Olasunkanmi Olajide & Olaoye Oyewole
A proud alumnus of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Lt. Commander Victor Agunbiade of the United States Navy, alongside his family, has awarded scholarships to deserving students of the University.
The presentation of the scholarships took place at the new Vice-Chancellor’s Conference Room today, October 21, 2024, where Commander Agunbiade emphasised the importance of supporting the younger generation, saying that the future of the nation rests in their hands. He urged others to extend similar support to youths, as they represent the hope of the nation’s future. He remarked that if the youths were guided properly, the nation’s future would be secured.
Commander Agunbiade revealed that he and his wife had established a foundation in honour of his late father, Pa Alfred Adetola Agunbiade, a dedicated teacher and a lifelong advocate for students. He stated that the foundation was focused on making positive contributions to the lives of young people.
Appreciating the gesture, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Babatunde Kehinde who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Olukayode Akinyemi, commended Commander Agunbiade and his wife for their generous endowment. He expressed confidence that the recipients would make good use of the scholarship, encouraging them to continue striving for excellence.
The Vice-Chancellor also acknowledged the continuous support from FUNAAB alumni and urged others to follow Commander Agunbiade’s example by giving back to their alma mater.
Mr. Johnson Olukehinde, Head of the Office of Advancement, also expressed his gratitude to Commander Agunbiade and his family for their generosity. He announced that scholarships of ₦250,000 each were awarded to Miss Temidayo Osinaike of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics and Miss Deborah Obisesan of the Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm Management, while Akintunde Oluwabukola received ₦100,000 gift.
Mr. Olukehinde further disclosed that Commander Agunbiade has pledged to continue supporting indigent students at FUNAAB and even facilitate their further education in the United States.
Meanwhile, the endowment was instituted in 2021, and the top-ranking US Naval Officer holds a Bachelor of Agriculture from the Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Agricultural Management and Rural Development (COLAMRUD) in 1997. He was the Sports Secretary of the FUNAAB Student Union in the 1992/93 Academic Session.
Commander Agunbiade was rewarded in 2020 with a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal by the United States Navy for his meritorious service at Djibouti, a northeast country situated in the Horn of Africa for his honesty, integrity and high accountability skills when he managed the US Navy’s largest cash disbursing office of 45 Million US Dollars in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and overseas contingency operations.
