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Tag: ex-VC

  • Osinbajo, Aregbesola, ex-VC, others for Companion Discourse

    Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo will lead immediate past Governor of Osun State Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and a renowned expert in Agricultural-Engineering and former University of Uyo Vice-Chancellor Prof Fola Lasisi, to the 4th 4th National Discourse of The Companion, an association of Muslim in Business and Professions.

    The event, scheduled to hold on Sunday at the University of Lagos Main Auditorium now named J.F. Ade-Ajayi auditorium, will also be witnessed by Prof Lateef Sanni of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Coordinator, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Otunba Femi Oke as well as an expert in Animal Production from the University of Ilorin, Dr Hameed Badmos, among others dignitaries.

    The theme is Food security: Unleashing Nigeria’s natural potential for self-sufficiency.

    At a briefing on Wednesday, The Companion National Amir (President) Alhaji Thabit Wale Sonaike, said the Discourse is an annual forum designed to generate ideas towards addressing issues of national concern.

    “Our modus operandi is to assemble experts and other high stakeholders on topical issues of national concern to brainstorm and share ideas with the public with a view to proffering solutions to the identified national problems. Communiqué is then issued to appropriate quarters in government at various levels for consideration as input in national policy formulations. In this way, we would have made our humble contribution to sustainable national development and good governance in the country,” he said.

    Alhaji Sonaike said the event will also feature free medical test for the attendees with support from the Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria (IMAN) and Nigeria Aid Group.

    “We are also planning to have mini-exhibition of Agric products which will involve the sale of locally produced foodstuff and poultry products,” he said.

    He said the association focus on food security for this year’s discourse “because food undoubtedly is the most basic of all human survival needs and the starting chain of the economy as well as the base for daily life.”

    Food and agriculture by extension, he added, is also a fundamental pillar for economic growth and development as a nation can hardly achieve and sustain its economic growth without a strong agricultural base and the reasons are obvious.

     

     

  • Pursue excellence, ex-VC tells faith-based institutions

    Former Vice Chancellor, Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU), Prof Sola Fajana has said all academic stakeholders have different roles to play in the drive for excellence in Faith-Based institution’s (FBI).

    He said this at the first Faculty lecture of the Faculty of Social Science, Anchor University Lagos (AUL).  The lecture has as theme: “Driving Excellence in a Faith-Based Institution: A Role for all Stakeholders.”

    The professor said management must make sure lecturers do their research well on what they teach.

    He said: “Senate and management must ensure all hands are on deck and efforts made to entrench the true University culture of teaching and research in faith based Institutions. Competent and capable hands should be attracted and retained to pursue the triple mandate of knowledge generation (research), knowledge transmission(teaching), and knowledge application (responsive social engagement), while not neglecting the moral/spiritual burden expected of FBIs.”

    He further said FBIs should adopt skill-building pedagogies.

    “Universities have a tendency to focus on knowledge creation and propagation and may have unwittingly neglected the inculcation of practical skills in their products. As observed severally, the employability prospect of the NUS graduates has been questioned on many fronts; and inappropriate teaching methods have been associated with this deficit. While clients of the NUS expect a global change, FBIs are expected to provide an expedited lead in this direction. Senate and management must do the needful to bring this about,” he said.

    Commenting on the lecture, the Vice Chancellor, AUL, Prof Joseph Afolayan said the University’s vision is treated with utmost passion although the institution is not perfect yet.

    “The vision of Anchor University is clear and our efforts since we started have been geared toward achieving the loft of vision.  We are not where we are headed. Indeed, we are miles away from our target, but I can assure you that we are getting closer every day. The training we offer here is summed up in our motto: Character, Competence, and Courage, and it has continued to enrich the minds and the intellect of our students. And by the grace of God, we are sure that they will never be the same after their programmes here,” he said.

    A student of Accounting department, Komolafe Elizabeth received the Dean’s prize as the best 300-Level student in the faculty. She also received N50,000 from , member, House of Representatives,  Bisi Yusuf.

  • I faced persecution at FUTA for being honest,says Ex-VC, Daramola

    The immediate past Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology,Akure (FUTA)  Prof Adebiyi Daramola has hinged his ordeals towards the end of his tenure in the University on his resolve to run prudent administration.

