Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has assured the National Universities Commission (NUC) that the newly established Federal University of Agriculture and Development Studies, Iragbiji, Osun State, is ready to commence admissions this month. The minister gave the assurance when he received an NUC team on a resource verification visit at his residence in Iragbiji, where he emphasized the government’s commitment to ensuring the institution begins academic activities before the end of October.
Oyetola, addressing the delegation led by NUC’s Deputy Director of Academic Planning, Dr. Victoria Pillah, urged the team to view the minor inadequacies observed as temporary, noting that significant progress had been made in preparing the takeoff facilities. He expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for approving the specialized university and disclosed that the permanent site was already under development. According to him, “In two to three years, we will exceed expectations in infrastructure and quality. We don’t want to miss this year’s matriculation, as our counterpart in Iyin-Ekiti is already preparing to admit students.”
Earlier, the Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Oba Rasheed Odundun IV, received the NUC team in his palace, where he commended the Federal Government, Oyetola, and Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, for their roles in establishing the institution. The monarch also praised Mrs. Kafayat Oyetola for her continued support of the community, describing her contributions as instrumental to the progress of the university project.
Responding, Dr. Pillah appreciated the hospitality of the Iragbiji community and expressed satisfaction with the pace of work and available resources. She assured that the NUC would conduct an objective verification process to enable the immediate takeoff of the university. The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Mufutau Atayese, alongside other principal officers, also extended gratitude to President Bola Tinubu and all stakeholders for their efforts. The verification team comprised eight professors and nine resource examiners, while the visit was attended by community leaders, university committee members, and other dignitaries.