The Federal College of Education Ilawe Ekiti Monday, 13th November 2022 formally commenced operations with fanfare as the Ilawe community and State government formally handed over a temporary site of the tertiary institution to the Federal Government delegation and the Principal Officers of the College
Speaking at the occasion, the Alawe of Ilawe-Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Ajibade Alabi, Aguntade1, described the occasion as a fulfilment of a great dream.
He said, “This is a dream come true despite all the vicissitudes.”
Welcoming the delegation from the Federal Ministry of Education from Abuja, the Ekiti State Ministry of Education and all Principal Officers of the Federal College of Education, Oba Alabi appreciated President Bola Tinubu for approving the immediate take-off of the Federal College of Education.
The monarch, in a statement by High Chief Ajibade Olubunmi
Media Adviser to Alawe, also praised former president Mohammadu Buhari for giving the initial approval, adding that the struggle by the Ilawe community to have the College began in 2016 through a series of letters and memoranda to the federal government from his palace.
Alawe, a former Chairman of Ekiti Traditional Rulers Council, expressed gratitude to all those who stood by him and the community in the realisation of the Federal College of Education in Ilawe.
He promised that the community would reciprocate the gesture by throwing her support in whatever way possible to the government of the day.
“As a grateful community, we will continue to support all the people-oriented programmes of the federal and state governments”, an elated Oba Alabi stressed.
The leader of the federal government delegation, who is the Permanent Secretary, of the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Andrew Adejo, said the establishment of the school was a practical demonstration of the FG’s determination to expand educational opportunities and invest in the training of future educators.
Represented by Dr U.C Uba, the permanent secretary thanked the State government for its support, saying making the institution become a reality by President Tinubu, was evidence of his Renewed Hope Agenda.
The Provost of the institution, Dr Ikuejube Ajigbade, explained that the College of Education was a special one, and a two-in-one school, as it would serve as both a College of Education and University, awarding both NCE Certificate and Degrees because “the college would run courses in both Education, Sciences and Technology, saying plans are on to also to extend the trend to vocational and allied studies to produce job opportunities for our teaming youths. ”
The Ekiti State Governor, represented on the occasion by the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Dr Kofoworola Aderiye, congratulated the Ilawe community for the siting of the institution in the area.
Aderiye, whose speech was delivered by the Permanent Secretary, of the Teaching Service Commission,(TESCOM), Ekiti, Mr Michael Omolayo, commended the community for already making available, a total of 107 hectares of land for its permanent site, saying the site had been surveyed by state Surveyor-General for further necessary action.
He said that the erstwhile facility of the Government Girls College, Ilawe Ekiti, which was built by the Federal Government, had also been released for the take-off of the Federal College of Education, pending the adequate development of the permanent site.
