The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Ekiti State, Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina, has been honored with the Daily Independent Newspapers’ Best Vice-Chancellor Award for 2024.
The award recognizes his outstanding leadership, which has transformed FUOYE within the last four years. Since assuming office in 2021, Prof. Fasina has spearheaded massive infrastructural development, initiating and completing over 156 projects. His administration has also earned FUOYE a place in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, where it secured the seventh position among over 200 Nigerian universities.
Under his leadership, FUOYE was awarded a state-of-the-art Connected Autonomous to Space Environment Sensor (CASES) from Virginia Tech, valued at $15,000, to enhance research and teaching. The university has also become one of Nigeria’s most sought-after institutions, maintaining the fourth position in the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) rankings for four consecutive years.
Prof. Fasina’s tenure has introduced over 30 new academic programs, all accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC), with an impressive 94.4% accreditation success rate. His visionary leadership has not only boosted FUOYE’s academic reputation but also strengthened its engagement with both private and public sectors.
In recognition of these achievements, the Independent Newspapers’ Board of Editors, in a letter notifying Prof. Fasina of his nomination, stated:
“This award is in recognition of the excellence you have engineered in the young and fledgling ivory tower through transformational leadership, vision, innovation and turning it into a centre of academic excellence in Nigeria just less than 15 years of its establishment.
“In this regard, the Board of Editors notes that the Times of Higher Education Interdisciplinary Science Rankings, this year, placed FUOYE in the first seven among Nigerian universities.
“Also noteworthy is the fact that the university has under your leadership received other remarkable recognitions through world-class academic programmes that have elevated its offerings and reputation, enhanced by strategic appointments.
“Under your leadership, FUOYE has witnessed significant infrastructure development such as new roads, administrative buildings, lecture halls, hostels and other facilities that are critical for profound academic productivity.
“New programmes are being introduced and old ones updated. Thus, FUOYE has now become a highly-rated university of choice among students applying for university admission.
“The Board of Editors is impressed by the fact that the university has prioritized staff development by providing capacity-building opportunities for them and ensured that they are up-to-date with global trends.
“In addition, you have shown significant commitment to students’ welfare and creativity in order to inculcate in them the much-prized academic culture and sensibility as well as boost their overall university experience.
“Your nomination by Independent Board of Editors was informed by these verifiable achievements in office and the fact that your leadership style has made a positive impact on FUOYE and its stakeholders as seen in the stability of its academic calendar, all of which are in line with the aim of this award: Celebrating Landmark Accomplishments.”
With this recognition, Prof. Fasina’s leadership continues to position FUOYE as a leading institution in Nigeria’s higher education landscape.
