Technical University (Tech U) located in Ibadan, Oyo State capital on Friday matriculated 190 pioneer students of the institution.
Governor Abiola Ajimobi of the state also inaugurated (Dr) Tunde Afolabi as the institution’s first Chancellor and Chairman of Council.
The Technical University had earlier started academic activities in January 2018 with 150 students while 40 others joined at the eve of matriculation.
The technical University is set up to raise technical giants and a new league of entrepreneurs who will become employers of labour and reduce youth unemployment in the county.
Tech-U has regular study period of between four-five years with two faculties. The Faculties include Engineering and Technology and the Faculty of Natural sciences.
It also has 15 National Universities Commission (NUC) accredited courses and a language centre where French is compulsory for every student as a second language. Every student is mandated to take two skills in any field of artisanship along with any course of their choice and must be certified in such skills before they graduate.
Senator Ajimobi during the matriculation asked the newly inaugurated Chancellor and the Council of the foremost university to begin work on maintaining effective partnership within and outside the country for the benefit of the students as well as work towards self-sustenance as the government had done its bit in establishing the institution on a Public-Private-Partnership model.
He called on the council and management of Tech-U to recruit first class academic staffers to equip students with managerial skills that are of international standard.
“We charge the Chancellor who has all it takes in experience and connection, alongside the council with the management of this institution to provide exceptional educational experience for students by creating ambience for recruitment of high-calibre staff for teaching and learning.
“I admonish you, students, to see this opportunity as a rare and historical and make the best of it. I went to a public secondary school and my parents were not financially buoyant, but today, I am the governor. With this advantage you have today, you are expected to be at the forefront of leadership in our country and the world tomorrow.
“I am here to encourage you. Let no one put you down,” the governor said.
The Chancellor, Tunde Afolabi in his remarks appreciated Governor Ajimobi for appointing him for the role of piloting the ship of Tech-U, promising to do his best to make the institution a household name in the nearest future.
He announced his readiness to establish AMNI International Institute of Energy and Petroleum Technology which he said would take immediate effect as well as the establishment of an annual lecture series which would attract professionals of international repute of which a turning of sod was done after the installation ceremony.
The Vice-Chancellor of Tech-U, Professor Ayobami Salami in his address, said the pioneer students that were matriculating were 190 in number and that the university had already discovered about ten inherent vocational skills among the first set of students for which an enabling environment for honing of the skills was being provided.
Stakeholders in education like former Head of Service to the Federal Government including Professor Oye Ibidapo-Obe, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Tola Oyediran, Bode Amoo, Ajibola Afonja, Lekan Aare, Jacob Ajeigbe among others were at the event.
