The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) of the University of Ibadan, Professor Peter Olapegba, has called for the removal of boundaries among African nations to enable the continent achieve true greatness.
Professor Olapegba made the call while receiving a 19-member delegation from the Republic of Liberia on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kayode Adebowale. The delegation paid a courtesy visit to the Vice Chancellery as part of a special training programme organized by the UI Postgraduate College.
He described the training, which focuses on implementing fiscal decentralization, county treasury, and local financial management in Liberia, as a laudable initiative of the Liberian government.
The professor also noted that the programme would be mutually beneficial, as it provides an avenue for peer review and knowledge exchange essential for improving governance in both countries.
The DVC observed that African countries had similar challenges, hence, they should collaborate to solve problems peculiar to Africa.
He also stated that Europe has its own problems, therefore, Africa should solve her own problems through symbiotic relationships such as the one which the training programme affords and should stop depending absolutely on the Western world for answers.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor assured that the training, which also entails decentralization of governance, will help drive development closer to the grassroots and ensure that the dividend of democracy is delivered to the masses.
Professor Olapegba reiterated that the UI Postgraduate College is the flagship of postgraduate education in Nigeria and being the platform to facilitate the training, the college has a robust teaching and research base to fulfill training needs of the delegates.
The Provost of the Postgraduate College, Professor Ayodeji Ogunjuyigbe informed the Deputy Vice-Chancellor that discussions about the collaboration started in October 2024.
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He disclosed that the government of Liberia requested that her top officials be trained by the University of Ibadan for efficiency in the areas of implementing fiscal decentralization, county treasury, and local financial management in Liberia.
He said the training, which will span ten days, will cover academic grounds, and the delegates will also be guided to visit monumental sites in the city of Ibadan and Oyo town.
The leader of the team from Liberia, Dr D Romeo said that Liberia operates a unilateral system of government but is in the process of decentralization, hence the need for the training that will prepare the officials for a smooth transition.
The delegation was made up of county superintendents, top officials at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, as well as officers of the revenue authority of Liberia.