Dr. Ibrahim Abdulganiyu, the newly appointed Provost of the Federal Cooperative College, Eleyele, Ibadan, recently shared his ambitious vision for the college during an interview with CEOAFRICA in his office on Thursday, March 24. Since taking office on March 25, 2025, Dr. Abdulganiyu has set forth plans to address the institution's challenges and expand its academic offerings.
"The college was established in 1943, which is over 80 years ago, with a primary mandate as an in-service training institution for the cooperative sub-sector of Nigeria," Dr. Abdulganiyu stated. "We were created to train stakeholders in cooperatives and government officials to manage cooperative societies in Nigeria. Since then, the college has been playing a major role in that regard."
While acknowledging the college's historical focus on cooperative studies, he proudly noted the evolution of its curriculum. "In recent times, the college has developed tremendously, expanding from training solely in cooperative-based courses to offering a variety of other programs. Today, we have about six additional courses, including National Diploma and Higher National Diploma programs in Banking and Finance, Accounting, Marketing, Business Administration, and Home and Rural Economics, alongside our core Cooperative Economics and Management."
Dr. Abdulganiyu identified infrastructural challenges as a significant hurdle to improving the college’s efficiency. "We need to enhance the facilities we have on ground," he acknowledged. Furthermore, he mentioned the college's recent transition from the supervision of the Cooperative Department of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria.
"This change necessitates a redesign of our administrative and management structures to align with the mandates of the Agricultural Research Council," he explained. "As we speak, we have been asked to redesign the college organogram to encompass all departments under two main schools: the School of Management Studies and the School of Applied Sciences, each headed by a Dean."
Looking ahead, Dr. Abdulganiyu has ambitious plans to introduce new courses such as Agri-business Management, Agricultural Extension, Fishery Technology, and Animal Science. "One of our priorities in this new administration is to enhance the welfare of both staff and students," he emphasized. "We also want to increase our internally generated revenue."
He further noted that all mentioned courses at the National Diploma level are accredited by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE). To tackle challenges regarding student admissions, the college plans to adopt innovative strategies aimed at increasing enrollment and staffing levels. "As part of our mandate, we intend to introduce a Cooperative Innovation and Empowerment Center (CIEC), a new initiative aimed at training cooperative groups for skill development," he shared.
Dr. Abdulganiyu expressed a commitment to equip students for the job market, aiming to create a culture where graduates can become job creators rather than job seekers. "We want to ensure that our students can go on internships, collaborating with state directors of cooperatives to enhance the significance of the cooperative sub-sector in Nigeria," he stated.
The management and staff of the college celebrated Dr. Abdulganiyu's first month in office, expressing their support for his vision. "He is a good man, and we wish him the very best in life," a representative remarked.
As Dr. Abdulganiyu embarks on this journey to elevate the college, his leadership promises to create solutions for existing challenges and set a new course for the future of the Federal Cooperative College, Eleyele, Ibadan.
