PROFILE OF HOD, AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY

Dr. Agbona Ademola Isaac was born into the Royal Family of Fashakin Agbona and High Chief Asae dynasty of Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria over four decades ago. He had his early education from St. Mathias Anglican Primary School Oke-Ijebu, Akure (Now St. Marks Mega School), after which he proceeded to the famous Akure High School, Akure where he finished his SSCE and gained Admission in to the Federal College of Agriculture, Akure where he bagged ND in General Agriculture in 1996 and HND in Crop Production Technology in 1999. In year 2000, he was at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi for his PGD (Post Graduate Diploma) in Agronomy and Farm Management. His love to take his Academic career to the upper level took him to the Federal University of Technology, Akure where he bagged Masters of Agricultural Technology (M.Agric.Tech) in Crop Management in the year 2006. He proceeded to Usman Dan-Fodio University, Sokoto where he bagged PGD in Education in the year 2005. Dr. Agbona not satisfying with his academic status was at Federal University of Technology, Akure the second time for his Ph.D in Crop Management in the year 2014. In order to complete his cycles in education, he was at Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji-Arakeji, Osun State, for his B, Agric. in 2018. Dr. Agbona after his OND, worked at Akure Academy Secondary School, Akure as an Agricultural Science Teacher between 1996 and 1998. NYSC scheme took him to the North in 1999 for his youth service at Abubakar Tatari Alli Polytechnic, Bauchi as a Graduate Assistance in charge of General Farm Practice and Principles of Irrigation for both ND and HND students. He was posted to Mada Community Secondary School Andaha Nasarawa state as a biology teacher in 2001. He was made HOD Science shortly after his assumption of duty in 2001. While in Andaha, energetic Agbona was shuttling between Andaha and Akwanga as a Part- Time Lecturer with Nasarawa State College of Education. In 2002, he joined Ondo State Teaching Service as An Agricultural Science teacher, he rose to the position of HOD Science and Vocational Education Department in Araromi-Obu. He thought in various secondary schools at Ore zone before he left teaching job to join Federal Polytechnic, Ile Oluji as a Lecturer II in the Department of Agricultural Technology.

Dr. Ademola Agbona was made the Pioneer Coordinator of all Agricultural Programmes few months after assumption of duty in the Polytechnic. On October 18th 2018, he was confirmed as the pioneer Acting HOD by the Polytechnic Management and this made him member of Academic Board of the Polytechnic. He was a member of Polytechnic Strategic Planning Committee and Sub-Committee chairman of Students Experience. Also he has served as the Committee Chairman of Polytechnic Committee on Leasing of Oil palm and Cocoa. Dr. Agbona has many journals and conference papers to his credit at both local and international levels. He belonged to professional bodies such as: Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Crop Science Society of Nigeria (CSSN) and Horticultural Society of Nigeria (HORTSON). Dr. Ademola Agbona attended various Training workshops such as: Science Teachers Vacation Course held at Government Science School, Lafia, Nassarawa State, which was organized by The Federal Ministry of Education, Abuja on 6th to 8th of April, 2002., Workshop on Innovation in Agriculture for Agricultural Science Teachers in Ondo State held on 5th to 7th of September, 2006 by Ondo State Government , 2 Days Capacity Workshop for Teachers in Ondo State on the Structure and Effective Implementation of the New Senior Secondary School Curriculum held at Methodist High School Okitipupa on 7th to 8th June, 2013 and Workshop on Faculty Professional Training on Effective Teaching held at Old Senate Building Federal University of Technology, Akure by Prof. Henry Fadamiro from Auburn University, Alabama USA and Prof. Olayele Adelakun from DePaul University, Chicago, USA on June 11th, 2019. He is a consultant to many farmers in Ondo, Ogun and Ekiti State. His vast experience gave him the opportunity to serve as a consultant to World Bank Sponsored Programme, Fadama 1 and 11 Additiobnal Finaacing. He solely supervised 60 ha of yellow vitamin A cassava farm at Ode-Aye, in Okitipupa Local Government in Ondo State. For the passion of Academics, he joined Akwa Ibom State College of Education as a Part-Time Lecturer between 2002 and 2006. He was an Examiner for WAEC and NECO throughout his teaching career. In 2017, Dr Agbona was awarded Distinguished Alumni Award by The Federal College of Agriculture, Akure for his contribution to the field of agriculture during the celebrations of the institution’s 60th year of existence. Dr, Agbona is married and blessed with God fearing children. His hobbies are: Hockey, Reading and Photography.

