Senator Salisu Commends FUNAAB’s Contributions to Youth Empowerment and Job Creation

The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) has been commended for its strategic role in youth empowerment, job creation and human-capital development, particularly through education, agriculture and skills development.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, gave the commendation on September 14, 2026, during the opening ceremony of the 16th Annual Conference of the Mycology Society of Nigeria (MYCOSON), tagged MYCOSON-FUNAAB 2026, at FUNAAB.

The conference, themed “Integrating Fungal Biotechnology with Digital Innovation for Agricultural and Industrial Developments in Nigeria,” brought together researchers, academics, students and other stakeholders to discuss developments in fungal biotechnology and its applications to agriculture and industry.

Senator Salisu, who represents Ogun Central Senatorial District, described FUNAAB as a strategic partner in advancing his major interests in education, job placement and youth development, declaring that the University had become “part of my DNA”.

He specifically commended FUNAAB for its sustained contribution to equipping young Nigerians with relevant agricultural skills and creating pathways for employment and economic empowerment.

“Whenever I want to train our youth in agriculture, you have continued to provide the manpower to train them and provide them resources. You provide them the intellectual skills that they require to do the job,” he said.

He expressed appreciation to the University for its contribution to human-capital development and pledged continued collaboration in areas capable of advancing education, youth empowerment, employment and national development.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of FUNAAB, Prof. Babatunde Kehinde, congratulated MYCOSON on convening the conference, expressing confidence that the calibre of participants and the quality of preparations had positioned the event for success.

Prof. Kehinde noted that the University’s strong academic and research tradition would provide a fertile ground for discussions capable of generating practical, home-grown solutions to challenges confronting Nigeria’s agricultural sector.

The National President of MYCOSON, Prof. Raphael Okigbo, appreciated the Vice-Chancellor and the University for hosting the conference, while urging participants to use the technical sessions to freely share their research findings, practical experiences and innovative ideas.

Also speaking, the Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee and Dean, College of Biosciences (COLBIOS), Prof. Iyabode Kehinde, encouraged participants to explore FUNAAB’s serene and green environment during the conference.

She particularly urged undergraduate and postgraduate students attending the conference to maximise the opportunity by registering as members of the Society and building professional networks with researchers and practitioners in Mycology.

The first keynote address was delivered by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture and Development Studies (FUADSI), Prof. Charles Adetunji, who spoke on the topic, “From Laboratory to Marketplace: Fungal Biotechnology and Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Agriculture Transformation, Food Security and National Development.”

The second keynote speaker, Prof. Adewale Obadina, Quality Assurance and Accreditation Officer, Association of African Universities (AAU), Accra, Ghana, spoke on “Harnessing Fungal Resources for Food Security and Commercial Value Creation in Emerging Economies.”

Prof. Obadina highlighted practical pathways for translating research and fungal resources into commercially viable products capable of contributing to food security, economic growth and sustainable development.

Earlier, the Executive Committee of the Society had paid a courtesy visit to the Vice-Chancellor in his office.

Meanwhile, the opening ceremony was attended by the representative of the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Ogun State, Mr. Adebayo Christopher; Executive Chairman, Odeda Local Government, Dr. Folashade Adeyemo; former Executive Chairman, Odeda Local Government, Hon. Semiu Lawal; Deans, Directors, Heads of Departments and Units, academics, researchers, students and other participants from across Nigeria.

A major highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of Fellowship and other awards to deserving members of MYCOSON, as well as the launch of the Society’s journal.