Barely 10 years after it was established by the Goodluck Jonathan-led administration, the National Universities Commission (NUC), at the weekend, adjudged Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Ekiti State (FUOYE) as Nigeria’s fastest growing university.

Prof. Saint Gbilekaa, who  led the NUC team on  accreditation visit to the institution, said it was unbelievable that the institution had  surpassed expectations to become the fastest growing varsity in the country.

In a statement by Foluso Ogunmodede, the Chief Information Officer to FUOYE Vice Chancellor, the NUC team, which granted accreditation to FUOYE’s Theatre and Media Arts Department, Sociology and Demography and Social Statistics, described the facilities in the institution as impressive.

“We have come with an open mind as it were to assess what is on ground and the adequacy of the existing facilities in FUOYE to the programmes in English and Literary Studies. We have seen your impressive structures and we have also assessed the facilities and staff members on ground. While we would say you have done your best, we promise you we will be fair in our final assessment,” the NUC said.

FUOYE VC,  Prof.  Abayomi Sunday Fasina assured the NUC team that his administration would  ensure that the  challenges identified would be addressed with a view to  providing a more conducive, progressive and effective teaching and learning environment for both staff and  students.

Fasina urged the Federal Government to continue to assist the varsity with adequate funding. He said the institution was also making plans to boost its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

“We have taken productive steps towards ensuring that FUOYE can provide other windows of admission opportunities for the teeming population of admission seekers.

“Some of these steps include creating the Pre-Degree programmes through which prospective students come in for virtually all our academic programmes in FUOYE, the JUBEP programmes through which prospective candidates who have sat for the UTME can also come into the 200 Level of our academic programmes.  We also have online programmes as well as part-time programmes for which we are currently seeking approval from the regulatory bodies.

“We also have the university’s Top Up  programmes which are meant for candidates with HND who are willing to convert their qualification to First Degree.

“With all these and others in place, we are able to cater for more applicants willing to study in FUOYE. We are also able to boost the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the institution,” he added.