The Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), is set to celebrate a significant academic milestone during its 37th convocation ceremonies this weekend. The university will confer first-class honours on 76 of its graduating students, a testament to academic excellence.
Honours for Titans and a Governor's Lecture
The convocation events, scheduled for Friday, December 5, and Saturday, December 6, will also see distinguished personalities receiving honorary awards. Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Africa's foremost industrialist, will be awarded a Doctor of Management Technology (D.MT) Honoris Causa. Similarly, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, will receive a Doctor of Letters (D.Litt) Honoris Causa. Another recipient of the D.MT (HC) is Mrs. Ngozi Ekeoma.
In a prelude to the main event, the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, will deliver the pre-convocation lecture on Thursday, December 4. His lecture is titled, “Beyond Oil, Exploring Alternative Revenue Potentials for Economic Growth and Sustainable Development in Nigeria.”
VC Oti's Four-Year Scorecard: Achievements and Challenges
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nnenna Oti, unveiled these plans during a pre-convocation briefing at the university's Council Chamber. She revealed that a total of 3,366 students will be admitted for first degrees and 542 for higher degrees during the ceremony.
Professor Oti used the occasion to highlight her administration's achievements over the past four and a half years. She stated that her leadership, anchored on consolidating a culture of excellence, has transformed the university through:
- Sustained academic growth and physical infrastructure development.
- Enhanced staff and student welfare, and financial discipline.
- Increased Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
- Improved community and labour relations.
Under her watch, FUTO's reputation has soared. The university was ranked 14th in Nigeria by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. Its graduates were placed second in a national employability index, and it emerged third in the TETFund 2024 National Research Funds grant cycle.
Academic expansion has been significant, with the establishment of 17 new programmes and a successful affiliation with the Federal College of Orthopaedic Technology, Igbobi, Lagos for a B.Tech in Prosthetics and Orthotics. The university also scaled through rigorous NUC accreditations, leading to an increased admission quota.
Persisting Infrastructure and Welfare Needs
Despite the progress, Professor Oti lamented several pressing challenges facing the institution. Key among them are:
- The absence of a perimeter fence around the university campus.
- A severe lack of staff quarters and student hostel accommodation.
- The deplorable state of internal and major access roads.
- Inadequate buildings and facilities for the newly established College of Medicine.
These issues highlight the ongoing need for investment to support the university's growing population and aspirations. The convocation stands as both a celebration of current excellence and a reminder of the work ahead for one of Nigeria's premier technology universities.
