Tuesday 12 June 2012

Dr. Orgbanyi Emmanuel Gbonko's Welcome Message.


Dr. Orgbanyi Emmanuel Gbonko's Welcome Message.

The College Management, Staff, Students and the entire College Community are highly honoured to welcome you to our College. Our College is a State institution owned by the Benue State Government. It was founded in 1926 as a Farm Training Centre by the Colonial Administration. In 1973, it was upgraded to a School of Agriculture offering programmes leading to the award of Ordinary National Diplomas (OND). In 1983, a Benue State House of Assembly bill upgraded it to a College of Agriculture and empowered it to award National and Higher National Diplomas. It was later renamed Akperan Orshi College of Agriculture in memory of the late paramount traditional ruler of Tivland where it is located, HRH Orchiviligh (Dr.) James Akperan Orshi, Tor Tiv III. AOCAY is a specialised institution with a mandate to train middle level manpower with technical skills in the agricultural sector. The College runs several programmes including Remedial Science, Pre-National Diploma, National Diploma, Pre-Higher National Diploma, Higher National Diploma & Post Graduate Diplomas in agriculture and allied courses. Aside from farms which are used by students for practical, we engage in commercial activities like piggery, poultry production, fish farming, hatchery services, animal feed production, nurseries/orchards, tractor hiring and consultancy services among others. The College is located in Yandev, a town 82km from Makurdi, the capital of Benue State.

AOCAY History

Akperan Orshi College of Agriculture, Yandev (AOCAY) metamorphosed from and situates at the site of the Former Farm Training Centre Yandev (FTCY), which was established in 1926. It is the oldest State owned institution of higher learning in Benue State.

To be able to meet the great demand for qualified Agricultural Technologists in the State, the then Benue Plateau Government upgraded the FTC to the (School of Agriculture) in October, 1973.

The School initially offered only certificate courses in several Agricultural fields. In 1977 however, Diploma courses in Agricultural Mechanization, Livestock and Poultry Production were introduced while Home Economics programme was added in 1978. These other programmes were introduced as follows: HND in General Agric., Home and Rural Economics were introduced in 1981. ND in Fisheries was added to the curricula in 1984. In 1991, HND in Agric. Extension and Management was brought while HND in Animal Health, Animal Production and ND Forestry followed in 1992. The HND in Agric. Engineering Technology came on board in 2004.

Hereafter, the College was granted autonomous status by the Benue State Government in 1983 after a merger with the Agricultural Department of the then Murtala College of Arts, Science and Technology (MUCAST) Makurdi. On April 20, 1991, the name "College of Agriculture, Yandev" (CAY) was changed to Akperan Orshi College of Agriculture, Yandev (AOCAY) by the Benue State Government as a mark of honour for the late TOR-TIV the 3rd, Dr. JAMES AKPERAN ORSHI.

The College scaled another milestone during the 2010/2011 session when the seven existing departments were reorganised into schools. Many more departments were created alongside and placed under the AOCAY CONSULT pending when they would be presented formally for accreditation by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE). The College has a total of six (6) schools which are headed by Deans. They include: School of Basic Sciences and Foundation Studies, School of Agricultural Management and Vocational Studies, School of Agricultural Production and Engineering Technology, School of Animal Technology and School of Forestry and Fisheries Technology and Post Graduate School.

The Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) programmes being run by the College are in Agric. Extension, Agricultural Economics and Education. Preparations for the takeoff of PGD programmes in Animal Products Inspection and Animal Production are well under way.