2023 Review: FULokoja's Achievements and Milestones Under Prof. Akinwumi

The dawn of 2024 has provided the Federal University Lokoja (FUL) family with yet another opportunity to look back in thankful introspection on the achievements of Prof. Olayemi Akinwumi's administration in 2023. Tough and challenging as the year was, FUL had reasons to celebrate the steady giant developmental strides of the University during this period. One of the challenges was the choking overlapping batches run during the period, whereby three (3) streams of students were concurrently run in the same session. The stress on staff and students was particularly noted and the sacrifice to run the session successfully appreciated.

Worthy of note is the corporate nature of the achievements of the year. This documentation is meant to commend every member of the FUL Community for staying focused and supportive of the leadership of the University.  It is also to draw attention to the unstoppable power of cooperation.

List of some achievements and milestones under the administration of Professor Olayemi Akinwumi for the year 2023 compiled by Professor Gbenga Ibileye, Provost, College of Postgraduate Studies, and Mr Chris Yahaya, Chief Digital Documentation Officer, VC’s Office

1. Upgrade and conversion of the former Federal Medical Center, Lokoja (FMCL) to Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja (FTHL) by the Federal Government for the training of the Federal University Lokoja Medical and Nursing Science students at the clinical level;
2. FUL made the elite list of the maiden Times Higher Education 2023 Sub-Saharan African Varsities ranking, and falls within the 51st - 60th bracket out of the 120 Sub Saharan-Universities that were ranked using the criteria of Resources and Finance, Access and Fairness, Teaching Skills, Students Engagement and Africa Impact. FUL took the 17th position out of the 51 Nigerian Universities ranked, and 9th position amongst the Federal Universities;
3. Received approval from the NUC, COREN, Nursing Registration Council, and JAMB to admit pioneer students into Engineering and Nursing Programmes after Resource Verifications were successfully conducted;
4. Hosted the First International Conference on Flood Management with the theme "Flood and its sustainable Development” which attracted an array of distinguished scholars from within and outside Nigeria and provided an intellectually driven understanding of the incessant flood disasters that have plagued the confluence area;
5. Hosted the Association of Registrars of Nigerian Universities (ARNU) at its first Workshop and 73rd Business Meeting titled "Repositioning Administration Machineries of the Nigerian Universities System for Global Competitiveness: The Role of the Registrars;"
6. Hosted the 34th Conference of the Linguistics Association of Nigeria (FULCLAN 2023) tagged "Nigerian Languages and the Challenges of Pandemic" through the Department of Linguistics and African Languages, Federal University Lokoja;
7. Hosted the second Session Mandatory Talent Development and Special Induction Programme of the Chartered Institute of Human Capital Development of Nigeria (CIHCDN) tagged "Redefining the Nigerian Economy, AI Application in Education, Skill Development and Youth Employability;"
8. Federal University Lokojafeatured in the 2023 Commonwealth Education Report alongside Covenant University, Ota, and University of Nigeria, Nsukka;
9. Re-Accreditation and Accreditation of 43 Programmes by the National Universities Commission (NUC);
10. Organized the 6th and 7th Combined Convocation, the most successful and well-attended Convocation in the history of the University, where two (2) outstanding students - Zafirah Isa (Chemistry 2020/2021) and Mariam Oyiza Ibrahim (Economics 2021/2022) were awarded One Million Naira cash prize each by Hon. Abiodun Faleke;
11. Instituted and successfully organized the first FUL Founders’ Day during the 6th and 7th Combined Convocation. The date of Convocation was also changed to fall within the Founders’ Day which was the day the Senate of the University was inaugurated;
12. Successfully organized the Maiden Research Fair and Exhibition which featured Research Breakthroughs from Faculties, Entrepreneurship, and Manufacturing Companies in Kogi State, research breakthroughs from other Universities; and a display of the abundant Mineral Resources in Kogi State;
13. Organized the first Carnival Procession to celebrate a united Nigeria to mark the Founders’ Day;
14. Launching of Endowment Fund for the development of the University;
15. Conferred First Degrees on 2,511 graduands, Masters Degrees on 99 Postgraduate Students, and Postgraduate Diploma Certificates on 128 graduands;
16. Conferred Honorary Doctorate Degrees (Honoris Causa) on six (6) eminent Nigerians, three (3) each for the two (2) academic sessions, who have made significant contributions to the development of the nation;
17. Instituted the Annual Best Faculty Prize using certain academic and administrative criteria;
18. Recognized and Conferred Merit Awards on seven (7) outstanding staff and friends of the University for their dedication and contribution to FUL development;
19. The College of Postgraduate Studies conducted the First External Assessment for Postgraduate Students;
20. The College of Postgraduate Studies presented the First Ph.D. student from the Department of Physics for external defense;
21. Matriculated 4,347 students at the 11thMatriculation Ceremony;
22. Implementation of the Staff Audit Committee’s report, regularization, and proper placement of staff;
23. Organized eight (8) Inaugural Lectures delivered by distinguished Professors in the University;
24. Hosted Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, CFR, former Chief of Staff to President Muhammed Buhari who delivered a scintillating Public Lecture tagged “The Relevance of University Education in Innovation for the Advancement of Town and Gown Symbiosis;”
