Uzodinma wants less focus on oil, more vocational training for varsity students

The governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, has called for a paradigm shift from total reliance on oil to skill acquisition, affirming that only through this can the youth truly realise the hope of leading the country in the future.

This comes as the pioneer Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof. Muritala Awodun’s Fifty-Fifty Institute Limited, gifted N1 million to each of the 21 First-Class graduates for the pursuit of Postgraduate Degree (PGD) courses at any university in Kwara State.

At the maiden and combined convocation lecture delivered at Ojaja University, Eyenkorin, in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Saturday, Uzodinma said: “The future of our great nation lies not in the oil beneath our soil but in the potent skills and knowledge within our hands.”

He added: “As a matter of fact, in today’s world, human capital is valued more than mineral deposits, be it crude oil or gold.”

Dissecting the topic: The Role of Private Universities in Growing Skilled Labour for a Resilient Nigerian Economy, the governor, represented by his deputy, Mrs Chinyere Ekomaru, challenged private universities to bridge the gap in vocational training and skill acquisition to help place the nation’s youth on a path to total independence, both now and in the future.

“As the nation strives for economic resilience in this era of globalisation, the role of education, particularly higher education, becomes crucial. Private universities in Nigeria have emerged as vital contributors to producing a skilled workforce that can adapt to the evolving demands of the economy.

“Private universities have a pivotal role to play in incubating these potentials. They can be the fertile ground where the seeds of innovation are sown, where the saplings of entrepreneurship are nurtured, and where the trees of knowledge grow to provide shade and sustenance for generations to come,” he said.