    Prof.Daramola noted that there were forces that wanted him to compromise his integrity, which he vehemently resisted.

    The don who spoke to reporters yesterday in Akure, the Ondo state capital said this rift even led to non-approval of any single intervention programme for a whole five years of his tenure as VC in the University.

    According to him” I was so determined not to join forces that were hell-bent in destroying the good image of the Institution, I thought of posterity in all my actions”.

    It would be recalled that allegations of fraud were levelled against the former VC by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).He was summoned to Abuja for interrogation on the matter.

    However, the Ondo state High Court sitting in Akure on February 7, discharged him of the fraud allegations.

    The academic ,who is now a Consultant to the World Bank said” I came to FUTA with a vision and becoming its VC after spending 26 years within the system”.

    He recalled that there was a policy that primary school within the University should generate its own revenue as against being solely funded by FUTA’s management.

    His words” The unions were fighting for their check-off dues, and demanding 40 percent of the Internally Generated Revenue(IGR) which I disagreed with and which no VC could accept”.

    Daramola said incidentally he was the Chairman, Committee of Vice Chancellors in Nigeria during the crisis, stressing that as a leader, one must have a direction.

    However, he urged the federal government to look at ways of funding Universities to facilitate high standards.

     

     

  • Adebule, Islamic cleric, ex-VC proffer solution to poverty, insecurity

    Zakat, the Islamic way of wealth redistribution, can be deployed in fighting poverty and insecurity, Lagos State Deputy Governor Idiat Adebule has suggested.

    Speaking yesterday at the 14th Zakat Distribution Ceremony of the Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation (ZSF) at the Lagos State Secretariat Mosque in Alausa, Ikeja, Dr. Adebule said Zakat payment would promote economic equality and love.

    About N142.9 million was distributed to 1,516 beneficiaries at the ceremony.

    Mrs Adebule, represented by Lagos State Chairperson of College of Nigeria Pathologists (CNP) Prof. Fatimah AbdulKareem, said: “When we take from the wealthy to distribute to the appropriate beneficiaries, there is constant circulation of wealth such that it is not concentrated in the hands of a few.

    “Zakat gives rise to relative equality among mankind. It fosters feeling of love and harmony as well as cohesion within the society. In the present day Nigeria, wealth circulates among a few, while the majority languish in poverty.

    “The few wealthy ones, unfortunately, don’t feel secure living among the majority who are poor, hungry and angry; thus the wealthy spend so much on security when all it takes is to give out 2.5 per cent as zakat.

    “It is economic inequality that results in increasing crime, hooliganism and other vices in the society.  Zakat is a means to prevent all these vices in the society by ensuring social security.”

    Commissioner for Home Affairs Dr. Abdullateef Abdulhakeem urged the government to give legal backing to zakat.

    He said: “Anyone who possesses wealth must realise that he/she is a distributor on behalf of the giver – Allah. There is so much wealth within the community, but because we have failed to activate our sense of generosity, many people are suffering.

    “Charity will do a lot to alleviate poverty in the society. Zakat is something that even the government should give legal backing to. It will be a form of Public Private Partnership that will assist the government to get funds to alleviate poverty.”

    Lagos State Chief Imam Sheikh Sulaiman Oluwatoyin Abou-Nollah advised Muslims to prioritise investments in areas capable of reducing poverty among Muslims.

    He said: “It is important for us to invest. There is no how we can get to the level that we want to be without investing. It is key for us to invest. Zakat is about enriching the poor so that they can get to the level that is sustainable. We have a lot of challenges in Nigeria to make us surmount the economic challenge.”

    Former University of Lagos Vice Chancellor Prof. Bello Rahmon, who chaired the event, said investments should be based on the people’s health needs.

    He said: “This is one of the few events to showcase the beauty of Islam. It is an aspect of our religion that must be put to use. The level of unemployment is high. You find hundreds and thousands of graduates roaming the streets. This results in crimes and zakat is one of the ways to get this resolved.

    “We must continue to consider the possibilities of setting up institutions that can assist in unemployment and health challenges. We need to set up clinics that attend to ailments in our society.”

