.. As the institution Reinforces Its Status as Nigeria’s Bastion of Quality Leadership_
By Olasunkanmi Olajide & Joy Adeyiga
The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), HRM, Oba Rasheed Ayotunde Olabomi, Odundun IV, on January 30, 2026, restated the Governing Council’s unwavering commitment to purposeful leadership and sustained infrastructural development with the commissioning of multiple landmark projects to commemorate the University’s 33rd Convocation Ceremony.
The commissioning exercise featured a series of strategically executed projects aimed at strengthening academic delivery, staff welfare and student learning experience. The Residential Quarters for Principal Officers were commissioned by the Pro-Chancellor himself, while the Phase II Building of the College of Physical Sciences (COLPHYS) was commissioned by Oba (Dr.) Babatunde Adewale Ajayi, CFR, the Akarigbo and Paramount Ruler of Remoland, who was represented by the Alaye of Ode Remo, Kabiyesi Oba Surveyor (Dr.) Adetunji Amidu Oso, Owadaniyan II.
Also commissioned was the 240-Capacity Computer Laboratory by the Distinguished Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, Chairman, Senate Committee on ICT. The Animal Demonstration Laboratory was commissioned by Chief (Mrs.) Bola Obasanjo, wife of the former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, while the Veterinary Anatomy Laboratory (Phase I) was commissioned by Aremo Olusegun Osoba, former Governor of Ogun State. The 120-Bed Hostel was commissioned by Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Abuja.
Speaking during the commissioning, the Pro-Chancellor noted that the newly completed facilities were emblematic of FUNAAB’s enduring tradition of visionary governance and quality leadership across academic, administrative and welfare spheres. He emphasised that the Governing Council remained resolute in positioning the University as a centre of excellence anchored on strategic planning, accountability and innovation.
According to the Pro-Chancellor, the projects were deliberately conceptualised and executed to advance FUNAAB’s Tripartite Mandate of Teaching, Research and Extension Services, while simultaneously promoting staff welfare and creating an enabling learning environment that supports productivity and institutional growth.
He explained that the decision to construct the Residential Quarters for Principal Officers was informed by the situation he met on assumption of office, when only the Vice-Chancellor resided on campus. This, he said, underscored the need to prioritise staff accommodation as a catalyst for effective leadership, improved coordination and institutional stability.
Oba Olabomi disclosed that the residential quarters were funded through the University’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), adding that foundations had already been laid for additional residential quarters for Governing Council members. He further revealed plans for a large-scale residential development, potentially the biggest on campus, also to be financed through IGR, as part of sustained efforts to enhance staff productivity and deepen institutional commitment.
In his remarks at the commissioning sites, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Babatunde Kehinde, described the exercise as a clear manifestation of FUNAAB’s leadership-driven development philosophy, commending the Governing Council for its foresight and support for infrastructural advancement.
Dignitaries at the project sites included the Olowu of Owu Kingdom, HRM Oba (Prof.) Saka Adelola Matemilola, Oluyalo Otileta VII; members of the Governing Council; Principal Officers of the University; Deans and Directors and top government functionaries, as well as staff and students of the University.
