A significant step toward strengthening the educational landscape in Ekiti State was taken on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, as the House of Representatives passed a bill at its first reading to convert Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science, and Technology (BOUESTI), Ikere Ekiti, into a Federal University of Education, Science, and Technology.
The bill, sponsored by Hon. (AVM Rtd) Ojuawo Rufus Adeniyi, who represents Ekiti South Federal Constituency 1, was listed as item number 11 in the official Order Paper of the House of Representatives. According to Hon. Ojuawo, the primary aim of the proposed legislation is to ease the financial burden currently borne by the Ekiti State Government in funding the university. He emphasized that converting the institution into a federal university would allow the state to redirect scarce resources to other key sectors, especially agriculture and state-run institutions.
Speaking on the strategic importance of the bill, Hon. Ojuawo stated, “As a fountain of knowledge, having three federal universities is not out of place for us to develop our human capital index and also relieve our dear state of funding pressures, allowing us to channel our resources into other critical areas like agriculture and other state institutions.”
In a related development, Hon. Ojuawo’s earlier-sponsored bill to establish the Federal College of Agriculture and Forestry in Ise Ekiti has received concurrence from the Senate and is now awaiting transmission to the President for assent. This move further highlights the lawmaker’s commitment to enhancing educational and agricultural infrastructure in Ekiti State.
These legislative strides signal a broader vision aimed at accelerating the socio-economic development of Ekiti through improved access to quality education and modernized agricultural training institutions. Observers see these efforts as timely and strategic, particularly in light of growing calls for more equitable federal presence across the federation.