    ZSF Executive Director Prince Sulayman Olagunju said the foundation was worried about the growing rate of poverty.

    He said: “We were deeply touched seeing the number of Nigerians wallowing in abject poverty, which has been one of the propelling forces driving us to step up zakat collections on a yearly basis despite the economic situation.

    “Today, with the support of our zakat payers, we are pleased to inform you that N142,938,905 is being distributed to 1,516 beneficiaries in Lagos State out of the N318,152,130 zakat mobilised for this year, as at October 31.

    “However, we still have a long way to go as many are still lacking in basic necessities of life such as food, clothing and shelter. We appeal to Muslims to help us create jobs, by contributing their own quota to building an egalitarian society.”

    ZSF Chairman Dr. Tajudeen Yusuf appealed to Nigerians to join in the effort to reduce poverty.

    “Poverty can be eradicated in Nigeria. We are prepared to work towards its eradication. Poverty is not our own portion as Muslims, so we are not just focused on alleviating but eradicating.

    “Secondly, a programme titled KOSOSI Forum will be launched on December 23 through which we seek to equip our economic empowerment beneficiaries in such a manner that they become economically accountable and self-reliant.”

    Jaiz Charity Foundation Executive Director Imam Abdullahi Shuaib warned against the danger of not paying zakat.

    “Allah gave us the institution of zakat for specific purpose, but some of us are ungrateful elements. Some Muslims are capable of paying, but they won’t pay. Muslims should not be rich and poor at the same time.

    “Zakat is a means to bail us out. With the prevalence of poverty in our society, we must make it a habit to pay zakat. It is a potent tool for poverty alleviation,” he said.

  • FUNAAB: Court strikes out EFCC suit against Ogunlewe, ex-VC

    •Accused discharges, acquitted of wrongdoing

    An Ogun State High Court sitting in Abeokuta, the state capital, yesterday struck out the corruption charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against former Minister of Works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe; the immediate past Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Prof. Olusola Oyewole and the Bursar of the institution, Mr Moses Ilesanmi.

    The court, presided over by Justice Olatokunbo Majekodunmi, also discharged and acquitted the three for the fraud allegations.

    The accused were in court and heard Justice Majekodunmi pronounce their acquittal.

    The judge held that the anti-graft agency failed to establish a prima facie case against the trio.

    The EFCC, in November 2016, charged Ogunlewe, Oyewole and Ilesanmi to court separately and jointly on an 18-count charge bordering on alleged stealing, abuse of office and fraudulent conversion of the university property.

    Ogunlewe was the Pro-Chancellor of FUNAAB and the other two were principal officers of the institution.

    They were arrested by EFCC operatives following a petition by some concerned workers of the university.

    The accused had pleaded not guilty to the charges and the court granted them bail.

    Following the arraignment, Ogunlewe announced his resignation as the institution’s Pro-Chancellor, citing personal reasons; Oyewole bowed out on May 23, last year, after completing his five-year tenure as vice chancellor.

    Delivering judgment yesterday in the 18-month-old suit, Justice Majekodunmi held that the EFCC failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt all the allegations against the accused.

    The judge averred that the evidence presented by the prosecution had been manifestly and thoroughly discredited during cross-examination to the extent that the court could not rely on them.

    The judge dismissed the suit for lacking in merit, discharged and acquitted the accused.

  • Ex-VC sues Nigerian Breweries for ‘misleading inscription’  

    A former Vice Chancellor of Benson Idahosa University, Benin City, Prof. Ernest Izevbigie, has sued Nigerian Breweries at an Edo State High Court for alleged deception.

    Izevbigie, a professor of Biochemistry, alleged the company has a misleading information by inscribing: “low sugar,” on the container of one of its non-alcoholic drinks.

    He said a laboratory investigation showed the product contained more sugar than the company claimed in the inscription.

    The ex-VC said the label was misleading to the public.

    He asked the court to order the company to tender a written apology, as he had been injured by the alleged deception, because a recent medical check-up showed an increase in his blood sugar level.

    Prof. Izevbigie claimed he had traced the challenge to his regular intake of the malt drink.

