EKSU Rises to Number One Among State Universities as VC Credits Oyebanji’s Transformative Interventions

The Vice-Chancellor of Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti, Professor Babatola Ayodele, has attributed the university’s remarkable rise from 33rd position to number one among state universities to improved infrastructure, effective administration and sustained support from the Ekiti State Government under Governor Biodun Oyebanji.

Professor Ayodele disclosed this in Ado-Ekiti during the interactive S’etigbo Multicast, anchored by the Bureau of Community Communications of the Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State (BSES).

The Vice-Chancellor commended Governor Oyebanji for his commitment to repositioning EKSU as a world-class institution, noting that the governor’s relationship with the university as its Visitor, alumnus and former lecturer had translated into significant interventions in academic development, infrastructure, research and staff welfare.

Professor Ayodele stressed that the university’s improved ranking was the product of the collective efforts of the Governing Council, management, staff, students and other stakeholders, particularly the state government.

He listed some of the governor’s interventions to include the provision of excursion vehicles, fieldwork vehicles for the Department of Geology, a trading room, 241 solar-light points within and around the university campus, two transformers, and an annual N5 million support for deserving academic staff attending conferences abroad.

According to him, Governor Oyebanji had also intervened in the infrastructural development of the College of Medicine as part of efforts to increase the university’s medical admission quota from 50 to 100 students.

“On policy issues, he took a bold step by constituting a very experienced and solid Governing Council under the chairmanship of a former vice-chancellor and professor of International Law and Jurisprudence,” Ayodele said.

The Vice-Chancellor further disclosed that Governor Oyebanji had leveraged his relationships with prominent Nigerians to attract additional support and developmental projects to the university.

“The robust relationship of Governor Oyebanji with people in power within and outside the state led to the construction and eventual commissioning of the Renewed Hope ICT Experience Centre, donated by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, with additional interventions announced and provided to the university on the day of the commissioning,” he said.

Professor Ayodele noted that the governor’s interventions had extended beyond infrastructure to include students’ welfare, staff development and institutional funding.

He said the university administration would continue to consolidate the gains already recorded, expressing the desire to be remembered for sustaining and improving the progress achieved by EKSU.

The Vice-Chancellor stressed that the ultimate objective was to reposition Ekiti State University as a globally competitive institution capable of producing highly skilled graduates and generating impactful research that would contribute meaningfully to national and international development.