Gowon asks Nigerians to invest more in education A former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retd.) has urged all Nigerians to contribute their quota to the management of education sector. The Octogenarian spoke at the second convocation ceremony of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, where he was conferred with honorary Doctorate degree, identified illiteracy and lack of quality education as part of the causes of Boko Haram insurgency. At the event, the Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, who pledged to collaborate with the school on Agriculture also promised to facilitate airport to the state before the expiration of his tenure. He also gave N1m to the best graduating student, Miss Oluwatosin Ogunbusola and immediate employment. Gowon said, “The management of education in Nigeria today requires all to contribute and change its face to meet the current realities. And I am optimistic that with our striving democracy, which will allow for exploration of opportunities beyond our immediate environment, the future is bright.” The former Head of State, who commended the ABUAD proprietor, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), for providing one of the best universities in the world with first class infrastructure, urged other Nigerians to emulate him. Other awardees included the Chairman of Julius Berger plc, Heinze Stockhausen, a frontline medical practitioner in the United States, Dr. Ann Coxon, and a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe. Babalola expressed satisfaction with the quality of students graduating from the school where 334 graduated with 47 of them obtaining first class. He noted that the student population had increased to over 6,000, adding that the university was the first in Nigeria to be invited to mentor a foreign university. He also expressed joy that out of 150 universities in Nigeria, his four-year-old university was chosen to host UNESCO regional staff retreat and hosted the 29th conference of the Association of Vice Chancellors of Nigeria Universities. Also speaking at the occassion, Ibidapo-Obe and the Pro-Chancellor of ABUAD, Prof Iyorwuese Hagher, asked Federal Government to amend laws that created Tertiary Education Trust Fund to allow private universities to access the research fund. Ibidapo-Obe, who delivered the convocation lecture noted that private universities were contributing well to the development of human capacity, and wondered why the law had not been amended to allow lecturers of private universities to access the fund. Hagher, who noted that private sector was responsible for 60 per cent of TETFUND said it was against principle of natural justice to to deny the private universities from the grants especially for research.
Posted on: Tue, 21 Oct 2014 19:04:41 +0000
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