The clarion call by the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Akure, FUTA Professor Adenike Oladiji , to alumni of the institution to step up their contributions to its development has yielded a major gain in the area of sports. Between July 29 and August 1,2024, the FUTA Alumni Association Worldwide sponsored the maiden edition of FUTA Alumni Sports festival . All the schools in the University took part in the fiesta which also led to the discovery of talented students that will be groomed to represent the University in external sporting competitions .
Expectedly the highpoint was the final football match between the School of Engineering and Engineering Technology, SEET and School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, SAAT. After 90 minutes of pulsating action , SEET overwhelmed their opponents with scintillating display of football artistry culminating in a 3-0 victory.
President FUTA Alumni Association Worldwide, Engr. Adeyemi Bello said the sports fiesta was planned to further deepen the connection between the University and its Alumni and to also create an ambience for interaction and development of other potentials of current students especially in the areas of sports. Describing the Vice Chancellor as amiable and a go getter, Eng. Bello said Professor Oladii has shown tremendous efforts in bridging gaps and upholding the greatness of the Institution. He said the sports Festival would be an annual event that should help FUTA to develop budding talents for external competitions . “ I urge the current Student to create opportunities for a better tomorrow for a bigger family after school called FUTA ALUMNI. Sports is an integral part of life as it teaches discipline, respect, friendship, leadership, resilience, and off course teamwork,” Bello said at the closing ceremony.
Speaking earlier, Professor Oladiji commended the efforts of the Alumni Association for contributing to the development of their Alma Mater and improvement of students’ interaction through sports. She said through sports, talents can be discovered and also promoted. According to the VC , Sport is good for physical fitness , and for an individual to attract a lot of positive things he or she must be psychologically, mentality and physically fit.
The Special Guest of Honour at the closing ceremony, Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatawa, represented by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Gender matters, Chief Mrs. Olamide Falana, who is also an alumna of FUTA , said FUTA is indeed taking a bold and positive step in shaping the lives of the students through sports and academics. He advised the students to always ensure that they keep raising the bar of excellence which the institution is noted for, and posterity will remember them for good. He thanked the management of FUTA for being partners in progress as far as Ondo state is concerned.
The chair FUTA sports council, Professor, Christopher Akinbile, in a brief remark , encouraged Alumni members to take up sponsorship of some of the other sporting activities in future festivals. He thanked the Management for its support toward the advancement of sporting activities. On her part, the Vice President, FUTA Alumni worldwide, Mrs. Bukola Ola Salau, thanked the VC for the approval granted for the event and the enabling environment provided for hosting the festival. Director of Sports , Dr Michael Ajibua, assured the Alumni that all the students who showed remarkable performance at the festival will be followed up and groomed to reach their full potential in sports.
At the end of the sports Festival which featured Football, Tennis, Volleyball, Judo, Taekwondo, Track and Field, Badminton and Table Tennis, SEET emerged the overall winners with 180 points , School of Physical Sciences picked the Second Position with 178 points, while SAAT with 110 points came Third.
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