All is set for the rector of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Mr Obafemi Omokungbe, to officially bow out of office on Sunday, Jan 29, 2023 after concluding a five-year impactful service in the college.
This is contained in a statement issued to newsmen on Wednesday by Mr Joe Ejiofor, the deputy registrar of the college.
He said the rector had shown leadership and quality service delivery, hence, the institution had decided to appreciate his unprecedented commitment to the development of the college.
According to the statement, Omokungbe, an engineer, assumed office as the rector of YABATECH on March 8, 2018 after a rigorous transparent process.
He joined the service of the college as Lecturer III in 1993 and rose through the ranks to become a Chief Lecturer in the Civil Engineering Department, School of Civil Engineering and Natural Resources in 2009.
“Omokungbe was also the head, Department of Civil Engineering from 2007 to 2009 and was a one-time president, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (YABATECH branch).
“He took over from an acting rector at the time, Dr (Mrs) Taiwo Oyelola. She was in the acting capacity from Dec. 10, 2017 to March 5, 2018,’’ said Ejiofor in the statement.
Ejiofor also disclosed that some activities had been lined up in celebration of the milestone recorded by the outgoing rector.
He said: “One of such activities began last Friday with a special principal officer’s end-of-tenure meeting.
“There was also a courtesy visit by the newly constituted YABATECH Alumni Association Steering Committee, led by its president, Pastor Nureni Alabi.
“The climax of the ceremony will be held on Jan. 27, with a mock academic board meeting and a book presentation, all in honour of the outgoing rector.”
Ejiofo, who described Omokungbe’s tenure as successful in every ramification stated that the institution witnessed rapid transformation in the areas of infrastructural upgrades, capital and manpower development and research and innovation.
“Our dearest rector will be bowing out of service on Sunday, having served extremely well, for five years. The transformation recorded cannot be over-emphasised.
“The college, which was ranked 8th by Webometrics before Omokungbe emerged rector, is currently ranked first and best polytechnic in Nigeria for the third time since 2019.
“Most of the programmes run in the college have been accredited by the National Board for Technical Education and other accreditation agencies.
“These achievements have greatly improved teaching and learning in the college, as well as general wellbeing of both the students and staff” he added.
Ejiofor noted that Omokungbe’s commitment to the development of the college also impacted the Epe campus, which according to him, has undergone massive growth and development.
He said that the campus’s internal road networks had been completed, alongside the new female hostel and School of Technical Education and all now functional.
