Motto: A Key to Academic Success

Brief Histroy: In 1980, one of the policy thrusts in education of the civilian government headed by Alhaji Aliyu Shehu Shagari was the creation of new universities of technology. The purpose, as announced by government, was in line with the national policy on education, with respect to technical and scientific training; namely, to develop, at every stage of the education system, a scientific and technological attitude in preparation for the nation's technological take-off. Thus, the states that had no federal universities ? Bauchi, Benue, Gongola, Imo, Niger, Ogun and Ondo ? became the immediate beneficiaries of this initiative. In the same year three such institutions were named for Bauchi, Benue and Imo. The other four were to commence in 1981. The Federal University of Technology, Akure thus came into being in 1981. By August, the government appointed the pioneer chancellor, HRH Alhaji Zulkarnaini Gambari Mohammed, Emir of lIorin. At that time, a 13-member Governing Council was announced, although the chairman of was not named until October. Late High Chief (Dr) Gabriel Akin-Deko was appointed the pioneer pro-chancellor and chairman of the Governing Council. On November 19, 1981, late Professor Theodore Idibiye Francis was appointed the vice-chancellor of the new university. Professor Francis had been a renowned professor of medicine at the University of Ibadan medical school (University College Hospital) and later moved to the newly established Institute of Health Sciences of the University of Port Harcourt as foundation provost. From Port Harcourt Francis moved to Akure on January 1, 1982 to begin the work of getting the university on a footing. One of the first things he did was to recruit senior staff with whom to begin the vistas of the foundation work. Thus, after some consultations, Francis appointed Mr. Ayorinde O. Ogunruku, the first senior staff member of the new university (other than his personal driver, Mr. Etim Udoh) as the first administrative officer, on January 12, 1982.