Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has called on stakeholders and residents of the state to support the newly upgraded Ekiti State Polytechnic, Ijero-Ekiti, as the institution begins a new phase of academic and institutional development.
The institution, formerly known as the Ekiti State College of Health Sciences and Technology, was recently upgraded to polytechnic status.
Oyebanji made the call during the institution’s second convocation ceremony held at the weekend, describing the upgrade as a significant milestone that would enhance its academic, technological and administrative development.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Habitat Adubiaro, the governor urged stakeholders to sustain their support and work towards positioning the polytechnic among the leading institutions of its kind in Nigeria.
He commended the Ekiti State House of Assembly, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Governing Council and management of the institution for their roles in facilitating the transformation.
According to the governor, the state government is working to strengthen the polytechnic’s legal and administrative framework, secure full accreditation for its programmes and introduce courses aligned with emerging opportunities in technology, agriculture, healthcare and the digital economy.
Oyebanji also pledged continued government support for entrepreneurship and skills acquisition programmes aimed at equipping graduates with the capacity to create jobs and become self-reliant.
He said efforts were also underway to attract interventions from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), while infrastructure and personnel development would receive attention under the state’s tertiary education development agenda.
The governor listed lecture halls, laboratories, workshops, hostels and other facilities among areas requiring further investment.
5,742 graduates produced
Earlier, the Rector of the institution, Dr Olufemi Olubamise, described the convocation, the first since the institution attained polytechnic status, as a celebration of its transformation and renewed prospects.
Olubamise disclosed that the institution produced about 5,742 graduates between 2018 and 2026.
He said the graduates comprised 343 distinctions, 1,951 upper credits, 2,720 lower credits, 661 passes and 67 merits.
The rector said the institution had also expanded its technical and vocational training programmes through its Skills Acquisition Centre, NABTEB, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and Mandatory Skills Qualification programmes.
He added that the institution had strengthened entrepreneurship programmes and community-based initiatives as part of its efforts to improve practical skills development.
Olubamise traced the institution’s history from its establishment as a Women Development Centre to its transformation into the School of Health Technology and subsequently the College of Health Sciences and Technology.
He said the institution became an autonomous monotechnic in 2010 before attaining polytechnic status following legislation passed by the Ekiti State House of Assembly in December 2025.
The rector said the polytechnic currently operates five schools covering Clinical Technology, Allied Health Sciences, Engineering, Finance, Business and Management Studies, as well as Pure and Applied Sciences, with at least 42 accredited programmes.
He urged the graduating students to remain disciplined, innovative and committed to applying the knowledge and skills acquired during their studies to the development of society.
Governing Council seeks more support
The Chairman of the Governing Council, Dr Femi Thomas, described the institution’s development as a story of transformation and progress.
Thomas said the transition to polytechnic status had created new opportunities as well as additional responsibilities, including the need for more lecturers, buses, improved funding and additional infrastructure.
He also called for the construction of an internal road linking the northern campus to improve movement within the institution.
Representing the Executive Secretary of the NBTE, Professor Idris Bugaje, the agency’s representative congratulated the institution and its graduating students.
He highlighted the importance of technical and vocational education in developing the skills required for economic growth and national development.
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