in academic excellence.
Ladigbolu was joined by the Baales (community heads) of different sections of Oyo, religious leaders and members of the Oyo Metropolitan Development Association to receive the vice chancellor and his entourage.
