Ajayi: Crawford Varsity preparing student for the industry

Professor Isaac Rotimi Ajayi is the Vice Chancellor, Crawford University, Lusada, Igbesa, Ogun State. Licensed by the National Universities Commission (NUC) in 2005, the school established by the Apostolic Faith Mission has since grown to run a postgraduate school. The postgraduate school recently introduced an MBA programme. Prof Ajayi spoke with OMIKO AWA on its MBA and why it’s different from others.

As a physicist are you not suppose to be in the lab, carrying out experiments?
There was a time we were doing that, but now I am into management of human resources.

Does this include Crawford University?
Yes! I must point out that the university is an intervention into the nation’s educational sector. We train, educate and inform our graduates; give them balanced education that would make them good citizens and to be able to compete with their peers anywhere in the world. We offer balance education both in academics and godly education. We groom students to develop in all areas of life, academically, spiritually, ICT, socially and in entrepreneurship. We develop individuals to the point of self-actualisation, so that he/she can contribute to the development of the nation and of the world at large.

In which areas could your programme impact the Nigerian economy, especially now the country is in economic recession?
Every graduate that passes out from this university comes out with two other certificates aside his/ her first degree. This means, apart from the first degree, we train and groom students on other areas too. We make sure a student is equipped with a certificate in vocational and entrepreneurship; we train them not only to be employable, but to also employ others. We also train them on ICT. These other certificate courses run concurrently with a student’s chosen course of study.

And the MBA?
The programme is borne out of the fact that we want to fill the human capacity gap we have identified in the industry. There is lack of capacity in management, which is making many companies to perform below capacity and to send their workers abroad for training; we have observed this and want to fill the vacuum and make these companies save fund from going abroad. We have chosen to close the gap by empowering and equipping students with the right knowledge and skills that would make them boost productivity and excel as employers or employees. Approved by National Universities Commission (NUC) and started three years ago, the programme is specially designed to equip career executive managers, emerging entrepreneurs, top industry leaders and decision makers in the formal and informal sectors of the economy. It is a model in Africa in terms of learning approach, capacity development, teaching, ambience and products.

What gives you the assurance that Crawford MBA cannot be equaled?
Aside our teaching faculty, which is made up of foreign and local academics and professionals from top industries, we have modern facilities, which we are continuously expanding to suite students’ needs and to be in line with what that could be obtained in those foreign countries our people often go for further studies. We are also partnering with other universities across the globe to make the programme universally acceptable and also for exchange programmes.

The programme is centered on problem solving mechanism, that is why we are involving seasoned lecturers from the USA, Europe, South Africa and other countries. The lecture method is also flexible, to accommodate everyone, including the very busy business executives.

Are there centres outside your university campus?
No, it’s school based. We do not intend to run centres outside the main campus. It is a special programme for everyone that wants to improve his/her business. The programme is targeted at polytechnic and university graduates, professionals, emerging entrepreneurs and business owners.