By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja
KOGI State Elders Forum has decried the persistent neglect of Federal University Lokoja (FUL) by the state government leaving developmental initiatives in the institution to the Federal Government and private individuals.
Chairman of the Forum, Chief (Dr) Julius Elukpo disclosed this when he led some members of the forum on a courtesy visit to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Olayemi Akinwumi at the Felele Campus of the institution.
Elukpo regretted that while other Federal universities created same time with the FUL were developing fast with the support of the Federal and host State Governments, the Lokoja Federal varsity was lagging behind.
He said, “We observed that the University in our domain in Kogi State, compared to the universities it was created together with at the same time, is lagging behind.”
Chief Elukpo said the state might not be aware of its responsibilities to the Federal University saying, “The VC has said that they’ve not felt the impact of the Kogi State Government on this campus of the Federal University, Lokoja.
“They may not be aware of their responsibilities towards it. We are going to have interaction with the State Government and to discuss the areas both the state government and some individuals would come to assist the university”, he said.
The Forum Chairman however applauded the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Akinwumi for changing the narratives of lack of development saying that his era has witnessed dramatic turn around.
“Sometimes in the past, we were not satisfied with the performance of the Federal University in our domain in Kogi State as we discovered that it was lagging behind compared to the universities it was created together with.
“And we saw this as an issue of performance of the leadership. So, the Elders Forum craved for the appointment of an Indigene as the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University. Fortunately, an Indigene was appointed. Now we are proud of the university”, the Elders Forum Chairman declared.
Other members of Kogi Elders Forum on the visit are Amb. Usman Bello, Alhaji Isa Adeboye, Chief Femi Ajisafe, and Aderemi Seyi Ayodele.
Speaking earlier, Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Olayemi Akinwumi, lamented over the utter neglect of the University by subsequent administrations in Kogi State.
The Professor of History said that despite being a Federal institution, it was imperative for the state to show interest in the development as he noted that the Federal government alone cannot provide all the needs of the University.
The Vice Chancellor said that the institution was facing difficulties in which the state could intervene adding that the students’ population had grown from 6,000 to 17,000 with 10 faculties from four aside the new College of Health Sciences.