Mr Akinloye Akande is the national president of the Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi Alumni. In this interview withTARKAA DAVID, he speaks on ongoing effort being made by the Alumni to transform the institution from a mere citadel of learning to an economic hub where the country can benefit immensely in terms of the diversification drive of the federal government.
You became the national president of UAM in October 2015 for a three-year term. How have you been coping so far in steering the affairs of this association?
Well, as it is with every other organisation, it is not easy but it has always been the grace of God because for one to really count his achievements in office, he or she will need time. There are lots of things that need to be addressed. Since the federal government can no longer meet the funding required of this institution it behoves on us to get in touch with other alumni members to help build their alma matter. For you to achieve any feat, you must be seen to have time, you must be someone who is in the forefront in meeting with other alumni members to bring something of importance. I have been making
arrangements with other alumni members who are in positions to come to the rescue of our great institution.Well, as it is with every other organisation, it is not easy but it has always been the grace of God because for one to really count his achievements in office, he or she will need time. There are lots of things that need to be addressed. Since the federal government can no longer meet the funding required of this institution it behoves on us to get in touch with other alumni members to help build their alma matter. For you to achieve any feat, you must be seen to have time, you must be someone who is in the forefront in meeting with other alumni members to bring something of importance. I have been making
You talked about lack of funding of the university and you getting in touch with other alumni members to assist. Has your effort paid off so far?
Well, ours is a young alumni association. When I took over the mantle of leadership, there were certain things I promised to put on ground. First is to build a national secretariat of the association to be known as the University of Agriculture Makurdi (UAM) alumni center. I also want to establish a microfinance bank in the name of the alumni. After these two goals are achieved, another critical issue that I will try to address is the process of issuing transcript by the institution. You will agree with me that in this 21st century, the process of obtaining transcript is still the crude manual method of files. We intend to go digital with the issuance of transcript. As I speak, we have set a committee to study and give us a report on how to digitalize the issuance of transcript.
I inherited a plantain farm from our past executives. Since it is afederal university of agriculture, I thought that we should be known for something which should be in the agricultural sector. Based on that believe, we have developed the plantain farm from 450 suckersto 1,200 suckers and at the end of this year, we intend to expand it to about 3000- 5000 suckers. Our target is to ensure that when talking about plantain research in the entire Northern states of the country, University of Agriculture Makurdi should be at the center without which such discourse will be considered invalid. We want to make sure that all the traders who go to the South West to get plantain should rather come to the University of Agriculture Makurdi to purchase it. We have made our first harvest; we sold a bunch of plantain for a token of N1,200.
Well, ours is a young alumni association. When I took over the mantle of leadership, there were certain things I promised to put on ground. First is to build a national secretariat of the association to be known as the University of Agriculture Makurdi (UAM) alumni center. I also want to establish a microfinance bank in the name of the alumni. After these two goals are achieved, another critical issue that I will try to address is the process of issuing transcript by the institution. You will agree with me that in this 21st century, the process of obtaining transcript is still the crude manual method of files. We intend to go digital with the issuance of transcript. As I speak, we have set a committee to study and give us a report on how to digitalize the issuance of transcript.
I inherited a plantain farm from our past executives. Since it is afederal university of agriculture, I thought that we should be known for something which should be in the agricultural sector. Based on that believe, we have developed the plantain farm from 450 suckersto 1,200 suckers and at the end of this year, we intend to expand it to about 3000- 5000 suckers. Our target is to ensure that when talking about plantain research in the entire Northern states of the country, University of Agriculture Makurdi should be at the center without which such discourse will be considered invalid. We want to make sure that all the traders who go to the South West to get plantain should rather come to the University of Agriculture Makurdi to purchase it. We have made our first harvest; we sold a bunch of plantain for a token of N1,200.
Now that the country is talking about diversification of the economy and your association has keyed into that already, do you think the university is doing enough?
I will categorically say the University is not doing well. The University is not living up to expectations in terms of even theprinciples establishing it. That is why the University alumni has delved into farming of both root crops and animal husbandry as time goes on. The university has a very large expanse of land which is lying idle. The university alumni applied for a piece of land within the university and was given about 10 hectares of land to cultivate. With that on ground, we hope to contribute our quota to food production. If we are known as a university of agriculture, then we should be able champion the diversification drive of the federal government. I can categorically tell you that UAM can champion federal government’s diversification drive.
As I speak, we have formed a committee that is headed by the Dean of Agronomy, Prof. Ebenzer Ekefa. So, we are actually planning to expand into cultivation of pumpkin and oil palm to be able to assist our university produce for the populace to benefit. Though the institution already has a little portion of such farms within the school but the capacity is not on a large scale.
I will categorically say the University is not doing well. The University is not living up to expectations in terms of even theprinciples establishing it. That is why the University alumni has delved into farming of both root crops and animal husbandry as time goes on. The university has a very large expanse of land which is lying idle. The university alumni applied for a piece of land within the university and was given about 10 hectares of land to cultivate. With that on ground, we hope to contribute our quota to food production. If we are known as a university of agriculture, then we should be able champion the diversification drive of the federal government. I can categorically tell you that UAM can champion federal government’s diversification drive.
As I speak, we have formed a committee that is headed by the Dean of Agronomy, Prof. Ebenzer Ekefa. So, we are actually planning to expand into cultivation of pumpkin and oil palm to be able to assist our university produce for the populace to benefit. Though the institution already has a little portion of such farms within the school but the capacity is not on a large scale.