    During cross-examination  yesterday by counsel to the defendant, Mr. L.O.  Ogefere, the plaintiff told the court the malt drink did not merit the “low sugar” label, according to clinical research.

    He alleged the drink contained 10 cubes of sugar, as against the 10 and a half to 10 one-quarter cubes contained in other malt drinks.

    The matter was adjourned till June 28, for the defendant to opens its case.

  • Huge room for private schools to thrive in Nigeria, says ex-VC

    • School unveils founder’s bust

    Former Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof Rahamon Bello has said opportunities will abound for private schools to thrive in the next 50 years in Nigeria.

    He said this on Monday while delivering a lecture to mark the 50th anniversary of Grace Schools Gbagada, Lagos.

    Speaking on the topic: “Private Education in Nigeria: Sustainability in the next 50 Years”, Bello said the inadequate number of public primary and secondary schools, especially in Lagos State, as well as the challenge of poor quality were gaps private schools could fill.

    He also said private providers of education could seize on the shortage of secondary schools to provide both academic and quality vocational and entrepreneurial skills which employers will appreciate.

    “The demand for private education rather than wane in the years ahead is likely to multiply. The public sector is unlikely to have all the resources needed to meet the demands of the 6-3-3-4 policy on education. The private sector investment in private education is very substantial and will continue to increase and as such cannot be ignored by government as it is supplementary. Governments must therefore fine tune their strategies on regulation through monitoring and inspection,” he said.

    It was not all about the lecture alone. The programme also featured the unveiling of a bust in honour of the school’s founder, Mrs Grace Oshinowo by the Representative of Lagos State Deputy Governor, Mrs Lola Adegbite, as well as a huge banner containing the names of all alumni who completed their primary education in the school.

    Other highpoints were the cutting of the anniversary cake, the introduction of the first registered pupil of the school, Mrs Grace Ogunwo, and special presentations by the pupils including a poem recitation in Mandarin.

    In an interview, Mrs Ogunwo told The Nation that she learnt a lot as a pioneer pupil of the school under Mrs Oshinowo, who was also her aunt.

    “She was a disciplinarian. She liked education and because of the Motto of the school ‘God First’. She instilled moral values.

    “The experience really made me a strong woman. I was a Banker for 18 years, I am now a trader. That spirit that she instilled in me is still working,” she said.

    Founder of St Bernadette Educational Services, Mrs Clementina Doregos, praised the late Mrs Oshinowo for her values.

    “The founder of Grace School Chief Mrs Oshinowo was a mentor. We were in the same Early Childhood Organization. She was an officer there. We used to come to her school. She will entertain us at the meeting. There was nothing you asked of her as regards education that she will not tell you. She is very friendly, takes us like her children and tells us a lot of things,” she said.

    On her part, the school’s administrator and founder’s daughter, Mrs Olatokunbo Edun, attributed the school’s success in 50 years to her mother’s discipline, focus and succession planning.

    “We live in a country where most businesses do not even survive up to 10 years but we have been able to survive for 50 years so we every reason to glorify God.

    “I have been in charge officially for 35 years. When I was at the university and secondary school I used to work here.  My mum was a disciplinarian. You have to be of excellent behavior. She was very focused; she was not a wasteful person. So I learnt all that from her to be disciplined,” she said.

  • Court adjourns suit against ex-VC till Nov 27

    An Akure Magistrates’ Court, sitting in Akure, Ondo State capital, has adjourned till November 27, a suit filed by founder of Elizade University at Ilara-Mokin in Ondo State Chief Michael Ade-Ojo against the ex-Vice Chancellor, Prof Adekunle Oloyede.

    The businessman sued the former vice chancellor for alleged $1.8 million fraud to build a male hostel.

    On January 29, Oloyede was re-arraigned on a fresh seven-count charge, after spending 13 days in detention.

    He pleaded not guilty to the new charge preferred against him by the Ondo State attorney general and commissioner for Justice.

    The charges, according to Mrs Kolade Oba, who represented the attorney general, read: “That you, Prof Adekunle Oloyede, on or about January 20, 2015 at 10.30 am in Elizade University, did conspire with three others at large to commit a felony to wit, stealing, and thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.”

