L -R: The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa ; Rector, Yaba College of Technology, Dr. Engr Ibraheem Abdul and the college Chairman of Council, Prof. Funso Afolabi at college event
By Peace Udugba — The Daily Torch Media
The Chairman of the Governing Council of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Professor Funso Isolaowa Afolabi, has called for strategic planning, accountability and institutional reforms following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s assent to the bill establishing the Federal University of Technology and Vocational Studies, Yaba, Lagos.
Afolabi described the presidential assent as a defining moment in the institution’s history, declaring a season of thanksgiving while urging the management and other stakeholders to prepare for the responsibilities and opportunities associated with its transition to university status.
The Council chairman spoke at the third quarterly general meeting of the Governing Council, where he delivered an address titled “Answering Tomorrow: Future-Facing Our Collective Pursuits of Higher Technical Learning and Practice in an Institution in Transition.”
He said the development reflected the combined efforts of the Federal Government, the National Assembly, the Governing Council, management, the Academic Board, staff, students, professional unions and other stakeholders committed to advancing technical and vocational education in Nigeria.
According to him, the achievement should inspire renewed commitment to transparency, accountability, innovation, sustainable development and higher academic standards.
Tinubu, National Assembly, Stakeholders Commended
Afolabi expressed gratitude to God and President Tinubu for the development, while acknowledging the contributions of the National Assembly, particularly Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, Senate Majority Leader Opeyemi Bamidele and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas.
He also commended the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, relevant federal education authorities, members of the Governing Council, the Rector, Dr Engineer Ibraheem Abdul, management, the Academic Board, professional unions, staff, students and other stakeholders in Nigeria and the diaspora.
The Council chairman further acknowledged the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that the policy environment had contributed to efforts to reposition educational institutions to meet Nigeria’s technological and human-capital development needs.
However, he cautioned that the transition should not become an excuse for complacency, stressing that the institution must move beyond celebration to concrete preparations for its new academic and administrative responsibilities.
“We are now ready to start answering tomorrow,” he declared.
Council Chair Identifies Priority Areas for Reform
Afolabi identified several areas requiring sustained attention as the institution prepares for its new status.
These include student admissions and administration, staff recruitment and retention, technical operations, student affairs, industrial relations, academic administration, external partnerships, research, project monitoring, campus security and facilities management.
He said the Governing Council had adopted various governance and management approaches to address institutional challenges and strengthen performance.
The strategies include digitalisation, artificial intelligence, infrastructure rehabilitation, benchmarking, institutional rebranding, outsourcing, performance reviews, discipline and rewards, networking and stronger partnerships.
He also highlighted the importance of research and development, academic publications, entrepreneurship, technical innovation, environmental sustainability and value creation.
According to him, the institution must develop practical solutions to local challenges while drawing from relevant global experiences.
Afolabi stressed that achieving these objectives would require effective collaboration among the Governing Council, management and the Academic Board, with decisions guided by facts, professional standards and the institution’s long-term interests.
He added that YABATECH must preserve its historic contributions to technical education while embracing the academic culture, operational standards and institutional expectations associated with university status.
Survey Shows Optimism About YABATECH’s Future
To assess expectations surrounding the institution’s future, Afolabi presented findings from a survey covering student training and funding, staff development and welfare, and facilities across the Yaba and Epe campuses.
According to the findings cited in his address, 82 per cent of respondents expressed optimism about improvements in student training and funding.
Similarly, 71 per cent anticipated improvements in staff development and welfare, while 63 per cent expected better facilities and buildings.
Afolabi described the findings as an encouraging indication of confidence in the institution’s future, although he acknowledged concerns about possible stagnation or decline in some areas.
He warned that the positive outlook should serve as motivation for further action rather than a reason for complacency.
The Council chairman said the findings reinforced the need to address infrastructure gaps, improve staff welfare, strengthen student support systems and ensure that the benefits of the transition reached stakeholders across both campuses.
Afolabi Proposes Super Intelligence Force
In a major recommendation, Afolabi called for the immediate establishment of a Super Intelligence Force (SIF) to coordinate efforts to address urgent institutional challenges.
Under the proposal outlined in his address, the Rector would head the team, while the Registrar would serve as secretary, with relevant members of the institution’s leadership providing operational support.
The proposed team would identify and resolve pressing institutional problems, monitor developments across the campuses and accelerate responses to issues capable of slowing progress or undermining performance.
The recommendation forms part of the broader measures the Council chairman believes are necessary to improve institutional coordination and strengthen management’s capacity to respond to emerging challenges.
He urged the Governing Council and management to intensify collaboration, deploy appropriate governance strategies and adopt a proactive approach to problem-solving.
Public Relations, Infrastructure Critical to Transition
Afolabi also emphasised the importance of effective public relations and protocol in communicating the institution’s achievements, managing stakeholder expectations and reassuring staff and students about the opportunities and responsibilities associated with the transition.
He maintained that the successful transformation of YABATECH would depend not only on its new legal status but also on the quality of its administration, academic delivery, infrastructure, research output and student development.
The Council chairman urged stakeholders to ensure that reforms were implemented sustainably, with consistent monitoring and follow-through.
He stressed that timely interventions, effective leadership and collective responsibility would be essential to securing the institution’s future and strengthening its contribution to Nigeria’s technical, vocational and technological development.
The transition marks a significant chapter in YABATECH’s institutional journey, placing renewed attention on how the institution will build on its established technical education heritage while meeting the expectations associated with university status.
