As I stepped onto the campus of Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti, on assignment for TheNigeriaEducationNews, I was eager to see first-hand the institution that had recently been ranked the best state university in Nigeria and the 12th best overall. However, what I encountered at the Faculty of Engineering was a stark contradiction to the accolades and praises showered upon the university.
Walking through the faculty, I was met with a disturbing sight—buildings in a severe state of disrepair, some with roofs ripped off by storms and never replaced. I stood under the open sky inside what was once a fully covered lecture hall, now exposed to the elements. The walls of many classrooms bore deep cracks, the ceilings sagged ominously, and electrical wiring hung dangerously in several places. It became clear that maintenance had long been abandoned.
In my tour of the workshops, I found layers of dust and rust coating the equipment, many of which had ceased functioning years ago. Some machines were so outdated that they belonged in a museum rather than a modern engineering faculty. The workstations, meant to equip students with practical knowledge, stood as relics of what once was, and in many cases, students had no choice but to resort to alternative means to complete their training.
Determined to get to the root of this issue, I engaged directly with the students. Their frustrations were evident. “We don’t rely on the school anymore,” said Olajuwon Charles, a mechanical engineering student. “There’s nothing here for us. No functioning equipment, no investment in infrastructure. We go outside the school, sometimes to private workshops, just to get practical experience.”
A group of 300-level students, led by Bolaji, were even more vocal. “They say EKSU is the best state university in Nigeria, but that’s only on paper,” he declared. “We fund our own education here. We contribute our own money just to conduct simple practicals, yet the university takes the glory for our achievements.”
Gideon, another student, emphasized the reliance on external learning resources. “If not for YouTube and online courses, we would have been left far behind. The school isn’t providing us with what we need, so we have to seek knowledge elsewhere,” he said.
The situation in the Department of Mechatronics Engineering, home to Emmanuel, the best graduating student of the 29th convocation ceremony, was no different. His colleagues, Stephen, King, and SeyiTech, admitted that his success was not because of the university’s resources but in spite of them. “Emmanuel made it because he is determined,” King told me. “If he had relied on the facilities here, there’s no way he would have emerged as the best.”
As I continued my investigation, I recalled the words of Senate President Godswill Akpabio during the university’s recent convocation ceremony. Standing before the audience, he acknowledged the sorry state of the institution. “EKSU is a well-structured institution, but it lacks proper maintenance,” he stated. His donation of ₦100 million for university projects was welcomed, but after what I had seen, it was clear that this amount would barely scratch the surface of the issues plaguing the Faculty of Engineering.
Students have since turned their appeal to Governor Biodun Oyebanji, calling for immediate intervention. “We need urgent action, not just rankings and titles,” one student representative pleaded. “We need world-class equipment, not empty praises. Without the right tools, how can we compete on a global stage?”
The maintenance crisis at EKSU is not new, but my firsthand experience revealed that it has now reached an alarming level. Engineering students, who should be gaining hands-on experience, are instead left to struggle with broken-down machinery and non-existent resources. Without proper investment, they risk graduating with theoretical knowledge alone, unprepared for the competitive job market that demands practical expertise.
Education experts have repeatedly stressed that a solid engineering program must have well-equipped laboratories, functional workshops, and consistent funding for maintenance. In EKSU, these essential elements are lacking, leaving students at a significant disadvantage.
As I concluded my investigation, I couldn’t help but reflect on the stark contrast between EKSU’s ranking and its reality. The institution’s reputation is at risk if its fundamental issues are not addressed. For the students I spoke with, the message was clear: they are determined to succeed despite the odds, but they cannot continue to do so alone. “We love EKSU,” one student told me, “but we need the tools to succeed. The government and stakeholders need to step up—now.”
