Education

Stakeholders Charge Varsities, Others On Institutional Memories

Published

5 years ago

February 22, 2021

Dean, School of Transport and Logistics at the Lagos State University (LASU),Ojo, Prof. Samuel Odewumi, has urged tertiary institutions to retain their good institutional memories.
He said such would enhance progressive and cumulative development of higher institutions in the country.
Odewumi, a Professor of Transport and Environment, said this at a virtual book presentation to celebrate Prof. Peter Okebukola ‘s 70th birthday on Saturday in Lagos.
The title of the book is: “Prof. Peter Okebukola at 70: Media Dialogue on Pivotal Issues in Higher Education Development in Nigeria”.
The Tide gathered that Okebukola who clocked 70 on February.17 is a distinguished Professor of Science and Computer Education.
He was also a former Executive Secretary,National Universities Commission(NUC) and the Director of the World Bank-funded Africa Centre of Excellence for Innovative and Transformative STEM Education at LASU.
The book contains 795 pages and were put together by some editors and contributors in higher education such as: Prof.Sola Akinrinade, Provost ,Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria and Prof. Samuel Odewumi,the Dean, School of Transport and Logistics, Lagos State University.
Other contributors include, Prof. Anthony Kola-Olusanya,Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic, Research, Innovation and Partnerships (ARIP), Osun State University; Sir John Daniel, the former Assistant Director-General of UNESCO and Prof. Olarenwaju Fagbohun, the immediate past Vice Chancellor,LASU.
Odewunmi said that retaining institutional memory is very important rather than the usual disjointed and sporadic approach to the management of public sector agencies.
”The phenomenon of succeeding chief executives abandoning projects and initiatives of their predecessors is unfortunately and also it is an alarming feature of many higher educational institutions in the country.
”Addressing this issue through the lenses of the Okebukola initiatives at the NUC is, especially, critical given the dire straits in which we are as a country.
“ This is also with regards to resources that should not be frittered away through constant restarting of programmes at the inception of every new administration,” Odewumi said.
He added that Okebukola had at least 61 university system-wide initiatives and 33 NUC-internal initiatives during his five-year tenure as the Executive Secretary of the NUC between 2001 and 2006.
“These are major landmark initiatives not perfunctory; they are impactful actions in the day to day leadership of the institution.
“This is, no doubt, revolutionary by any standard. It is a reflection of the prodigious capacity to think and execute. Okebukola is simply phenomenal.
”Okebukola did not win his laurels in propagation of knowledge and pillar of e-learning for nothing, he really earned it,” Odewumi said.
Also, Prof. Is’haq Oloyede, the Chief Executive, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board(JAMB), said that tertiary education in Nigeria had over the years been a centre of cacophony with reference to policy formulation and implementation.
Oloyede said that such cacophonies border on the scope, landscape, mandates and regulatory agencies of tertiary education in Nigeria.
“They also include the unnecessary furore on the UTME cut-off marks and qualifications for admissions into tertiary institutions as well as the dynamics of rewards for achievements and others.
“It is emphasised that the whole tertiary education subsector requires a holistic overhaul in terms of nomenclature, organisation and functionality.
”I recommend a structural reorganisation of the current Ministry of Education as well as some agencies within its supervision as a way of revamping higher education in Nigeria,” he said.
The celebrator, Prof. Peter Okebukola, in his remarks said that all the essays in the book were put together for yesterday, today and the future of higher education in Nigeria.
Okebukola said that the book contained major key points needed to tackle challenges facing higher education.
He said, “There is a global burden of quality assurance in the different sectors not only in education and Nigeria education system does not present a worst cast scenario.
”I urge governments and stakeholders in the educational sector to reduce or wrestle down corruption in the system so that more money will be injected into the universities,” he said.
It was also gathered that a former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, wrote the foreword to the book and Prof.Idowu Olayinka, the immediate past Vice-Chancellor,University of Ibadan, reviewed the book

Education

IAUE Trains HODs, Deans Ahead of NUC Resource Verification

Published

2 days ago

August 17, 2026

The Tide

The Academic Planning Unit of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, IAUE, has organized a Pre-Resource Assessment Workshop for Heads of Department and Deans as part of preparations for the forthcoming NUC Resource Verification exercise.

The workshop held on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at the Postgraduate Hall of the University. It drew professors, deans and HODs from across faculties.

Declaring the workshop open on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Okechukwu Onuchukwu, the University Librarian, Prof. Emmanuel Okwu, welcomed principal officers and other participants. He described the session as critical to ensuring the University’s readiness for the NUC assessment.

