BEVERLY HILLS, March 20, (THEWILL) – The 2019/2020 Matriculation Ceremony and Commencement Lecture of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, (FUNAAB) is scheduled to hold on Wednesday, March 24, 2021 at the institution’s Ceremonial Building in a highly abridged structure.
Because of the COVID-19 protocols, only 430 of the over 4,000 students will participate in the admission rites physically, with others joining virtually.
The school has also concluded plans for its 62nd Inaugural Lecture to be delivered by Professor Christian Obiora Ndubuisi Ikeobi of the Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, College of Animal Science and Livestock Production (COLANIM).
Titled, “Why We Look At Things Not Seen: Animal Genes And Their Winking Eyes,” the inaugural lecture will be delivered by Professor Christian Obiora Ndubuisi Ikeobi of the Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, College of Animal Science and Livestock Production, COLANIM, on Wednesday, March 24, 2021, at the FUNAAB Ceremonial Building, beginning at 2 pm.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Felix Kolawole Salako, will chair the occasion.
Meanwhile, the Commencement Lecture for the matriculation of news students, titled, “The Reason For The Season: Hope On The Horizon,” will be delivered by Professor Steve Afolami.
Chairman Ceremonial Committee, Professor Akinola Akinlabi, disclosed that over 4,000 students would be matriculated at the ceremony.
Afolabi added that due to the COVID-19 protocols only 430 students would attend physically, with 10 students representing each department, while other students are to join virtually.
Akinlabi further disclosed that Heads of Department had been enjoined to provide names of students to represent their departments.
Speaking on security, the Assistant Chief Environmental Officer, Mr. Peter Bolarinwa, said that FUNAAB took the security of her environment as very important, and on the day of the event, security men would be strategically placed.
He said discussions had already been finalised with the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, in charge of the Harmony Police Division, to increase the number of officers to be deployed for the programme.
Speaking on safety and health measures to be observed, Pharmacist Dosunmu Sulaiman of the University Health Centre, called for maximum cooperation from all attendees to ensure strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols.
A Professor of Animal Genetics, Ikeobi worked on a research interest covering the areas of animal genetics, characterisation and evaluation of Nigeria’s animal resources, with special emphasis on the local chicken, and on the identification and mapping of quantitative trait loci, genes, affecting broiler chicken traits and disease resistance.
He bagged his Bachelor of Agriculture degree in Animal Science, from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU), Ife, Ile-Ife, while he obtained his Masters and Doctor of Philosophy, PhD, degrees from the University of Ibadan, UI, Ibadan.
Professor Ikeobi has served the FUNAAB in several capacities, some of which include: Dean, College of Animal Science and Livestock Production (COLANIM), Dean, Students Affairs, and member of the University Governing Council.
He is the University’s Orator and currently the Chaplain of the University’s Chapel of Grace.
Moreover, he inaugural lecturer is a member of numerous professional bodies, including: Nigeria Institute of Animal Science, NIAS; Nigerian Society for Animal Production, NSAP; African Network for Rural Poultry Development, later changed to International Network for Family Poultry Development, INFPD; Genetics Society of Nigeria, GSN; Foundation for African Development through International Biotechnology, FADIB; Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan, CSFP; among others.
About the Author
AYO ESAN, has been actively reporting and analyzing political events for different newspapers for over 18 years. He has also successfully covered national and state elections in Nigeria since the inception of this democracy in 1999.
