***Appoints Pioneer Deans
The Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) has announced the division of its former School of Engineering and Engineering Technology (SEET) into two new Schools to better align with global academic and industry demands.
The two new Schools, School of Infrastructural, Minerals and Manufacturing Engineering (SIMME) and School of Electrical Systems Engineering (SESE), have been established to provide more specialized focus on the growing technological and engineering needs of the country and to provide specialized training in Engineering in line with global best practices.
FUTA has also appointed Professor Peter Kayode Oke, the former Dean of defunct School of Engineering as the pioneer Dean of the School of Infrastructural, Minerals, and Manufacturing Engineering, while Professor Adegoke Oladipo Melodi has been appointed as the Acting Dean of the School of Electrical Systems Engineering.
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Adenike Oladiji’s approval of the recommendation of the Board of Studies of the former School of Engineering was communicated by the Registrar, Mr Charles Adeleye in an internal memorandum, stating that the decision to divide the former SEET was driven by the need to create an academic environment that would foster specialized research, innovative teaching, and a hands-on approach to engineering education.
Professor Peter Kayode Oke, born on August 24, 1971, in Are-Ekiti, Ekiti State, is an accomplished scholar in Mechanical Engineering. He earned a Bachelor’s degree from Ondo State University of Ado-Ekiti (now Ekiti State University) in 1995, where he graduated as the best student of his set. He later pursued his Master’s and PhD at FUTA, completing them in 2000 and 2009, respectively.
A member of professional bodies including the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Professor Oke has taught over 30 courses and supervised numerous postgraduate students. His leadership roles within and outside the university have demonstrated his commitment to advancing engineering education.
On the other hand, Professor Adegoke Oladipo Melodi, born on April 14, 1971, in Lagos, is a distinguished figure in Electrical Engineering. He was trained at Kirovograd National Technical University in Ukraine, where he graduated with a Master’s in Electrical Engineering in 1996, followed by a PhD in Power Systems Engineering from Moscow Power Engineering Institute in 2005.
Professor Melodi joined FUTA as an Assistant Lecturer in 2000 and has since risen to the rank of Professor, contributing extensively to the field with over 50 published articles and the supervision of multiple Masters’ and PhD students. He has received numerous awards for his academic achievements, including the Best Researcher Award at FUTA in 2018.
The division of SEET and the subsequent appointments of Professor Oke and Professor Melodi mark a major milestone in FUTA’s ongoing efforts to elevate its academic programmes. The development will enhance research opportunities and produce graduates with more specialized and in-demand skills.