Nigeria economy in early 60’s and 70’s depended on Agriculture before the oil boom and this greatly influenced accelerated developmental projects in the country in those days. Cocoa was very popular in the west, oil palm in the East and Groundnut pyramid in the North, The proceeds from cocoa was used to built the following: Cocoa house, WNTV (Western Nigeria Television), Farm settlement projects, University of Ibadan, CRIN (Cocoa Research Institute) at Ibadan. The Federal Government of Nigeria in his own magnanimity decided to establish Federal Polytechnic, Ile Oluji in the year 2015 under the government of former president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in order to promote Technological growth through production of graduates with skilled experiences in order to improve our Technological development as a developing economy. In acknowledgement of the fact that Agriculture has the potential to be the industrial and economic pivot in which Ondo State and Nigeria at large can compete with her conterpart in committee of Nations and in eradication of poverty. The Management of The Federal Polytechnic, Ile Oluji approved the commencement of Agricultural Technology early 2017.

The National Diploma in Agricultural Technology started in September, 2017. And finally mounted by the Approval of the NBTE Resource personnel in December, 2019. Dr. Agbona A.I was nominated as the Co-Ordinator of the Programme in October, 2017.
The following members started with the Take-off of the programme:

  1. Dr Agbona A.I (Co-ordinator)
  2. Mr Adeb Isi S.L
  3. Dr. Mrs Adene I.
  4. Mr. Olanipekun O.S
  5. Mr. Akinlosoye J.J
  6. Mr. Adetimehin A.
  7. Mr. Akintoye
  8. Mr. Uzohuo U
Later, the Management approved Sabbatical leave for Dr. Agbabiaka L.A a Chief Lecturer from Federal Polytechnic, Nekede who was appointed as the chairman of Accreditation Committee for the seven new programmes for the Polytechnic. Dr. Agbabiaka played a prominent role in the Accreditation of the Department and mentorship of the entire Agriculture Team. On 18th of August 2018, Dr Agbona A.I was unanimously selected by the entire members of Agriculture Team to be the Ag. HOD and this was approved by the Management and this made him a member of Academic Board from that period till date. The Polytechnic Agricultural Programme later gave birth to Department of Fishery and Cooperative Economics. Presently, the Department has the following members of staff:
  1. Dr. Agbona A.I (Ag. HOD: Ph.D) (Crop Management), M. Agric. Tech, (Crop Management), B. Agric., PGD (Agronomy and Farm Management), PGD (Education), HND (Crop Prod,), ND (Agric. Tech). (Agronomy)
  2. Mr. Adebisi S.L: M. Agric.Tech (Soil Management Option)., PGD (Crop, Soil and Pest Management), HND (Crop Production)., ND (Agric. Mech). (Soil Scientist)
  3. Engr. (Dr.) Akinfiresoye W.A; Ph.D (Agric & Bio-Environmental Engineering), M. Agric. Engineering,MBA (Bussiness Admin) PGD (Mechanical Engineering), HND (Agric. Engineering), ND (Agric. Engineering)
  4. Mr. Oladebeye I.H : B. Agric. (Agronomy)
  5. Mr. Akinlosoye J.J : HND (Animal Production), ND (Animal Production)
  6. Mr. Olanrewaju O : HND (Agric. Engineering)
  7. Mr. Adebayo S . B. Agric. Tech (Crop, Soil and Pest Management)
  8. Mr. Adetimehin A : B. Agric. (Agronomy)
  9. Mr. Ajayi S. SSCE
  10. Mr. Akingbeyiju T. SSCE
  11. Mr. Kayode Olakunle SSCE
  12. Mr. Jamiu Fatai SSCE

  • To prepare Agricultural students for the pursuit of available various careers in Agriculture and assumed positions of responsibility in public institutions and private organisations.
  • To produce Agricultural Technicians who will be self reliant, skilled and capable of adopting modern techniques in agricultural production.
  • To equip student with basic skill that will enable the students contribute positively in solving the problem of food security in Nigeria.
  • To foster creativity , understanding the social, economic and Technical contents of General Agriculture as well as disseminate improved practices of new agricultural techniques to farmers.

