The Department of Agricultural Administration (AGAD), College of Agricultural Management and Rural Development (COLAMRUD), has celebrated its 10 years as a Department in the University. The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kolawole Salako, tasked the Department, not to rest on its oars but continue to do better, to improve the image of the University. Prof. Salako gave the charge while felicitating with the Department for being the first, and only one in the history of the Nigerian university system, to train students to become professionals.
The Vice-Chancellor was represented at the occasion by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Morenike Dipeolu, who stated that, “I am delighted that we are here today, to celebrate with the Department of Agricultural Administration. It is not just celebration for them. It is a celebration for the University as well because we can stand up and say what we started has actually come to stay. We are glad that our graduates are not just out there but they are making waves”. The immediate past Head of Department, Dr. Stephen Adeogun, disclosed that AGAD had not only come a long way in training students but also raising leaders with great capacity to impact the agricultural sector.
Dr. Adeogun added that the essence of the 10th anniversary was to justify the reason for the Department’s existence in FUNAAB, launch the Human Resource Laboratory, and unveil its PhD programme. He appreciated the University and the various professors that had made tremendous contributions to the existence of AGAD. Delivering the keynote address themed, “Unmasking the Potentials of Agricultural Administration towards Sustainable Development”, Prof. Janice Olawoye of the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, stated that agricultural administration performs a very significant role in the transformation of the agricultural sector for sustainable development. The don said agricultural administration could be more effective with the enhanced understanding of its role, purpose, those involved, and how good decisions are made.
Mr. Ayo Muritala, a graduate of the Department while giving his keynote address on the same theme, stated that the vision of AGAD was to be a centre of excellence and national leader in agricultural administration studies. He charged members of staff to understand their roles better for sustainable development. Awards were presented to personalities that had contributed to the success of the Department including Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Salako; former Vice-Chancellor of FUNAAB, Prof. Oluwafemi Balogun, Prof. Olawoye; and Senator Adegbenga Kaka, a former Deputy Governor of Ogun State, among others.
