The Spotlight Is On The Achievement of the Vice Chancellor, Federal University Lokoja, FUL, Professor Akinwumi Durotimi Akinwumi as he Clocks One Year in Office.

The Federal University Lokoja, FUL, was established on the 16th day of February, 2011 along with eight other Federal Universities by the former President, Doctor Goodluck Jonathan.

The University is located in Lokoja metropolis, capital of Kogi State in North Central Nigeria. The institution kicked off it’s academic programmes in two Facilities namely; Faculties of Arts and Social Sciences and that of Science.

The programmes offered in 2012/2013 session include; English Language and Literary Studies, History and International Studies, Economics, Political Science and Geography. Others are Biological Science, Chemistry, Maths, Computer Science, Physics and Geology.

The current Vice Chancellor is Professor Olayemi Durotimi Akinwumi, a Professor of History who assumed office on the 15th day of February, 2021 as the third substantive VC of the citadel and fountain of knowledge.

Professor Akinwumi met many challenges on assumption of office which he has been tackling one after the other with all determination, zeal and dedication.

According to Chris Grosser: “Opportunities don’t just happen, you create them”. The erudite Professor hit the ground running by ensuring that over 30 programmes of the University received resource verification by the Nigeria Universities Commission, NUC, and the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB, for students to be admitted into the programmes.

Following the verification and opening of the Central Admission Process, the rate of admission of the institution has increased with the population at 4,200 undergraduates as against 1,300 on assumption of duty.

Albert Einstein a theoretical physicist once said; ” In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity, life is like riding a bicycle, to keep your balance, you must keep moving.

The formal movement of the University to the Felele Campus which is the permanent site initiated by Professor Akinwumi predecessor on 11th December,2019 with only the Principal Officers has been completed in response to the Institution Council’s directive with the movement of all non-teaching Units and Departments to the Felele Campus completed on the 1st of June, 2021. Also the Facilities of Arts, Education, Management Sciences and Social Sciences have equally moved to it’s permanent site under his leadership.

Within one year of Professor Olayemi Akinwumi, the Federal University, Lokoja has initiated various means of generating revenue internally to meet up with the absence of some critical infrastructure and essential services of the fastest growing Federal University in Nigeria. This include establishment of a printing press, water factory to be Inaugurated soon under Public Private Partnership, PPP, arrangement, establishment of a Staff School with plans to open a Secondary School as well. The Institution permanent site is also wearing a new look with the inauguration of roads linking the various faculties as well as a modern Signage for the University recently unveiled by the Pro-Chancellor of FUL, Senator Chris Adighije.

Andrew Carnegies in one of his many wise sayings said; “Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organisational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results”.

This Professor of repute from a very humble background also succeeded in resolving the crises rocking the Academic Staff Union of University, ASUU, FUL chapter before his assumption of office, providing a more conducive environment for teaching and learning to thrive. He is harnessing more resources from within and without to give the Institution a more befitting look as structures are being built with the help of TETFUND, roads leading into the institution being tarred with support from the Federal Ministry of Works, as the transportation challenge is being confronted headlong.

One of the outstanding academic achievement after the matriculation of the prestigious students of FUL by the Vice Chancellor is the recent introduction of medical programmes in the Institution.

Prior to the development, students of Kogi State origin were often turned down of find it difficult to access medical programmes in other Universities. This initiative is worthy of commendation as Kogi indigenes can now have a sigh of relief and pursue a course in medicine and health science.

It is worthy of note to mention that the NUC and Medical and Dental Health Council have visited the Institution for inspection which has led to the gracious approval for the University to commence programme in Medicine and Health Science.

The Federal Medical Center Lokoja has equally been designated to serve as the Teaching Hospital for the College.

Henry Ford, a successful businessman once said that; “If money is your hope for independence, you will never have it. The only real security that a man will have in this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience and ability”.

This aptly captured the workaholic Professor whose genuine leadership qualities is turning Federal University Lokoja into a world class Institution among committee of Universities.

Having found himself in Kogi State where security of lives and property is one the most cardinal objectives of the State Government, Professor Olayemi Durotimi Akinwumi swung into action to make the permanent site safe for all by engaging over 30 trained hunters on permanent basis to complement the efforts of other existing conventional security personnels to provide maximum security for the Institution. The perimeter fencing of the School is also receiving serious attention.

Andrew Carnegie also said; “Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organisational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results”. This quite captured it all as the Vice Chancellor in a recent interview with journalists attributed his modest and ongoing achievement so far to God, the sovereign One and unflinching support of management staff and students towards achieving set goals.
.it’s note worthy to say that Federal University Lokoja needs all the support by Government at all levels, public spirited individuals, corporate Organisations to get to the pinnacle of accomplishment.