    Oloyede said he was not in Nigeria as Elizade University VC’s in January 2015, adding that he was appointed in September 2015.

    Counsel to the accused, Olusola Oke, who asked for bail on liberal terms, said the charges were “distorted and not likely to be true”.

    Also, the professor of Medical Engineering said the contract was signed in February 2015 and over 90 per cent of money that changed hands had been paid before he resumed as vice chancellor in September of the same year.

    He said: “I introduced them based on my conversation with Chief Ade Ojo on Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for the university. He told me that he wanted to build a world-class university. I told him that no single person can fund a world-class university and that even the governments of richer countries struggle to do this.

    “Therefore, I said we would need to generate and raise money towards the ambition. Following this conversation, I proposed the idea of building a factory containing building materials. However, he suggested that a students’ hostel be built first.

    “I received absolutely no financial benefit from this agreement. There is nothing that I have now that I did not possess before meeting Chief Ade-Ojo.

    “When he came to Australia on my invitation to see what world-class universities look like, I organised a meeting between him and an Australian company. I did not attend the meeting because I was not a party to the agreement.”

    The embattled vice chancellor said Chief Ade Ojo reneged on his agreement with the Australian firm.

    He added: “Duro Global Company initially proposed a turnkey project to develop the students’ hostel at an estimated cost of $4,567,000 million.

    “This proposal was rejected by Chief Ade Ojo. It was agreed that the project be split into local and foreign components to cut costs, where Duro Global would supply materials and related costs as well as supervisory personnel for the construction of the 4,000 square metre hostel for $1,800,000.

    “Under this arrangement, Duro Global was to supply the steel work and the PIR panels. The other items, such as doors, windows, fittings, tiles and labour, would be sourced in Nigeria by Chief Ade Ojo.”

    At the resumed hearing on February 7 and 8, the first witness, Mrs Owoope Ayotunde, of Access Bank Plc, testified to transferring $150,000 on the order of Chief Ade Ojo to Duro Global PTY.

    When Oke asked the banker whether the accused had any link with the company, she said no.

    Also, the second witness, Adebisi Adesina, of Wema Bank Plc, agreed that there was no link between the former VC and Duro Global PTY.

    The banker said he transferred $970,000 directly to Duro Global but later transferred $650,000 to Prof. Oloyede in July 2015 on the order of Chief Ade Ojo.

    The third witness, Bamidele Ogodo, who is the Executive Assistant to Chief Ojo, told the court that $1,770,000 had been paid for the project from which $650,000 was sent directly to Prof. Oloyede, who was then in Australia in July 2015, after a power-of-attorney was granted to him by the Elizade University’s founder.

    Ogodo, who had accused Duro Global PTY and Prof. Oloyede of failing to import anything with the money received, later confessed that Duro Global PTY Limited supplied seven containers of steel framework and other materials to the site of the project.

  • I did not defraud Elizade varsity, says ex-VC

    I did not defraud Elizade varsity, says ex-VC

    Business magnate and founder of Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State Chief Michael Ade-Ojo is at loggerheads with the former vice chancellor of the university, Prof Adekunle Oloyede, whom he has sued to court for allegations of stealing the university’s $1.8million meant for the construction of a male hostel.  Oloyede says he was not part of the contract Ade-Ojo signed with Duro Global PTY Ltd to construct the hostel, reports DAMISI OJO from Akure.

    The embattled Vice Chancellor (VC) of the Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Prof Adekunle Oloyede, has denied the university’s claim of fraud to the tune of $1.8 million.

    Oloyede, who was detained for 13 days over charges of stealing, obtaining money under false pretense and felony last week, told The Nation that he was not privy to the contract the Founder of the university, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo signed with an Australian firm, Duro Global PTY, for the construction of a 512-bed male hostel though he introduced both parties.

    He faulted claims by the university that he was in charge of the contract from the start, saying he stepped in when talks broke down between Ade Ojo and the firm.

    In a statement, the university had said that Oloyede persuaded Ade Ojo to abandon a local contractor, who was to build the hostel for N475 million in favour of Duro Global PTY because of claims it would use of superior PIR Panel building technology.

