…The OOU example
By Dickson Omobola
At a period when all attention is focused on transforming education in Nigeria to meet the demand of the present and future, the recent 35th convocation lecture of Olabisi Onabanjo University, (OOU), Ago Iwoye, in Ogun State, put the issue on the front burner.
Titled: “Repositioning Nigerian Universities as Innovation Hubs for Entrepreneurship and National Development,” Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, the convocation lecturer, analysed the need for universities to effectively position themselves as drivers of growth.
Tijani said national growth is driven by the practical application of expertise rather than just formal qualifications or simply acquiring certificates, application of knowledge and productive skills derived from relevant institutions.
He observed that universities exist to serve society, strengthen its host communities, and advance national development.
According to him: “The core contributions a university can make are excellent teaching, relevant research, and knowledge applied to real-world problems, while scholarship boosting development, especially when it is the direct outcome of its relevance.”
Tijani said OOU enjoys a strategic advantage, because Ogun State with unique economic and educational characteristics, namely economic power, as a leading state for internally generated revenue; an industrial hub for industry and manufacturing, and educational strength as a recognized education power base, hosting over 45 tertiary institutions, the strategic intersection of these factors, put OOU on the intersection of knowledge, industry, agriculture, and markets.
National productivity
He charged Nigerian universities to convert academic excellence into economic value and human capital into national productivity
By operating as a “living laboratory,” he wants the universities to ensure that classrooms become living laboratories.
He said: “Across Nigeria, we have invested heavily in education, with over 270 tertiary institutions, and the country must feel their impact.”
The minister further challenged the graduates to deploy their skills with intent to grow the economy faster, saying the relevance of universities is not only in the quality of its graduates but also the productivity of the country’s workforce.
“The challenges Nigeria faces today is not in the area of ambition, but productivity. Nigeria’s prosperity will not come from policy alone, rather its economic prosperity will be built when farmers, engineers, teachers, entrepreneurs and public servants all raise the standards of what they do,” he added.
OOU’s Visitor, Governor Dapo Abiodun, in a message delivered by his Deputy, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, lauded the university for producing competent, innovative, and future-ready graduates, even as it is upholding high standards of discipline, innovation, and service.
He was effusive with commendation for the Pro-Chancellor, Professor Toyin Ashiru, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ayodeji Olayinka Johnson Agboola, and members of the Governing Council and Senate for sustaining the university’s ideals.
He said: “The 35th Convocation celebrates academic excellence, access, and institutional relevance. By placing reliable data at the centre of decision-making, our administration has enhanced transparency, improved outcomes, and ensured that every intervention across the education value chain is strategic and measurable.”
Abiodun said his administration’s premium on education informed the allocation of N275.4 billion, representing 17 per cent of the state’s ¦ 1.7 trillion 2026 budget, to education, a reflection of his determination to expand access to quality education, reduce inequality, and ensure no child is left behind, regardless of background or location.
He congratulated the graduates and urged them to continue learning, asking questions, and serving as ambassadors of the university. Abiodun demonstrated his support for academic excellence, by donating ¦ 500,000 to each of the 13 best graduating students from the university’s faculties and ¦ 2 million to Master Ajayi David of the Faculty of Engineering, who emerged as the overall best graduating student.
Agboola on his part also commended Abiodun for prioritizing education as a catalyst for holistic and transformative development.
He said: “A total of 5,808 undergraduates convoked. The statistics shows that 147 earned First Class (representing a 25.22 per cent increase on the total of 115 First Class recorded for the 2023/2024 session); 2,051 were in the Second-Class Upper Division; 3,527 in the Second-Class Lower Division; 571 had Third Class Degree; and 26 had a Pass Grade, while 86 (unclassified) graduated from our medical programme. For Postgraduate programmes, a total of 373 graduates will be awarded Postgraduate Degrees and Diplomas of the University: 256 graduates were awarded Postgraduate Diploma and Master’s Degrees, while 117 will have PhD Degrees.” The Founder, Optimus Bank and Chairman, Mango Asset Management, Mr. Ayo Ojuroye, was conferred with Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science.
Within the last one session, Agboola said the university secured 100 per cent accreditation of its programmes by the NUC as a clear indication of its resolve to continually improve on the quality of education that it provides, thus safeguarding the recognition and respect of its graduates both nationally and internationally.
As regards enhanced academic distinction, he said: “At the last Nigerian Law School Bar Final Examinations, 18 graduates from our Faculty of Law bagged First Class. In addition, two of these great ambassadors, Soyinka, Taiwo Habibat and Olubode, Tolulope Bukola won 1st Prize in Civil Litigation and Professional Ethics and Skills, respectively.
“The Faculty of Law also recorded a milestone achievement, the first set of their PhD graduates – Justice (Dr.) Olufunke O. Odubanjo, a High Court Judge and Dr. Adesanya Adebayo, a senior Officer at the Ogun State Ministry of Justice convoked.
“The university also won a support of €15,000 euros from the French Embassy to set up a Digital Resource Centre for French Language Teaching and Development of Transversal Skills in the University, through the collaborative efforts of members of staff from the Faculty of Education and as regards Web Visibility, the university’s internet connectivity was upgraded from 300mbps Radio Wave Link to 1,500mbps Fibre-optic Service to support our various online resources. This lends credence to our commitment to continually improving our electronic/internet infrastructure for easy accessibility and visibility.”
Founded a little over 40 years ago, the university currently ranks 16th nationally among 321 Nigerian universities, based on academic visibility, research output, and web presence. It is adjudged as the second-best state-owned institution in Nigeria.
The post ‘How varsities can be repositioned for national productivity’ appeared first on Vanguard News.