25. Hosted Professor Som Naidu, Principal Associates, Technology, Education & Design Associates, Melbourne, Australia, and Former Pro-Vice Chancellor, Flexible Learning, The University of the South Pacific who delivered a Lecture entitled "Re-engineering Education Futures at the Confluence of Technology, Education, and Design;"
26. Hosted Professors Paul Ugor from the University of Waterloo in Canada, John Ayotunde Bewaji from the University of the West Indies in Jamaica, and Patrick Oloko from the University of Lagos on a transformative two-day workshop on cutting-edge concepts in Research/Publication, Grant Writing, and Mentoring, targeting junior academics and senior non-teaching staff;
27. Hosted officials from the Center for Journalism Innovation and Development(CJID) on a 4-day Campus Journalism Clinic for about 60 students of the Department of Mass Communication from Federal University Lokoja and Prince Abubakar Audu University, Anyigba;
28. Hosted the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Entrepreneurship Development in Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Engr. Jennifer Adighije, plans to deploy a modular ICT/TECH hub that will help to foster digital literacy, upskill the youths, and provide access to digital resources;
29. Organized the First Memorial Lecture in honour of late Engineer Joseph Oyeyani Makoju;
30. Participated in the 2023 Global Entrepreneurship Week through the Directorate of Entrepreneurship Studies and Skill Acquisition (DESSA), where young aspiring entrepreneurs in the University received seed funds of between N10,000 and N15,000 each to invigorate their small businesses on the campus;
31. Organized Breast and Cervical Cancer Awareness and Screening Seminar through the Directorate of University Health Services where PAP smear test was conducted free for female staff and spouses of male staff;
32. Organized the First Teaching Practice Orientation for Students of the Faculty of Education  tagged “Orientation Towards Quality & Excellence;”
33. Organized a Special Senate Session in honour of Late Emeritus Professor Nimi Dimkpa Briggs, OON, the Second Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the University (2016 and 2020);
34. Organized Exam Summit for stakeholders involved in the conduct of examinations in the University for standardization and adoption of best practices;
35. Organized community outreach to Felele Community through the Directorate of the University Health Services where free medical services and sensitization were offered as part of FUL’s Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR);
36. Organized Basic Life Skills Workshop through the Directorate of the University Health Services tagged “Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)” which was attended by both medical and non-medical staff including medical students;
37. Organized International Mother Language Day through the Department of Linguistics and African Languages tagged “Multilingual Education as a Necessity to Transform Education;”
38. Principal Officers visited and distributed some gift items to Stagi Cornerstone Orphanage at the Adankolo Community as part of activities to celebrate the Vice-Chancellor’s birthday;
39. Hosted members of the FUL Alumni Association at a Get-Together and Reunion;
40. Hosted the 4th National Conference of the Nigerian Political Science Association (NPSA), North Central Zone tagged “Election, Security and Nation-Building in Nigeria: Looking Ahead” which was graced by eminent personalities within and outside Kogi State;
41. Commencement and commissioning of the Federal University Lokoja Table Water Factory located at the Adankolo Campus on the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model of the Public Private Partnership (PPP);
42. Establishment of the Federal University Lokoja Microfinance Bank (in progress);
43. Construction of road networks linking: the main Gate to the Administrative Block (Second lane), students' hostel and University Farms, ring roads connecting the Senate Chamber through the Professorial Offices block, Administrative Block through the Faculty of Science to the University Library;
44. Completion and furnishing of Entrepreneurship Centre where all the students are now trained in one skill or the other after which they will be registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission and certificated;
45. Completion of 12 blocks of Lecture Halls;
46. Completion and commissioning of the University Mini-Stadium and Recreational Centre;
47. Expansion of the University Health Centre which is now open to the public for consultation and medical attention;
48. Construction of Assembly Hall (in progress);
49. Construction of Faculty of Engineering Complex (in progress);
50. Construction of an Auditorium (close to the Faculty of Arts);
51. Establishment and construction of Federal University Lokoja Zoo, Parks and Garden (in progress);
52. Additional solar-powered electrification of the streets/road networks on the Campus;
53. Construction of 40 blocks of Shops on the Build, Operate, and Transfer model;
54. Renovation of the Faculty of Science Complex;
55. Renovation of the University Library and ICT Centre;
56. Construction and commissioning of the Agricultural Training Centre facilitated by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture;
57. Connection of electricity from the Lokoja Power Substation to link the University to the national grid;
58. Renovation of the Male and Female Hostels at the Adankolo Campus for the MB;BS students;
59. Construction of 4-storey Senate Building (in progress);
60. Construction of a Central Laboratory through the Grant of N250,000,000.00 awarded by ASR Africa/BUA Group (in progress);
