Encomium
+Inside the state’s 14 universities, 5 polytehnics and 2 colleges of education
Following the accreditation of four additional universities by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday, February 25, 2015, in the state, Ogun – the Gateway State – has become Nigeria’s home of universities.
A la the biblical Canaan, the Sen. Ibikunle Amosun-led state is a land flowing with universities and other higher institutions (polytechnics and colleges of education).
At the last count, the South West state – measuring 16,980.55 km sq. (that is 6,556 sq. mi) and a population of 3,751,140 – boasts 14 universities (both public and private), three polytechnics, and two colleges of education.
Inside the 14 registered universities (both public and private) in the state
The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB)
The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State (FUNAAB ) was established on January 1, 1988, by the Federal Government when four universities of technology (earlier merged in 1984) were demerged, leading to the creation of the first two universities of agriculture in Abeokuta and Makurdi. Prof. Nurudeen Olorun-Nimbe Adedipe was appointed the institution’s pioneer Vice-Chancellor. He served two terms of four years each.
The university started off from the old campus of Abeokuta Grammar School, Isale-Igbein, near the city centre. It completed its movement to its permanent site along Alabata Road in 1997, in what has been termed the fastest pace of permanent site development in the history of Nigerian university system.
The university started with five colleges, namely:
– College of Agricultural Management, Rural development and Consumer Studies (COLAMRUCS)
– College of Animal Science and Livestock Production (COLANIM)
– College of Environmental Resources Management (COLERM)
– College of Natural Sciences (COLNAS)
– College of Plant Science and Crop Production (COLPLANT)
Two additional colleges, College of Engineering (COLENG) and College of Veterinary Medicine (COLVET) were introduced in March 2002. Subsequently, the College of Agricultural Management, Rural Development and Consumer Studies was split into two with two new colleges emerging, they are:
– College of Food Science and Human Ecology (COLFHEC)
– College of Agricultural Management and Rural Development (COLAMRUD). The newest college in the university is College of Management Sciences (COLMAS). The current Vice Chancellor is Prof. Olusola Bandele Oyewole.
Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye
Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) was founded July 7, 1982 as Ogun State University and was renamed Olabisi Onabanjo University on May 29, 2001 in honour of Chief (Dr.) Olabisi Onabanjo, whose efforts as the then civilian governor of Ogun State gave birth to the university.
The university has multiple campuses; its main campus, called the permanent site by students, is located in Ago-Iwoye and a mini campus which is home to the Science Department. It’s Faculty of Agriculture is in Aiyetoro, Faculty of Engineering is in Ibogun, College of Medicine is in Shagamu, department of Mass Communication in Ijebu-Igbo, Faculty of Pharmacy and Department Biochemistry is at Ikenne.
Professor Saburi Adejimi has since August 2013 been the Vice Chancellor of the institution.
Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijebu-Ode
Tai Solarin University of Education, named after educational administrator and human rights activist Tai Solarin (who died in 1994), is the first university of education in Nigeria. It is in Ijagun, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.
The colleges in the university are: College of Applied Education and Vocational Technology (COAEVOT); College of Science and Information Technology (COSIT); College of Social and Management Sciences (COSMAS); College of Humanities (COHUM).
Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo
Babcock is the pioneer private Christian university owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The university is located in Ilishan-Remo, Ogun state.
The university is named after David C. Babcock, an American missionary who pioneered the work of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Nigeria in 1914.
The university was established as the Adventist College of West Africa (ACWA) in 1959, initially with 7 students. In 1975, it changed its name to Adventist Seminary of West Africa (ASWA). The university was officially inaugurated on April 20, 1999, as the first privately-owned university in Nigeria.
It currently boasts over 10,000 students. The institution offers courses such as: Accountancy; Accounting; Agriculture; Banking and Finance; Business Administration; Economics; English and Literary Studies French and International Relations; History and International Studies; Information Resources Management; Mass Communication; Office System Management; Political Science; Public Administration The current Vice Chancellor and president is Kayode Makinde.
Bells University, Ota
The former president Oluesgun Obasanjo-owned Bells is the first private university of technology in Nigeria. After being granted operational license on June 9, 2005, the university commenced operation on July 1 the same year.
