The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), Adenike Oladiji, has praised three students of the institution, Faith Alabetutu, Matthew Ogundinwin, and Akinola Olayinka, for their impressive performance at the 2026 University Duel competition.
The FUTA team finished as runners-up in the national competition after reaching the grand finale unbeaten through five rounds before losing to Obafemi Awolowo University on April 19, 2026. Their remarkable outing earned FUTA recognition as the second-best STEM university in Nigeria.
Commending the students, Professor Oladiji described them as worthy ambassadors who reflected the culture of excellence associated with FUTA.
“As worthy ambassadors of the institution you have deepened the excellence associated with the FUTA Brand. Indeed, you represented our university creditably well, you showed versatility, excellence and depth of knowledge across different subject areas, we are indeed proud of you. As a mark of appreciation all of you have earned the highest award given to students, the Vice Chancellor Excellence Award which will be presented to you during the next convocation ceremony, thank you for writing the name of FUTA in Gold and ensuring that we remain a key player in the comity of Universities,” the Vice Chancellor said.
FUTA began their University Duel 2026 campaign on February 7 with an impressive 52-15 victory over University of Lagos, the team that topped the CBT qualifying stage.
The team continued their dominant run on February 21 with a commanding 65-8 win against Ekiti State University, recording a massive 57-point margin that further established them as strong contenders in the competition.
On March 15, FUTA completed the preliminary stage with a 44-28 victory over University of Benin, finishing the round with a perfect 3-0 record to secure a place in the quarter-finals.
The quarter-final clash against Ladoke Akintola University of Technology on March 22 proved to be FUTA’s toughest test of the tournament. In a highly competitive contest, FUTA narrowly secured a 37-35 victory to advance to the semi-finals.
In the semi-final held on April 4, FUTA delivered one of the most outstanding performances of the competition against University of Nigeria. Despite predictions of a close contest, FUTA dominated the match with a convincing 106-48 victory, sealing their place in the grand finale and drawing national attention for their performance.
The Students Forum Nigeria serves as the ultimate hub for Nigerian students, fostering academic growth, social engagement, and knowledge sharing.
