…As Lawal and Akintayo Facilitate Research Equipment for FUOYE
By Wole Balogun
In recent days, the academic community has widely celebrated the outstanding achievement of two senior scholars at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE)—Professor Olayide Samuel Lawal, Director of Research and Development, and Professor Cecilia Olufunke Akintayo, a renowned industrial chemist and Schlumberger Foundation alumna—for facilitating over US$250,000 worth of world-class laboratory equipment for the University through the prestigious Seeding Labs Instrumental Access programme
Substantive Vice-Chancellor
What many news outlets have yet to spotlight, however, is the crucial role played by the FUOYE Management, particularly the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abayomi Sunday Fasina. His timely approval and release of US$10,000 in institutional support was pivotal in securing the facility and ensuring FUOYE’s participation in the programme.
The Instrumental Access award—extended to only 137 institutions across 39 countries—is a highly competitive initiative that provides cutting-edge scientific instruments to deserving universities in developing nations. Through the proposal submitted by Professors Lawal and Akintayo, FUOYE’s Department of Chemistry was selected to receive 163 sophisticated research items, including PCR thermal cyclers, chromatography systems, rotary evaporators, and heating baths.
While the equipment itself was donated, the total cost of logistics, handling, and installation stood at US$27,800. Fortunately, due to Prof. Akintayo’s affiliation with the Schlumberger Foundation’s Faculty for the Future fellowship, Seeding Labs provided a US$17,800 subsidy. The outstanding balance of US$10,000, required to complete the process and take delivery of the facility, was promptly offset by Prof. Fasina—an act of strategic foresight and institutional commitment that ensured FUOYE did not miss out on this remarkable opportunity.
Acting VC
While global partners and institutions have lauded FUOYE’s academic strength—Seeding Labs’ CEO, Dr. Melissa Wu, praised the application for “demonstrating the values and vision to unlock scientific potential”—it is essential to equally highlight the enabling role of the University’s leadership in turning this vision into reality.
Speaking on the development, Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Olubunmi Shittu emphasised that the success of the project reflects both academic excellence and executive decisiveness. “We must acknowledge that Prof. Fasina’s swift financial intervention ensured FUOYE gained access to this invaluable scientific facility. His unwavering support for research and innovation continues to place FUOYE on the global map.”
With the newly installed equipment, FUOYE’s research capacity—especially in chemistry, agriculture, and allied disciplines—is set to scale new heights. The University is now better positioned to train future scientists, encourage interdisciplinary research, and address pressing local and global challenges.
In a similarly commendable development, Professor Joshua Olalekan Ogunwole, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Strategic Partnerships, Research, Innovation and Linkages (SPRIL), successfully facilitated the acquisition of a CASES GPS receiver worth US$15,000 from Virginia Tech through the VT-NigerBEAR project. While this particular collaboration did not require institutional funding, it further affirms FUOYE’s emerging status as a hub for high-impact scientific partnerships.