Glamorous entry of dignitaries, graduating students and management staff of the Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology (FCAH&PT), Moor Plantation, Ibadan, into a beautifully decorated hall with attractive ambience, as the college ceremoniously graduated her students found worthy in learning, character, and practicalities of their respective fields.

The convocation ceremony, which coincides with the 60th anniversary of the institute held yesterday, 4th April 2024 at Dr. K. J. Nwufoh Hall, FCAH&PT Ibadan, where the graduating students were conferred awards of National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) as well as prizes.

In his address, the Honourable Minister for Agriculture and Food Security in Nigeria, Senator Abubakar Kyari, CON, represented by the Ministry’s Coordinator in Oyo State, Dr. Florence Kakulu, congratulated the fresh graduates on their convocation, charging the Provost of the college, Dr. Adekoya Olatunde Owosibo, and entire management not to relent in improving the standard of knowledge being passed across to the students.

He also challenged the students to think outside the box irrespective of the nomenclature of their courses of study, adding that youths today, cannot afford to do things the same way they were done before, and technology has become imperative to embrace.

Telling the graduates that the ministry is proud of them, Senator Kyari implored the college and students to stand as a broad linkage between researchers, farmers, and industries. “By so doing,” he said, “agricultural productivity will improve, and as a result, underemployment will reduce, Gross Domestic Product will increase, and crime rate will reduce drastically if not completely.”

The minister further counselled the youths to harness all the skills acquired in the college including entrepreneurial skills injected into the curriculum. According to him, “you will be job-creators not seekers.”

Also in his goodwill message, the Oyo State Commissioner for Science and Technology, Professor Salihu Abdulwaheed Adelabu, represented by Mr Adebayo Jonathan, congratulated the college and graduating students, wishing them greater days ahead.

Earlier in his address, the Provost of the College, Dr. Adekoya Olatunde Owosibo, who highlighted the many achievements of the college, pleaded with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture for more support. He specifically mentioned that the National Agricultural Development Fund be disbursed to the college quickly “so that we will be able to change our moribund equipment and our lecturers will be able to enjoy some facilities for training.”

While appreciating the minister for the donation of a primary health center, two major facilities which are at Jericho and NCRI facility respectively, for the purpose of changing this college, Owosibo congratulated the graduating students for making the college, their families, and friends proud.

Other activities during the ceremony are, delivery of goodwill messages from professionals and experts, presentation of prizes and transportation allowance for the winners of the inter-secondary school quiz competition organised by the college, provost’s handshake, and presentation of awards for the best graduating students of various programmes, and overall best graduating students (both in ND and HND). Awards of different categories were also presented to some of the staff members.

In attendance at the occasion were dignitaries and important personalities, some of which are, the Honourable Minister for Agriculture and Food Security in Nigeria, Senator Abubakar Kyari, CON, represented by the Ministry’s Coordinator in Oyo State, Dr. Florence Kakulu; the Lagos Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs Olayinka Akeredolu; Director of Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Prof. Veronica Obatolu, the first female Emeritus Professor of Agriculture in Nigeria, Professor Grace Longe; representative of Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ibadan, Professor Andrew Babatunde Omojola; representative of Dean of Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Prof. Olufunke Ola-Davies, among others.