The Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), through its Department of Food Science and Technology, held the second induction ceremony of its graduates into the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFST) on Friday, 22nd August 2025, marking a major milestone in the professional journey of the 2023/2024 graduating class.

The event attracted dignitaries from academia, industry, and the professional body, alongside proud parents and guardians who gathered to celebrate the achievements of the new inductees.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adenike Oladiji represented by the Dean, School of Life Sciences, Professor Kola Oladumoye noted that the induction was a defining moment.
She said “this ceremony is not just another academic ritual, it is a transition from classroom training to professional recognition. Our graduates are not merely degree holders but solution-bearers and nation-builders. With Nigeria’s population projected to exceed 400 million by 2050, the responsibility to ensure food security, safety, and nutrition rests heavily on food scientists like you.”

The Vice-Chancellor further charged the inductees to uphold the ethics and values of their profession while embracing entrepreneurship and innovation. She lauded NIFST for sustaining the noble tradition of professional induction and commended parents and guardians for their sacrifices.

Speaking earlier, the Head of Department, Food Science and Technology, Professor Olufunmilayo Omoba described the occasion as a historic rite of passage, formally admitting the graduates into the professional fold.

He highlighted the department’s commitment to producing competent, innovative, and ethically responsible graduates who are prepared to tackle the challenges of food security, nutrition, safety, and industrial innovation.

In her address, the Chairperson of the Western Chapter of NIFST, Professor Bolanle Akinwande reminded the graduates that induction is not a mere formality but an entry into a respected professional community. She encouraged them to embrace entrepreneurship and creativity, stressing the need to transform Nigeria’s vast agricultural resources into value-added products that will reduce post-harvest losses and combat malnutrition.

Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of the National President of NIFST, Dr Bola Osinowo, Professor Mathew Oluwamukomi emphasized the Institute’s mission of advancing food science and technology in Nigeria. He congratulated the new members, who now qualify to bear the professional title MNIFST, and urged them to see the induction as the beginning of a lifelong professional journey.

The induction climaxed with the formal presentation of certificates and the official admission of the graduates into NIFST as professional members, symbolizing their readiness to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s food sector and global food systems.

The ceremony ended on a celebratory note, with guests reaffirming the importance of food science in national development and the new inductees pledging to uphold the ideals of their profession.