The Senate has progressed with the second reading of a bill aimed at establishing the Federal University of Agriculture in Akure, Ondo State.
This follows a passionate presentation of the bill’s principles by its sponsor, Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire (APC-Ondo).
In his lead debate, Mr. Adegbonmire highlighted the bill’s primary objective: to transform the Federal College of Agriculture in Akure, established in 1957 on a 1061.4-acre land space, into a full-fledged university. According to him, the upgrade is necessary to meet the growing need for advanced agricultural education in Nigeria.
“There are presently six federal universities of agriculture in Nigeria,” Adegbonmire said, referencing institutions such as the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, and Joseph Tarka University, Makurdi. He emphasized that while these universities have contributed to agricultural development, more are needed to address the country’s food production challenges.
“Nigeria does not have enough federal universities of agriculture to train and educate people on the knowledge required to ensure the country is self-sufficient in food production,” Mr. Adegbonmire explained. He added that the proposed institution in Akure would help train personnel in modern food production methods, a vital step towards achieving national food security.
The senator outlined the proposed university’s objectives, urging his colleagues to study the provisions of the bill carefully.
“The Federal College of Agriculture already has all of the facilities necessary for the establishment of the university,” he said, noting that this would provide new educational opportunities for Nigerians interested in agriculture.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio referred the bill to the Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND for further review, directing the committee to report back within four weeks.