UI Agriculture and Forestry Class of 84 holds 40th year reunion, donates 350 banquet chairs for use in Trenchard Hall

The Class of 1984 Graduates of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Ibadan [UI], Ibadan has held its 40th year anniversary and reunion.

The three-day event started on Friday August 2 and ended Sunday August 4, 2024 with a thanksgiving service at the Chapel of the Resurrection of the premier university.

The alumni and alumnae graduated from the faculty 40 years ago. The old students consist of several professors, serving and former vice chancellors, captains of industry, current and former executive directors of blue chip companies, multinationals and the Central Bank of Nigeria; renowned scientists, farmers, teachers, public servants, individuals in business and other impactful personalities.

The activities commemorating the reunion started with a campus walk and a tour round the university facilities. This was followed by a courtesy visit to the leadership of the university led by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Kayode Adebowale.

Representing the VC, Adebowale, the Deputy Vice Chancellor [Administration], Prof. Peter Olapegba, received the class delegates. Also present at the reception were the DVC (Research, Innovation and Strategic Partnerships), Professor Oluyemisi Bamgbose , SAN; the Registrar, Mr. Ganiyu Saliu; the University Librarian, Dr., Mercy Iroaganachi; the Dean of Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, Prof. Adejoke Akinyele and others.

The Reunion Anniversary Committee Chairman and former VC, Osun State University, Prof. Labode Popoola, intimated the university’s principal officers with the purpose of the visit.

The dapper professor thereby presented the delegates to the principal officers.

Popoola, who is the current Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, African Forest Forum, Nairobi, Kenya, said: ‘’It is my pleasure to present to you these boys and girls who left UI 40 years ago. They have seen the world and they thought it is important for them to come back home and give back to the university that made them’’.

He disclosed that the old students found it compelling to look back and give back to the institution that invested so much in them, saying: ‘’As your former students, we are giving 350 banquets chairs to occupy Trenchard hall. It is just a starting point’’.

Dr. William Olatubi, a founding member who flew in from the US, spoke on behalf of Dr. Caleb Oriade, the Class Chairman who also flew in from the US but could not get to Ibadan in time for the courtesy visit.

Dr. Olatubi said the university remained a leading light and shining star in Africa which must be taken care of, hence the former students came from different parts of the world on a homecoming visit to their alma mater.

The Vice Chancellor lauded the achievements of the alumni members in various fields of human endeavours.

He said: ‘’This is a confirmation that you did well while you were in school. This set is very great. This is an indication of greatness. UI is proud of your achievements. Thank you for leaving Prof. Popoola behind. He is representing you very well.

‘’The owners of the universities are enjoined to take full responsibility for the university. Alumni are the owners of the university. Take back your university. Alumni are driving universities in many parts of the world. We are working hard to bring all the alumni into a pool. We are still trying to maintain the tradition of excellence. With your cooperation, we will overcome whatever challenges we have’’.

Earlier on, the 1984 graduates of the old Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry (now two faculties) had been received by the Dean, Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, Professor Adejoke Akinyele and her counterpart in the Faculty of Agriculture, Prof. Omojola who was represented by Prof Rasheed Olufemi Awodoyin. The class of 84 donated two giant multi-function photocopiers to the respective faculties.

Thereafter, the 1984 graduates participated in the Jumat service at the U.I. Mosque. This was followed by a general meeting during which the new executives for the class were elected. Mr. Kolawole Durojaiye, a retired Director of CBN, emerged the Chairman.

They ended the day with an evening reception at the First Bank Lecture Theatre at the Faculty of Agriculture.

Second Day

The day began with an anniversary lecture, which had the theme: ‘’Rebuilding Bridges and Giving Back to Alma Mater’’ delivered by Prof. Victor Olawale Adetimirin of the Agronomy Department of the university.

Adetimirin harped on the need for old students to give back, build bridges and live a meaningful social life.

The professor said: ‘’You looked into the future with great expectations when you left UI. You have made good and bad decisions. This is the age you should enjoy life responsibly. You need to give back to your alma mater, build bridges, have social life, and challenge the system to get better. UI is an aging institution with no concrete plans to repair it. UI needs your support’’.

After the lecture, there was a press conference, where the leadership of the class of 84 engaged front-line media houses on the rationale behind the reunion, strategies to revamp education and steps to ensure food security in the country.

Dr. Caleb Oriade, who is the Chairman of 1984 Class and retired Director of a US-based bank, coordinated the conference.

On education, Oriade and the incoming chairman, Durojaiye, stressed the need for strengthening partnerships between the university and alumni to revive the sector.

The chairman said: ‘’We have to strengthen the partnership between the university and alumni association. We cannot depend on the government alone. The parents have roles to play. There must be a strong relationship with the university and other alumni groups to be able to support the university administration in maintaining the quality of education and its infrastructure’’.

Durojaiye said: ‘’The parents, the government, the society and the alumni have to come together to bear the increasing responsibility of delivering quality education at the tertiary level. If we can pay millions of naira at nursery, primary and secondary school levels, then we should be ready to pay for quality at the tertiary or university level’’.

On how to ensure food security, Mr. Adetola Ajetunmobi, a registered animal scientist and Senior Lecturer, Lagos State University of Education, and incoming Secretary, Class of 1984, charged the government and other stakeholders to provide a conducive environment for agriculture and make optimal use of the vast arable land lying fallow in the country.

To Durojaiye, for Nigeria to get more value in agriculture, it must have processing zones, and storage facilities as well as strategic reserves to curb post-harvest losses.

On his part, Prof. Popoola pointed out that commitment, passion, and patience are pivotal to food sufficiency. The Professor of Forest Economics and Sustainable Development stressed that with good climate and fertile arable land, Nigeria must have food security.

The former VC said: ‘’If Nigeria wants to be involved in agriculture, it must have people who are committed to it. There must be passion and patience for it. My plea to the university system is to try as much as possible to train these students hands-on. Let them develop interest in some of these things. There are so many people in the cities who are supposed to be in the village. I have to hire labourers from Togo. There are Nigerians who are not willing to do it. There is absolutely no reason Nigeria should not be food-secure. We have what it takes. The climate is good, we have the land and the fertility of the land is relatively good. All we need to have is commitment and passion’’.

Prof. Adejoke Akinyele, Dean of Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, called for the elimination of middlemen in the food and agriculture supply value chain.

‘’If we can remove the middlemen from the food production chain, it is going to go a long way in ensuring food security in Nigeria. If the government can make adequate arrangements to get crops that are produced by these farmers to the consumers so that the middlemen are cut off, that is what we need to look into to ensure food security’’, the Dean said.

Thereafter, there was a personal time for individual networking, sightseeing and the day ended with an elegant evening banquet at the International Conference Centre of the institution. At the banquet which was chaired by Mallam Yusuf Ali, SAN, and the VC represented by Professor Olapegba, the set of 84 honoured their former teachers who were represented by Emeritus Professor Tunde Ikotun and Professor Janice Olawoye. The set also gave the achievers award to Professor Abayomi Fasina, the VC of the Federal University Oye Ekiti on behalf of its several achievers. Two best graduating students, each drawn from the two succeeding faculties, were honoured with plagues and cash prizes.

The old students brought the event to an end with a thanksgiving service and a farewell lunch on Sunday.