By Nkechinyere Ewa
The immediate past Provost of the Federal College of Agriculture and Fisheries, Ishiagu, Ebonyi State, Dr. Michael Okechukwu Okonkwo, has attributed the successes recorded during his five-year tenure to the grace of God, noting that despite turbulence, he leaves the institution stronger and more impactful.
Speaking in an exclusive interview, Dr. Okonkwo said his administration was guided by divine help in overcoming challenges.
“My five-year term here wasn’t easy. I targeted five years of turbulence, but He gave me special grace to circumvent all the hurdles. It ended in praise. So I give Him the glory,” he said.
On the College’s mandate, Dr. Okonkwo stressed that the institution is not primarily a research centre but a technology transfer hub.
He explained that the College works closely with the National Root Crops Research Institute to disseminate innovations such as hybrid cassava and rice to farmers through adaptive farm villages and student-farmer collaborations in Ishiagu communities.
Beyond farmers, the Provost revealed that the College has trained and empowered more than 2,000 rural women and unemployed youths through entrepreneurship and vocational schemes funded by the Federal Government.
“The government is sponsoring this institution very well. They asked us to give entrepreneurship or vocational training to rural women, farmers, and unemployed youths. And we have trained over 2,000 of such,” he noted.
On the College’s contribution to building technologists for the country, Dr. Okonkwo explained that unemployed graduates were not only trained but also empowered financially to establish their ventures.
“We don’t stop at training. We empower them financially, and also give them status back to continue,” he said, adding that many of the graduates now work in government agencies, private companies, or operate successful private farms.
Touching on climate-smart agriculture, Dr. Okonkwo described it as an important innovation in tackling climate change. He disclosed that the College recently recruited 123 new staff, some of whom were specially trained to impart climate-smart knowledge to local communities.
“In no distant time, they will impart this knowledge to the community, and we will be able to mitigate some of these climate changes,” he assured.
The Provost linked innovation in agriculture directly to food security, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of ensuring that no Nigerian goes to bed hungry.
According to him, the College’s graduates and trainees, once empowered, contribute significantly to national food production. “By the time they begin to farm by themselves, it will translate to increased food production. And before you know it, food security will be established according to what Mr. President has in mind,” he said.
As he prepares to leave office, Dr. Okonkwo said he departs a proud man, having made notable marks in both academic and infrastructural restructuring of the College.
“There are myriad such achievements, but I would divide them into two academic restructuring and infrastructure restructuring. Maybe in due course, I can give you my scorecard,” he concluded with a smile.//