Oladiji who made the promise shortly after her inauguration as the eighth substantive Vice-chancellor of the institution also promised to improve the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the institution, expand the University – with new academic programmes and infrastructural development; and positively impact the host community.
According to Prof Oladiji “FUTA is doing well but there is always room for improvement. As a university of technology, we must be prepared to deal with emerging questions that we did not know had to be answered.
“The COVID 19 experience showed there is a lot of ground yet uncovered. Addressing most of the big issues facing humanity captured succinctly in the sustainable development goals requires that we network across country borders and academic disciplines.
“No single institution, country or discipline can exclusively provide solutions. We will network and be the hub for the much-desired change in the higher education sector”
She, however, said “With your support, I will provide a purposeful and pragmatic leadership, creating an environment that cherishes unity in diversity and equity which is grounded on tolerance, understanding and probity.
“I will promote and ensure esprit de corps, team building, and team working, to facilitate a conducive working and learning environment for all.
“My philosophy will be to persuade, encourage and support all categories of staff to move in the desired direction as well as recognizing and rewarding achievements”
She said “It may appear a difficult task, but I am confident that with your support we can meet our target and even surpass it. My pledge is unalloyed loyalty, commitment, and dedication to the progress of the Federal University of Technology, Akure.
“I shall faithfully and dutifully protect the law and Statute of the University and implement Council directives. I will accord due respect and honour to all the members of the Council, and extend courtesies to the Principal Officers, members of the Senate and other statutory bodies of the University.
“I shall uphold high ethical standards in my relationship with all and sundries through a sheer display of courage, fairness, integrity, transparency, professionalism and exemplary leadership”
The Pro-Chancellor of the university, Dr Godknows Boladei Igali, while speaking, congratulated the new Vice-Chancellor, urging her to live above board and make efforts to toward taking the university to a greater height
Igali commended the commitment and zeal demonstrated by members of the Search Team, the Joint Council and Senate Selection Board and the entire members of the Council to ensure a fair, transparent and equitable selection process.
“I must confess that it was not an easy task making a choice among these erudite professors and scholars of repute who all demonstrated great capacities to lead the University.
“In my more than forty years of public service, covering international relations, diplomacy, administration and even politics, I had never been confronted with such an arduous selection process of appointment of persons to fill a vacant position.
“This is due to the fact that the process was a keenly contested one by eminently qualified global scholars who could be entrusted to lead an institution of such character around the world, even as shown by the overall scores of the candidates.
“As we know in any exercise of this nature, a winner must emerge. Thus, we are gathered here today to celebrate and formally inaugurate the person who has so emerged
“I use this medium to request you to join hands with the new Vice-Chancellor to move this University forward. The University needs your experience, ideas, knowledge and contributions at this moment to take it to greater heights.
“We need you to bring all those lofty visions you have for the University to the table as we strive for excellence as a world-class University of Technology
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