Admission in to the National Diploma of the Department of Agricultural Technology, Federal Polytechnic, Ile Oluji is trhrouhh Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, (JAMB) by the unified tertiary matriculation examination (UTME). The candidate who might have chosen the Federal Polytechnic, Ile Oluji as his or her first choice upon satisfying the cut off mark will seat for Post JAMB of the institution and undergo screening organized by the institution. In addition the candidate must have credit passes in the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) or its equivalents from any of the following certified Examinations (GCE O’ Level, NTC/NBC (NABTEB,NABTECH), Grade II Teachers’ Certificate Examinations ) at not more than two sittings in Chemistry, Biology/ Agricultural Science/Animal Husbandry, English Language, Mathematics and any one subject from the following: Physics, Commerce / Economics, Geography, any Nigerian Language, Home Economics, Food and Nutrition and Technical Drawing.

S/N COURSE TITLE CODE UNIT
1 ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS GNS 101 2
2 CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION GNS 111 2
3 INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER APPLICATION 1 COM 101 2
4 INTRODUCTION TO AGRIC. BIO ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING ABE 101 2
5 GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY ATC 111 2
6 PRINCIPLES OF CROP PRODUCTION AGT 111 3
7 ELEMENTS OF AGRIC. ECONOMICS AGT 112 2
8 INTRODUCTION TO SOIL SCIENCE AGT 113 3
9 PRINCIPLE OF ANIMAL PRODUCTION AGT 114 2
10 INTRODUCTION TO AGRIC. MARKETING AGT 115 2
11 INTRODUCTION TO FARM WOODLAND AND MANAGEMENT AGT 101 2
12 USE OF LIBRARY LIB 101 1
13 MECHANICS AND PROPERTIES OF MATTER CPH 111 1
14 GENERAL FARM PRACTICE AGT 117 2
TOTAL 28
S/N COURSE TITLE CODE UNIT
1 INDUSTRIAL CROP 1 AGT 129 3
2 ANNUAL CROPS AGT 121 2
3 CROP PROTECTION AGT 122 2
4 SHEEP, GOAT AND SWINE AGT 123 2
5 PRINCIPLE OF BEE KEEPING AGT 124 2
6 MICRO LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION AGT 126 3
7 PRINCIPLE OF IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE AGT 127 2
8 POST HARVEST TECHNOLOGY AND BIOLOGY AGT 128 3
9 COMMUNICATION IN ENGLISH II GNS 102 2
10 CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION II GNS 121 2
11 BASIC PRINCIPLE OF LAND SURVEYING BPL 121 2
TOTAL 25
S/N COURSE TITLE CODE UNIT
1 BASIC WORKSHOP PRACTICE MEC 112 2
2 AGRO CLIMATOLOGY AGT 212 2
3 PASTURE AND FORAGE PRODUCTION AGT 211 2
4 INDUSTRIAL CROP PRODUCTION II AGT 214 2
5 CROP FERTILITY AND CROP PRODUCTION AGT 215 2
6 FARM SOIL MANAGEMENT AGT 216 2
7 PRACTICE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP EED 216 2
8 SIWES SWS 210 4
9 COMPUTER APPLICATIONS II COM 102 2
10 GENERAL FARM PRACTICE II AGT 217 2
TOTAL 22
S/N COURSE TITLE CODE UNIT
1 POULTRY PRODUCTION AGT 223 2
2 FARM POWER AND MECHANIZATION ABE 222 2
3 GENETICS AND BREEDING AGT 224 1
4 BEEF AND DIARY PRODUCTION AGT 225 2
5 HORTICULTURAL CROP PRODUCTION AGT 226 1
6 BASIC FISHERY TECHNOLOGY AGT 227 2
7 INTRODUCTION TO ANIMAL HEALTH AGT 228 2
8 FARM MANAGEMENT AGT 229 1
9 AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AND RURAL SOCIOLOGY AGT 230 1
10 FIELD EXPERIMENTATION AND STATISTICS AGT 231 2
11 SEMINAR AGT 232 1
12 PROJECT AGT 233 4
TOTAL 21

Students who graduate from ND programme in Agricultural Technology can proceed to study HND in the areas listed below:

  1. Crop production
  2. Soil science
  3. Agric Economics and Extension
  4. Animal Production
  5. Horticulture and Landscape Technology
  6. Pest Management Technology
  7. Forestry
  8. Irrigation
  9. Crop protection
  10. Fishery Technology
  11. Wild life Management