Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta

The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta is one of the higher institutions of learning owned and run by the Federal government of Nigeria.
The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, or FUNAAB, was established on January 1, 1988, by the Federal Government when four universities of technology, earlier merged in 1984, were demerged. This led to the creation of the first two universities of agriculture in Abeokuta and Makurdi.
Prior to the emergence of FUNAAB, the Federal Government had established the Federal University of Technology, Abeokuta (FUTAB) in 1983. Then, in 1984, it was merged with the University of Lagos and had its name changed to the College of Science and Technology, Abeokuta (COSTAB), before the demerger of January 1988.
The university started on the old campus of Abeokuta Grammar School, Isale-Igbein, near the city center. It completed its movement to its permanent site along Alabata Road in 1997.
At the initial stage the university included five colleges, as follows:
The College of Natural Science was reformed and redrafted into three colleges, which are:
Two additional colleges, the College of Engineering (COLENG) and the College of Veterinary Medicine (COLVET), were introduced in March 2002. During the 2008/2009 session, the College of Agricultural Management, Rural Development, and Communication Studies was split into two, with two new colleges emerging as follows:
The newest College is the College of Management Sciences (COLMAS).
The university is one of the three universities of agriculture in Nigeria, the other being in Makurdi (Benue State) and Umudike (Abia State). The university started at its mini-campus in Isale-Igbein in the heart of Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State. In December 1997, it moved to its permanent site on a 10,000-hectare campus located next to the Ogun-Oshun River Basin Development Authority on the Abeokuta-Ibadan road in the northeastern end of the city, 15 km from Abeokuta City Centre.
The first council was constituted on 18 May 1989, under the chairmanship of Alhaji Muhammadu Jega, former head of service and secretary to the Sokoto State Government. On 1 September 1990, the council was reconstituted with some changes for five years, with Alhaji Muhammadu Jega retained as chairman. The second governing council was constituted in 2000 for five years, with Alhaji Sanni Bagiwa Idris as chairman. The third council came on board in 2005 and was dissolved in November 2007 by the federal government. Elder Brigadier General (Rtd.) Bassey Asuquo, a one-time military administrator of Kogi, Edo, and Delta States, respectively, was the chairman. The fourth council was constituted in January 2009, with Mr. Raphael Oluwole Osayameh as chairman and immediate past pro-chancellor. Chief Lawrence Ayinde Osayemi was the pro-chancellor and chairman of the council. Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe Kingsley, a one-time Minister of Works and Service of the Federation and a former Federal Republic of Nigeria Senator, is the immediate pro-chancellor and chairman of the governing council. Presently, Dr. (Barr.) Aboki Zhawa, an astute administrator, legal luminary, educationalist, and politician, is the pro-chancellor and the chairman of the governing council.
Since its inception, FUNAAB has had four Chancellors:
While the first five were the only deputy vice-chancellors during their respective tenures, professors Eromosele and Ariyo were appointed simultaneously as the first set of two deputy vice-chancellors for the university, an initiative of the then vice-chancellor, Professor O.O. Balogun.
The university has 179 academic programmes made up of 45 undergraduate programmes, 135 graduate programmes which include 22 Postgraduate diploma programmes, 57 Master's degree programmes and 56 Doctorate degree programmes.
University colleges are:
The Academic Planning Unit is the quality control unit of the university and the link between the university and the National Universities Commission. It is at the centre of all planning activities of the university. The unit is headed by a director, Professor M.A. Waheed, a Principal Planning Officer, Mr. O.O. Bamgbose, and other Planning Officers (Mrs. A.A. Akintunde, Mr. A.O. Kuforiji and Mr. S.A. Dada).
Nimbe Adedipe Library was named in honour of the first vice-chancellor of the university, Professor Nurudeen Olorunnimbe Adedipe. The library building can accommodate 1,000 users at a time. The total collection of books at present is 54,000 titles.
The library started its automation programme in 1994 when it acquired through a World Bank project, an IBM personal computer and the TINLIB library software designed for four workstations. This was later upgraded to ten workstations. The library has since migrated from the DOS-based TINLIB software to a more versatile Windows-based GLAS (Graphical Library Automated System) software with the capability to operate 50 workstations within the library. The OPAC is fully functional, making it possible to catalogue books online and for library clients to access such books immediately. In line with the latest technology advancement, during the 2012/13 session, the library acquired KOHA, an Integrated Library Management Software, enabling users to access library resources services where they are.
The university has collaborative partnerships with institutions and establishments, including:
Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) have been signed with the institutions, and collaboration activities are in progress.
At the international level, the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) has entered into collaboration with the university in the areas of training and seminars. The British Council has established an academic link programme between FUNAAB and the University of Reading and the University of Edinburgh, primarily, though not exclusively, in the areas of Plant and Animal Breeding and Seed Technology and Genetics, respectively. Others include the Macaulay Institute of Aberdeen, Scotland, in the area of Sustainable Development and the Africa Rice Center in Rice Science.
Amongst the alumni of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta and other institutions that fall under that banner are: