Friday 17th December 2021: Federal College of Agriculture, Moor Plantation, Ibadan on Tuesday held it’s Centenary celebration and Alumni and Student’s day event with many in attendance.
CEOAFRICA News crew was live at the auspicious event which held at the main hall of the institution as it was a gathering of students (past&present), officials, members of staff, as well as friends and well wishers of the institution.
The institution’s celebration of 100 years in existence was an epoch making events as it was an opportunity for an interactive session, quiz competition, reminiscences and coming together once again of the  Alumni and students of the first post-secondary school institution of Nigeria.
Alumni President and NLC Chairman of Ogun state, comrade Emmanuel Bankole described the occasion as an opportunity for appraisal for the management, alumni and the students. He also registered his displeasure with the fact that the college has not yet been accredited to offer degree, stressing that the college being the oldest in the country ought to have taken steps to get accredited.
He also mentioned the fact that the relationship between alumni and the institution should be improved as there have been complains of shoddy treatments from management staff.
He appealed to all alumni members of the college from all over the world to come together and join the body so as to take the college to a better position.
Bankole encouraged the students of the college to take the opportunity of being students of such great institution to become whatever they wanted in life.
Provost of the institute, Dr ELIZABETH Augustus expressed her gratitude to God for the opportunity stressing that it has been her dream and desire even before she became provost to make the college affiliated to a University so that they can offer degrees.
She listed several progresses made by the college since the last celebration of the Alumni day. She said “As you would have seen all around you, the college has not rested on our laurels since your departure, we have improved on all aspects of our academics, research, management and overall welfare of management and student.
“In addition to producing seasoned diplomats at both national and higher National diploma levels, with sound practical skills to meet the demands of Agriculture sector of Nigerian economy, the college has intensively invested in the provision, repair and renovation of equipment and facilities. This include laboratories and workshops equipment, construction of 1000 sitter lecture theatre, renovation of college auditorium, departmentalization of the college, restructuring of college health centre and investment in various projects aimed at improving staff and students welfare.
“ Facilities in the college are adequately maintained for students training, optimum agriculture production, research investigation, fabrication and annual vocational skills and training. I am glad to announce to us that till date the college has successfully trained over 5000 people, retirees and youths and women in different vocational skills.
“In addition to this, the college is about launching an academic journal, a journal of agriculture and bio-engineering science ‘jabs’, to archive the observation and recommendations generated from research investigations.”
Dr Augustus therefore called on the alumni to continue supporting the college stressing that the college still needs it support.
“However, we still need your input as models and mentors to our current students, you have gone through the training, utilised your skills to the advantage of your immediate society and have the perfect plans of individuals that could positively influence and prepare them for a bright future.
“Consequently, your contributions cannot be over emphasized, as you have always desired to contribute in one way or the other towards the growth and development of the college, I urge you
to continue to improve in the trajectory in other to make FCA Ibadan great, and we shall be great indeed with God on our side.
“With the right support, the college will continue to deliver the very best in all areas of agricultural innovations. We therefore encourage aspiring students, entrepreneurs and most definitely the alumni to get more involved, share and contribute to moving the college forward by cutting a niche in academic standardization.” She added.
The president of the SUG, Comrade Farouk Adedoyin in his address, said the occasion is one that is worth celebrating and one that is full of educating and networking opportunities for the student.
He however lamented the sufferings and inabilities being experienced by student of the college. 
 Adedoyin said “The purpose of the alumni is to guide, mentor and to tour the students of the college on how to excel in all ramifications. Ever since we have experienced difficulties in ensuring that we excel in our ramifications and we want our alumni to look forward to this and provide a solution as regards these problems.
“The entire student populace and the Student Union are in need of a student union bus to facilitate in ensuring that goals and the interest of the student populace are being achieved. We have also proposed to ensure that FCA will be the first school to own a first agricultural based radio station in West Africa.
“It is so sad that the SUG of FCA does not have a means to generate internally generated revenue, so we are proposing a Student Union Billboard and a restroom which will be privatised to generate income.
“I believe that with the involvement of our alumni we will be able to achieve all that we have laid down to achieve so has to help us become better future leaders of tomorrow.”
Other speakers and alumni who spoke include, Head Of South West Farming System Research And Extension Program, Prof.Mrs L. O. Ogunsunmi, Alumni Officer, Mrs Popoola, Mr Olufemi Adedugba, Alhaji Mr Abiodun Olayiwola Engr. Obafemi Ogunseyhe, Alhaji Oluwafemi Solarin, immediate past head( NAERLS),Southwest Zone, I K Adedokun, Dr Adeniyi Hamzat and several other Alumni members who tasked and encouraged the students to love their study of Agriculture and show passion in it.
Speaking to CEOAFRICA in an exclusive chat, the Provost, Dr (Mrs) Augustus maintained that the college the college has never lost it focus on the mandate given to it.
She said “Today we are having our Alumni day and many of our former students are here today and I can tell you that the college has been doing fine and we still are not resting on our oars and laurels. We still strive to improve, presently we have about 11 programs and I am proud to inform you that another new 13 programs have been approved for the college and that will help us to improve more and enlarge our coast to do more to impact Agricultural education the more in this nation. 
“Our focus is practical oriented, we want our students to be employers of labour, we want them to work assiduously in ensuring food security in the country and also to create wealth. We are faring well but still want to do more in the area of agricultural training and empowerment.”
She commended the efforts of the federal Governments efforts in the provision of funds and supplies in improving the running of agricultural activities in the college and the nation at large but said that more still needs to be done.
IAR&T’s  Prof.Mrs L. O. Ogunsunmi , an alumni of FCA stressed that Agriculture used to be a very rewarding venture and that the management of the College was delivering on the mandate giving to it in the areas of Agriculture.
The National President of the Alumni Association of the FCA, Comrade Emmanuel Bankole described the college as a place where giants and champions are made, boasting that the college has produced alot have individuals in all works and sectors of the country.
He advised the government to do more in the area of agriculture stressing that gone are the days of hoe and cutlasses rather the government should start encouraging mechanized farming.
Bankole said “we need to do more and the government should stop all this lip service because they are not serious about funding agriculture. For us to move forward, the government must do more. People are interested in investing in agriculture, you need money to start agriculture, and so the government should be ready to support those who are willing, because agriculture is not for the lazy.