    The statement reads in part: “”The Founder agreed to adopt the PIR Panel building technology believing that the hostel would be ready in August, 2015 ahead of students’ resumption in 2015.  The total cost of constructing the 512-bed space PIR Panel hostel was put at $1.8m.  The building was meant to be constructed by an Australian based company, Duro Global PTY Ltd, which was introduced to the Founder by Prof. ‘Kunle Oloyede.  Prof. Oloyede had claimed that he is a partner in the company.

    “Based on the advice of Prof. ‘Kunle Oloyede, the Founder transferred the total sum of $1,120,000.00 to the account of Duro Global PTY Ltd. between March and July 2015.

    “However, when the Founder noticed that the steel and panel for the construction were not forthcoming, he complained to Prof. Oloyede, who then asked for a power of attorney to act on behalf of the Founder in Australia.  The Founder believed that Prof. Oloyede would ably represent him as promised.

    “After the power of attorney had been given to Prof. Oloyede, he requested the Founder to send the balance of $650,000.00 into his personal account to enable him procure the remaining materials for the building from South Korea.  The Founder transferred the money into Prof. Oloyede’s personal account in Australia but to the Founder’s dismay, Prof. Oloyede informed him that he later paid the $650,000.00 into Duro Global’s account, even when it was obvious that the company had not performed.

    “Up until this date, only seven containers of incomplete steel have been supplied to the University.”

    Reacting to the allegations, Oloyede said the contract was signed in February 2015 and over 90 per cent of money that changed hands had been paid before he resumed as the University’s Vice Chancellor in September of the same year.

    He said: “I introduced them based on my conversation with Chief Ade Ojo on IGR for the university. He told me that he wanted to build a world class university and I told him that no single person can fund a world class university and that even the governments of richer countries struggle to do this, therefore we would need to generate and raise money towards the ambition.  Following this conversation I proposed the idea of building a factory containing building materials; however he suggested that a student hostel be built first.

    “I received absolutely no financial benefit from this agreement; there is nothing that I have now that I did not possess before meeting Chief, nothing. When Chief came to Australia, I organised a meeting between the Australian company and Chief and I did not attend the meeting because I was not party to the agreement and I also wanted him to ask the company questions, believing that everything was okay. I also wanted him to ask them even if I was making any money from the contract.”

    The Professor of Medical Engineering said Ade Ojo rather reneged on his agreement with the Australian firm.

    “You can see that Duro Global initially proposed a turnkey project to develop the student hostel at an estimated cost of USD4,567,000 million. This proposal was rejected by Chief Ade Ojo and it was agreed that the project would be split into local and foreign components to cut costs, where Duro Global would supply materials and related costs as well as supervisory personnel for the construction of the 4000 square metres student hostel for a total of USD1,800,000. Under this arrangement, Duro Global was to supply steel form work and PIR panels and all other items such as doors, windows, fittings, tiles and labour would be sourced in Nigeria.”

    Oloyede said he only stepped into the matter when talks broke down between Ade Ojo and Duro Global due to delays in making money available as promised by the Chief and in supplying the first component, namely, the steel component as promised by Duro Global.

    “One morning, Chief called me, and said that he called Duro Global the previous night, and that they were very rude to him and he will never call them again. A few hours later, Duro Global contacted me and asked me why I introduced them to someone like Chief Ade.Ojo. That was around June 2015 – don’t   forget I resumed as Vice Chancellor on 1st of September that year. This was the reason that I asked Chief for the power-of-attorney. Most people think the power-of-attorney was granted to me from the beginning and I was the one doing all negotiations from the beginning, this is not the case. It was in June 2015 when relationship had broken between Duro Global and Chief Ade.Ojo that I asked for the power-of-attorney. The power-of-attorney was specifically for me to pick up from where they were on the steel, make sure I saw the steel being fabricated, take photographs of the steel, and ensure that the steel was transported to Nigeria.

    “The steel component, worth over US$1.9 m according to Duro Global, was delivered to the Elizade University campus in January 2016.”

    Oloyede regretted that he left a highflying career in Australia to return to Nigeria to take up the appointment as Elizade University VC.