So, what are the challenges limiting the university from farming or producing in large quantity?
There are two basic challenges but these are not the only ones. Lack of funding is a great limiting factor and the few available resources are siphoned by the University’s leadership. These institutions also lack the needed equipment and manpower to cultivate extensively on the available land. There are no tractors and remember that we are in the 21st century. Human labour cannot give us the needed result; what we need is mechanised farming. However, we do not have the required machines at our disposal. The university alumni intends to demonstrate to the university that they can actually be producing on a large scale if it so desires.
There are two basic challenges but these are not the only ones. Lack of funding is a great limiting factor and the few available resources are siphoned by the University’s leadership. These institutions also lack the needed equipment and manpower to cultivate extensively on the available land. There are no tractors and remember that we are in the 21st century. Human labour cannot give us the needed result; what we need is mechanised farming. However, we do not have the required machines at our disposal. The university alumni intends to demonstrate to the university that they can actually be producing on a large scale if it so desires.
Even with the existence of oil palms and subsequent production of oil in the university, there seems to be an acute shortage of oil in Nigeria. What is your alumni doing to address that?
Well, like I always say, addressing food challenge cannot be achieved overnight. It is a long process; it is a long term project in which the results will be felt after a period of time, maybe in yearsto come. On the piece of land given to the alumni, we intend to cultivate improved palm seeds on a large scale. When this and other efforts that we have put in place begin to yield results, we will eventually be able to meet the food demands from our immediate populace. So, there are actually plans under way to address food shortage by the university in line with the federal governments campaign. However, we over relaxed and the present situation is a manifestation of what we failed to do years back.
Well, like I always say, addressing food challenge cannot be achieved overnight. It is a long process; it is a long term project in which the results will be felt after a period of time, maybe in yearsto come. On the piece of land given to the alumni, we intend to cultivate improved palm seeds on a large scale. When this and other efforts that we have put in place begin to yield results, we will eventually be able to meet the food demands from our immediate populace. So, there are actually plans under way to address food shortage by the university in line with the federal governments campaign. However, we over relaxed and the present situation is a manifestation of what we failed to do years back.
So, what have you done to address some of the challenges facing your alma matter?
Well the challenges are in categories; as a young alumni we intend to first assist at the student level. I have established a platform for constant interactive session with the undergraduates, at least twice a year. The aim is to address restiveness on our campus. If not for their examination we would have had the first session in February 2017, but we intend to hold an interactive session with them in March. We want to interact with the students, especially the student union president, Senate presidents, secretaries of academic associations, presidents and secretaries of cultural associations.
We want a situation whereby from the school, they will be given a sense of belonging and when they go out, they will remember that they are products of an institution that needs their support. The alumni association has also donated two trophies to the University for inter college sport competition in the next academic session. The aim is to foster unity amongst the students and reduce cultism and other social vices in the institution.
Well the challenges are in categories; as a young alumni we intend to first assist at the student level. I have established a platform for constant interactive session with the undergraduates, at least twice a year. The aim is to address restiveness on our campus. If not for their examination we would have had the first session in February 2017, but we intend to hold an interactive session with them in March. We want to interact with the students, especially the student union president, Senate presidents, secretaries of academic associations, presidents and secretaries of cultural associations.
We want a situation whereby from the school, they will be given a sense of belonging and when they go out, they will remember that they are products of an institution that needs their support. The alumni association has also donated two trophies to the University for inter college sport competition in the next academic session. The aim is to foster unity amongst the students and reduce cultism and other social vices in the institution.
The alumni has also called for entries from students to design a logo for alumni and also to compose the alumni anthem; all these for prizes to be won from the best that will be picked. These are ways of giving them a sense of belonging and encouraging creativity
You talked about meeting certain challenges as the alumni leader. How do you intend to reposition the university alumni?
Yes, one very critical challenge I face till date is lack of a comprehensive data of alumni members. We have a huge number of UAM alumni members that are in high places. We have chief executive officers of parastatals, commissioners, professors, top military and paramilitary officers whom we may not have contact with due to lack of data. So, we are working on our data system to ensure that we have a comprehensive digital data record of all our alumni. The reason is to facilitate our relationship. So, first we want to work in conjunction with the directorate of alumni to develop full data of all these people that have graduated so that we can easily relay our problems to them for assistance. We have gotten a few of them and, like I said, we are in touch with them.
With their help, the alumni has established few branches. It is my expectation that by the time I’m leaving office in 2019, UAM alumni will have branches in all the 36 states of the federation.
Yes, one very critical challenge I face till date is lack of a comprehensive data of alumni members. We have a huge number of UAM alumni members that are in high places. We have chief executive officers of parastatals, commissioners, professors, top military and paramilitary officers whom we may not have contact with due to lack of data. So, we are working on our data system to ensure that we have a comprehensive digital data record of all our alumni. The reason is to facilitate our relationship. So, first we want to work in conjunction with the directorate of alumni to develop full data of all these people that have graduated so that we can easily relay our problems to them for assistance. We have gotten a few of them and, like I said, we are in touch with them.
With their help, the alumni has established few branches. It is my expectation that by the time I’m leaving office in 2019, UAM alumni will have branches in all the 36 states of the federation.
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