• Oyebanji, Mbah describe education as catalyst for human development
• Bamidele Olumilua varsity confers honorary doctorates on Enugu gov, others

An emeritus professor of History, Akinjide Osuntokun, has cautioned the federal and state governments against establishing new universities without adequate funding plan.

The former Ambassador to Germany warned the political leaders that see establishment of universities as a dividend of democracy to plan before setting up such institutions so as not to give the future generation unnecessary headache and heartache.

Osuntokun stated this in his convocation lecture titled: “Nigeria within the Context of Global University Development,” during the maiden convocation ceremony of Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology (BOUESTI) held, at the weekend, in Ikere-Ekiti.

He said that many universities were established in the recent past without proper planning for their survival unlike what obtained during the establishment of first and second generation universities when commissions were set up to look at their viabilities.

However, in their separate remarks at the occasion, the Ekiti State Governor, Abiodun Oyebanji, who is the Visitor to BOUESTI and his Enugu counterpart, Dr Peter Mbah, said there is no better investment than education because it is a foundation of human development.

Oyebanji said: “This is an occasion for reflection and for us to reason together. In an ever-changing world, where the only constant is change, the role of education becomes very important. It is education that makes men, makes leaders and shapes the values that become the core foundation of society.

“The education sector is important to Ekiti State government, hence the enormous resources committed to the infrastructural development in the sector.”
Mbah said: “For us, education is our lifeblood. We have been accused of being obsessed and insane with education because we are spending over 33 percent of our total budgets on education and that is because the world is moving fast and it will not wait for our children and we know that technology is at the epicentre of that movement.”

In his address, the Chancellor, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), said that education is a collective responsibility, calling for harmonisation of efforts across all strata of the society.

“It is expected that BOUESTI, being a state-owned university, should enjoy funding and support from the state government. As a child gazes into the eyes of his mother seeking comfort in her embrace, his heart finds the world within her touch. For in her arms all needs are met. So does BOUESTI look into the eyes of the state government under the vibrant and dynamic leadership of the state governor,” he said.

n his welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olufemi Adeoluwa, disclosed that successful attempts had also been made to collaborate with a few universities, such as Ashesi University in Berekuso, Ghana and Metharath University in Thailand, adding thatuseful discussions are ongoing with the University of Dundee in Scotland and the Wuhan Textile University in China, for academic excellence.

Meanwhile, the university has conferredhonorary doctorate degree on Mbahfor his inspiring leadership and contributions to the advancement of quality education in Nigeria.