Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti
A civil society organisation, the Partnership for Ethical Governance (PEG), has called on the federal government to increase funding for the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), saying that sustained investment in infrastructure, research, digital technology and energy is critical to consolidating the institution’s ongoing reform drive.
The group also commended the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joshua Ogunwole, for what it described as decisive steps to strengthen institutional governance and enforce a zero-tolerance policy against extortion and other unethical practices in the university.
The position is the outcome of an independent assessment of the university conducted by the organisation and presented to journalists in Ado-Ekiti by a representative of the delegation, Olawole Oladapo.
The group said its assessment showed that FUOYE is undergoing “a deliberate, systematic and measurable process of institutional renewal” under Ogunwole, who assumed office on February 11, 2026.
According to PEG, the developments at FUOYE go beyond a response to recent controversies, reflecting a broader attempt by the university management to strengthen governance, rebuild public confidence and address institutional weaknesses.
Oladapo said that the organisation was particularly impressed by the administration’s response to allegations of extortion, especially the demand for illegal payments from students by lecturers.
He said the university’s zero-tolerance policy, backed by senate approval and clearly defined sanctions, represented a significant step towards entrenching accountability and ethical conduct within the institution.
The group said its assessment followed years of negative publicity surrounding FUOYE and was undertaken to independently verify reports of reforms under the new administration.
“However, our observations during the assessment present a significantly different narrative, one that deserves to be shared with the Nigerian public,” Oladapo said.
He added that interactions with principal officers, management, academic and non-academic staff, students and other stakeholders, as well as inspections of projects across the university’s two campuses, revealed significant improvements in administrative discipline, transparency and institutional direction.
PEG also commended FUOYE’s eight-point covenant with the university community, describing it as evidence of an intentional approach to institutional transformation through measurable reforms.
The organisation noted that FUOYE is also seeking to strengthen its research profile, with part of its IGR being committed to research activities.
It further highlighted plans for an independent energy plant to improve the reliability of power supply for academic activities, as well as ongoing digital transformation initiatives.
According to the group, the university’s migration towards an artificial intelligence-driven portal and plans for a major education research library with access to about 501 international research databases could significantly enhance its research capacity and global competitiveness.
It also lauded the university’s renewed emphasis on community engagement, saying that the institution appeared to be repositioning itself as not only a centre of learning, but also a partner in the development of its host communities.
However, the group said the scale of the reforms requires stronger intervention from the federal government to ensure that the gains are sustained.
“Partnership for Ethical Governance therefore calls on the Federal Government to view the ongoing transformation at FUOYE as an opportunity worthy of strategic investment,” it said.
It urged the government to prioritise funding for infrastructure expansion, research, digital technology, energy development and specialised academic facilities.
The group also called for the timely deployment of special intervention funds available to institutions expanding their medical and engineering programmes.
It argued that increased federal investment would enable FUOYE to consolidate its reforms, expand academic capacity and compete more effectively with universities within and outside Nigeria.
The organisation said the university’s current reform trajectory should therefore be seen as an opportunity for the federal government to demonstrate how targeted investment could complement institutional reforms and improve the quality of public university education in Nigeria.