Students with their luggage ready to leave for the Iwoye—Ketu COBFAS Community.
The last set of the pioneer batch of the University’s newly introduced Community-Based Farming Scheme (COBFAS) last Wednesday, left the campus, enroute Iwoye-ketu, Imeko-Afon Local Government, Ogun State for their Farm Practical Year (FPY), amid excitement and determination to excel.
The students, who had converged as early as 8.30am in front of the Bio-Tech Centre, came with their luggage, personal effects and farming tools.
They were seen exchanging banters and exuding confidence while milling around three 35-Seater buses, one (1) 75 Seater-bus and a Van which was waiting to convey them to Iwoye-ketu
Speaking with UNAAB Bulletin, a 400-Level Animal Nutrition’s student, Babalola Olabisi, described the Scheme as a welcome development.
Babalola expressed her readiness to participate in the scheme, saying she was well-equipped and anxious of rural experiences that await her, during the practicals.
Corroborating her, a 400-Level Agricultural Extension and Rural Development’s student, Adedeji Babatunde, said the Scheme will further expose him to the practical aspect of his study.
Speaking in the same vein, a 400-Level Horticulture student, Aminat Omolara Bamgbopa, said aside the advantage of changing her environment, the Scheme will enable her to practicalise what she had been taught, in a traditional farming environment.
The Director, Management Committee on Transportation (MANCOT), Dr. Joe Atungwu, who was on ground to supervise the movement of the students to Iwoye-Ketu, said transporting the students to the COBFAS communities would be without hitch, considering the adequate arrangement put in place by the Management.
According to him, “we have been lifting our students, (so to say) and their luggage to the last pin successfully because we have adequate vehicles and good logistic support”.
The first set (Batch A) of the COBFAS pioneer students had on Monday, earlier left for Odogbolu, Ode-Lemo and Isaga-Orile communities. Feelers from the communities informed that the students were adjusting well to the rural life and have settled down for the scheme.
Commenting later, the Director of COBFAS, Professor Kolawole Salako, assured of the safety of the students, disclosing that prior to their departure, an advance COBFAS Team met with traditional rulers and Community Development Associations of the various communities, who had assured of the students’ safety and well being.
Besides, Prof. Salako, a Soil Physicist, said the students had been properly admonished to respect the customs and traditions of the communities and be friendly with the indigenes.