61. Purchase of 18-seater Innoson Bus;
62. Establishment of Federal University Lokoja Outlets at  Abuja, FCT College of Education, Zuba, and other areas;
63. Signed MoU with Auchi Polytechnic, Edo;
64. Signed MoU with National Institute of Legislative Studies (NILD), National Assembly, Abuja to run some specialized postgraduate programmes in collaboration with the University’s Institute of Governance and Development Studies;
65. Established the Directorate of Distance and E-Learning;
66. Established the Institute of Education;
67. Established the Directorate of Flood Management and Control;
68. Established the FUL Mentorship Committee and organized a 2-day Workshop tagged "Effective Mentorship: A Panacea for Improved Competency and Career Progression" for Academic and Non-Teaching Staff members;
69. Commenced the process for perimeter fencing of the University (Permanent Site);
70. Promoted eligible Academic Staff (2022 and 2023), all Non-Teaching Staff (2022), and Junior Non-Teaching (2023);
71. Renewal of the appointments of Prof. M.S. Audu as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), and Prof. A.E. Bala as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration);
72. Elections of new Faculty Deans and renewal of appointments of Heads of Departments;
73. Appointment of Mr. Nuhu Shamaki, a Deputy Registrar on Sabbatical appointment with the Federal University Wukari (FUW), as the Special Assistant (SA) to the Vice-Chancellor, FUW;
74. Appointment of Mr. Nda Sule Okeme, former Sports Coordinator, as Director of Sports at the Federal University Wukari;
75. Appointment of Alhaji Haruna Mariga (Director of Internal Audit) as Executive Secretary, Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency;
76. Appointment of Mrs. Florence Gbodi Alabi (Deputy Bursar) as Bursar, Kogi State University, Kabba;
77. Appointment of Mbashir Lanre (Principal Librarian and Coordinator of Library and Information Science)  as the University Librarian, Kogi State University, Kabba;
78. Appointment of Professor Olarewaju Ifetimehin (Sabbatical Lecturer in the Department of Geography) as Director of Academic Planning, Kogi State University, Kabba;
79. Appointment of Paul Kolade Tubi as a member of the Scientific Committee of the World Anthropological Union (WAU) World Congress;
80. Appointment of Francisca Oladipo, Vice-Chancellor, Thomas Adewumi University (TAU) and former Director, Quality Assurance and Head of the Department of Computer Science, Federal University Lokoja, by Woxsen University, Telangana, India as one of the Women in Technology Fellow at its Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research Center;
81. Appointment of Mr. Godwin Sani, a senior officer from the Directorate of ICT, as Chairman of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Kogi State Chapter;
82. Supported Dr. Fatima Abubakar, a Principal Assistant Registrar in the Registry Department, to participate in the Annual Workshop organized for University Administrators by the Association of Higher Education Professionals (AHEP) at the University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom;
83. A staff from the Department of Zoology, Peace Onas Uchendu, who was pursuing a doctoral degree in Aquatic Animal Nutrition at Universiti Sains Malaysia, was nominated to participate in the Erasmus Postgraduate Mobility Programme at Keele University in the United Kingdom;
84. 400L Students from the Department of Economics represented the University at the National Economic Society Conference held in Abuja where they presented their research work to the admiration of the participants;
85. A fresh graduate from the Department of Computer Science, Gift Otohinoyi Ahmed, emerged as the only Nigerian among the first graduates of the Microsoft Power Up Program, a 12-week skilling program;
86. Induction of four (4) 200L and 300L students of the University into the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN);
87. Inauguration of the new executive of the Student's Union and the Student Representative Council (SRC), following the successful conduct of their elections into the various positions;
88. Partnership with the Cuban Embassy, Abuja for linkages with notable Universities in the Republic of Cuba;
89. Partnership with the Vietnam Embassy on agricultural development, training of youths, and infrastructural development;
90. Partnership with the Chinese Embassy on exchange programmes opportunities and strengthening the College of Health Sciences;
91. Partnership with the Nigeria Customs Service on Human Capital Development;
92. Partnership with the Nigeria Immigration Service on Human Capital Development;
93. Signed MoU with World Human Capital Deployment Organization, (WHCDO), Montreal, Canada, a Not-for-Profit Organization that focuses on human capital development across the globe, in Partnership withAfriComputation & Technologies (AC&T) Limited, a start-up tech company and one of WHCDO’s partners pursuing the African Universities Computation Initiative to establish the African Centre for Computation, Simulation, & Modeling (ACCSM), African Universities Startup Ecosystem (AUSE), and African Universities Broadband Internet Wireless Network (AUBIWN) at the Federal University Lokoja;
94. Conferment of"Peace Ambassador Award" on the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olayemi Akinwumi by the Institute for Crisis Resolution, Peacebuilding and Conciliation (ICRPC);
95. Conferment of award of “Distinguished Fellow” (Institutional Category) on the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olayemi Akinwumi by the Society for Peace Studies and Practice (SPSP); and
96. Conferment of"Distinguished Leadership Award" on the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olayemi Akinwumi by the Society of Nigeria Theatre Artists (SONTA); among others.