It offers: Physics with Electronics; Applied Mathematics & Statistics; Industrial Chemistry; Biochemistry; Chemistry; Microbiology; Aquaculture & Fisheries Mgt, Marine Biology; Food Science with Business Mgt; Food Technology; Biotechnology; Nutrition and Dietetics; Computer Science and Technology; Information Technology; Business Computing and Information Technology; Human Resources Management; International Business; Mechanical Engineering; Electrical/Electronic Engineering; Mechatronics Engineering; Biomedical Engineering; Computer Engineering; Telecommunications Engineering.
Covenant University, Canaan land, Ota
Covenant is a Christian private university established in 2002 by the Bishop David Oyedepo-led Living Faith Church.
The appropriate forms of intent to establish a private university was submitted to the National Universities
Commission (NUC) in March 2000 and by July 15, 2001, the verification team of the National Universities Commission came for the inspection of facilities and programmes.
On February 12, 2002, the Federal Government officially presented the certificate, which granted the institution the license to operate as a private university in Nigeria. It was recently named the leading university in Nigeria and West Africa for online content by Webometrics. It was recently named the leading university in Nigeria and West Africa for online content by Webometrics.
The current Vice Chancellor is Prof. I. A. Adeyemi. The courses offered by the institution include: Accounting; Banking And Finance Management; Business Management; Economics And Development Studies; Political Science & International Relations; Languages; Psychology; Mass Communication; Sociology; Industrial Relations; Physics; Chemistry; Mathematics; Computer & Management Information System; Biological Sciences; Building Technology; Architecture; Estate Management; Chemical Engineering; Petroleum Engineering; Electrical & Information Engineering (EIE); Civil Engineering; Mechanical Engineering.
Crawford University, Igbesa
Crawford is a private Christian university in Igbesa, Ogun state owned by the Apostolic Faith Mission. It is named after the founder of the church, Mrs. Florence Louise Crawford. It was established in 2005 by Paul Akazue, the then-leader and third overseer for the Apostolic Faith work across Africa.
Rev. Paul Akazue was the Proprietor and the first installed Chancellor of Crawford University, before his death in May 2010. Crawford University received the operating licence from the Federal Government of Nigeria on June 9, 2005.
Crescent University, Abeokuta
Established in 2005, Crescent is a private university established by the Islamic Mission for Africa. The pioneer Islamic university in Nigeria is located in Abeokuta, Ogun State. The current Vice Chancellor is Prof. Ibraheem Gbajabiamila.
The institution has five colleges, namely: Bola Ajibola College of Law; College of Environmental Sciences; College of Information and Communication Technology; College of Natural and Applied Sciences, College of Social and Management Sciences.
McPherson University, Lagos-Ibadan, Seriki-Sotayo
This ivory tower, with the vision to build a people of excellence and integrity for service, is an initiative of the Foursquare Gospel Church, Nigeria. McPherson University (named after the founder of Foursquare Gospel Church), was licensed by the National Universities Commission (NUC) on Tuesday, February 28, 2012, as the 49th private university and the 121st university in Nigeria. Its Vice Chancellor is Prof. Adeniyi Agunbiade, a professor of Animal Nutrition and Food technology.
Mountain Top University, Lagos-Ibadan expressway
Mountain Top is one of the newly-approved universities in the state. The Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM)-owned university adopts the “college” nomenclature, rather than “faculty” and offers Physical Sciences, Biosciences, Biotechnology, Architecture, Estate Management, Surveying, Account & Finance, Economics & Business Administration, Political Sciences & Personnel Management.
Christopher University, Mowe
The school has a vision to become a national powerhouse in management education, preparing managers, scholars and entrepreneurs. With three schools, it offers programmes such as accounting, banking and finance, marketing, business administration, English, literature in English, history and diplomatic studies, philosophy, economics, political science and psychology.
Southwestern University, Okun-Owa
Prof. Babatunde Ikotun (JP) is the Vice Chancellor of the techno-entrepreneurship school. Among its programs are Micro-Biology, Zoology, Botany, Bio-Chemistry, Chemistry, Physics, Physics with Electronics, Computer Science, Mathematics.
The others are:
Chrisland University, Owode owned by foremost educationist, Winifred Awosika and Hallmark University, Ijebu-Itele
The approved polytechnics and colleges of education in the state
- Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro
- DS Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, Itori
- Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta
- Tai Solarin University of Education, Omu- Ijebu
- Federal College of Education, Osiele
- Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic, Ijebu
- Gateway Polytechnic, Saapade