    “I was the Australian face at the Shanghai Expo 2010 given my reputation as a prominent Australian as I am both a Nigerian, born and bred, and an Australian. When I look at everything that I have been put through since my return to Nigeria, I have to ask myself if I made the right decision coming back here to help my people. Many Nigerians in Australia asked me why I wanted to return to Nigeria given their experiences with the system, however I chose to return because I have a deep passion for helping the youth of the country in their educational pursuits.

    “How could anyone accuse me of engaging in fraudulent activity, especially when my wife and I both resigned from our high ranking positions in Australia to come and contribute to Nigeria? My wife was an Executive of a company with 8,000 (members of) staff and I was a very prominent academician. It is not a case of one in, one out. Chief Ade Ojo himself came to Australia and witnessed the statuses and success that we had achieved.”

    When contacted on phone, Co-Director of Duro Global, Mrs Margeret Durovic said the company is ready to act.

    “We have read the news on the Internet and will definitely act as Chief Ade Ojo has dented the Company’s image. The agreement was completely made between the company and Chief Ade Ojo. Kunle (Oloyede) was not even privy to it other than the fact that he introduced them.”

    The company also vowed to sue Chief Ade Ojo if things continue this way.

  • Ex-VC writes books about running new varsities

    Ex-VC writes books about running new varsities

    Professor Tolu Odugbemi’s experience pioneering the administration of a new university has metamorphosed into a book titled: “Experiences on Starting a New University in a Developing Country Setting, Nigeria – OSUSTECH.”

    The 406-page book was launched at the Staff School Hall, University of Lagos last Wednesday during which Odugbemi shared his thoughts about the challenges of university education in Nigeria to the audience made up of former colleagues, students, family and friends.

    He expressed concerns about paper qualifications without skills, employment of unqualified people as workers, appointment of misfits as governing council members, and faulty curricular.

    Regarding paper qualification, Odugbemi, who has served as the Vice Chancellor of UNILAG and the Ondo State University of Science and Technology (OSUSTEC), worried that focus on university education has overshadowed vocational education, which he said was unhealthy.

    He said: “I am a bit worried about the educational system in most developing countries especially Nigeria. People go after paper qualification only without being able to sit down and do things with their hands. Whatever qualification you have, if you are unable to pass it to others, you are a failure.  The curricula of our education system should make our universities/tertiary education products employers of labour rather than job seekers.”

    The professor of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology said that as centres for teaching, learning, research and community service, character and integrity are very vital and should not be ignored in the university system.

    However, he said this was not the case as he condemned a situation where the university employs undeserving applicants who know little or nothing about what it upholds. He added that the economic desperation to earn a living had made majority to seek employment in universities.

    Decrying the way governing council members are appointed in public institutions, Odugbemi said they are sometimes filled with people lack sufficient understanding of the education system.

    On the other hand, he condemned the way host communities take university in their location as their personal property to treat as they please.

    “There is undue and unacceptable interference in the running of our universities. Our universities most of the time do not have steady and educational policies, no effective rules and regulations. This allows for abuse of various processes for admission, appointment and promotion. This factors highlighted make universities dysfunctional,” he said.

    Proffering solution, Odugbemi called for collaboration among all stakeholders to make the education system work, descibiing it as a collective responsibility. He  urged the regulatory bodies to diligently carry out their work effectively also,there should be background checks on potential management team and governing board members as well as staffs and students.

    He advised that the tertiary education should put more effort to researching into social and economic ills.

    Commenting on the book, UNILAG Vice Chancellor, Prof Rahamon Bello, prasied Odugbemi for taking time to document his experiences, which he said was a reference material for potential vice chancellors in the country.

    He noted that running a public university in Nigeria was not an easy task let alone establishing one on a virgin land.

    He said: “The challenges of commencing a new university in a rural setting is no mean fit, having to up infrastructures, convincing people to understand the system to get the place running and also being responsible to satisfy both the system and the people in it.

    The book reviewer Prof Ngozi Osarenren, Head, Department of Educational Foundations, explained that the recurring decimal that runs through the 10 chapters of the 406-page compendium of experiences is the positive attitude of the pioneer OSUSTECH VC and his team to see problems as challenges which account for the achievement and successes of the university.