Nigerian Universities Must Stop Being Certificate Centers, Start Providing Solutions – Ibukun Awosika

The Chairman of First Bank Nigeria Plc, Mrs. Ibukunoluwa Abiodun Awosika has stressed the need for Nigerian Universities to start training students to provide solutions to National and global problems through research and inventions, so as to produce graduates that can compete and fit-in globally.

Awosika said this on Wednesday while delivering the third convocation lecture of Elizade University in Ilara-Mokin, Ondo.

Awosika, during her lecture titled “The Nigerian University system and the challenge of internationalisation”, said the Nigerian Universities must de-emphasize certification and place more priorities on developing new ideas that can solve major world problems.

According to her, any University that fails to produce solution centers as graduates is not fulfilling purpose in the 21st Century.

Awosika futher urged the Nigerian government to take good advantage of the country’s Population and Make deliberate policies to prepare her citizens to become global products and problem solvers in other nations.

While appreciating Chief Micheal Ade-Ojo, the founder of the school for considering it important to impact lives through the University, she went further to challenge the management of Elizade University to get the best qualities of lecturers to produce world class graduates from the school that can make global impact.

Awosika also charged the students to discover themselves, set out their life goals and visions, channel their time and resources towards the set goals without minding how less privileged their background may be.

She concluded by reminding the students on the need to be of good behaviour, uphold the virtues of integrity, dignity, and do things in the right ways only, no matter the situation.

The lecture was however preceded by the Inauguration of the new Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Olukayode Ladipo Amund, A Professor of Microbiology and consultant in bioremediation.

The new V.C after his Inauguration thanked the University Governing Council, Board of Trustees and other stakeholders of the school for considering him fit for the new office while promising to make the University a Nationwide reference point by creating an enabling environment for research and learning.

Other dignitaries at the event include the Chairman of the occasion and immediate past governor of Osun state, Ogbeni Ruaf Aregbesola, Represented by Mrs. Titi Laoye-tomori, the deputy governor, as it then was. Members of the University Board of trustees and governing council, political office holders, Royal heads, and Vice Chancellors of other Universities among others.