Prof. Okwu stressed that the exercise was not routine but a strategic step toward meeting national standards. He urged participants to take the presentations seriously and implement recommendations in their departments.

The Director of the Academic Planning Unit, in his welcome address, said the workshop was designed to assess the level of preparedness of departments ahead of the verification. He noted that the University had already invested significantly in facilities and staffing and was now awaiting the NUC team.

Three resource persons took participants through key aspects of the verification process. The Director of Academic Planning, Prof. Joseph Kinanee, spoke on “NUC Resource Verification and Their Requirements.”

Prof. Levi Doe Kalagbor, Director of Quality Assurance, addressed “The Role of Staff in Successful Resource Verification Exercise.” Prof. Isaac Ogundu, Dean of the Faculty of Vocational and Technical Education, presented on “NUC Scoring Format/Guide and Its Implication for Approval Status.”

The presentations were followed by an interactive question-and-answer session. Participants sought clarifications on documentation, facilities and staffing ratios, and received detailed responses from the facilitators.

In his closing remarks, Prof. Okwu thanked everyone for their active participation and engagement. He expressed optimism that IAUE would record a successful outcome in the upcoming NUC resource verification. The programme ended with a closing prayer and refreshments.

Education

UNIPORT VC Hails Postgraduate School Over Planned International Conference

Published

2 days ago

August 17, 2026

The Tide

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Chike Princewill, has commended the School of Graduate Studies for initiating an international conference, describing it as a timely move to boost research output, academic excellence and the University’s global visibility.

Prof. Princewill gave the commendation on Friday while receiving members of the conference planning committee set up by the School. The delegation was led by the Associate Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, Prof. Doris Adameh.

He applauded the committee for conceiving the project and urged members to pursue it with diligence and strategic planning. According to him, such academic gatherings are critical to positioning UNIPORT as a hub for cutting-edge research in the region and beyond.

The Vice-Chancellor specifically charged the committee to engage the University’s alumni as strategic partners in the execution of the conference. He noted that their networks, experience and resources would add significant value to the event.

Prof. Princewill further directed the team to reach out to former postgraduate students of the University to solicit their support and cooperation. He said their involvement would help ensure wider participation and a more successful hosting.

He stressed that alumni remain vital stakeholders in the University’s growth agenda. “Their contributions can significantly enhance the success of the event and strengthen our academic and research profile,” he stated.

Earlier in her remarks, Prof. Adameh said the committee was constituted by the School of Graduate Studies to plan and deliver an international conference that meets global standards. She noted that the process was already underway.

Prof. Adameh explained that the conference is designed to bring together scholars, researchers and professionals from across the world. The goal, she added, is to advance knowledge exchange and foster academic collaboration that will benefit both the University and the wider scholarly community.

By: Amadi Akujobi

Education

Education Commissioner hails RSU’S growth research as key to rivers development

Published

2 days ago

August 17, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Peters Nwagor, has commended Rivers State University, RSU, for its resilience, academic growth and research contributions, describing the institution as critical to the state’s socio-economic development.

Dr. Nwagor gave the commendation on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, during an official visit to the University in Nkpolu-Oroworukwo. He held talks with principal officers, provosts, campus heads, deans and directors at the Dr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike Senate Building.

The Commissioner said the visit was to engage the University’s leadership on consolidating gains and strengthening capacity for quality teaching, cutting-edge research, innovation and community service. He noted that RSU occupies a strategic position in the state’s development agenda.

Reaffirming government’s commitment, Dr. Nwagor said education remains the bedrock of human capital development and economic transformation. He stressed that investments in infrastructure, staff development and digital learning must be matched with strong institutional systems, transparency and measurable outcomes.

He urged the University to prioritize key performance indicators such as accreditation performance, research output, internally generated revenue, student outcomes and graduate employability. According to him, these metrics should drive continuous improvement across faculties.

Dr. Nwagor also charged RSU to accelerate its digital transformation, establish research and innovation hubs to solve real societal problems, and maintain existing infrastructure. He advised management to explore sustainable funding through grants, endowments, alumni engagement and strategic industry partnerships.

The Commissioner emphasized that government and the University must play complementary roles. While government meets its statutory funding obligations, he said, the institution must strengthen internal efficiency and pursue legitimate private-sector collaborations.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi, appreciated the State Government for its sustained support. He highlighted last year’s budgetary intervention for accreditation, approval of funds for the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies Film Festival slated for November 2026, and the implementation of the new minimum wage for RSU staff.

Prof. Zeb-Obipi, however, drew attention to pressing challenges. He cited shortages of teaching and non-teaching staff ahead of accreditation exercises, inadequate classrooms, libraries, equipment and office spaces, and acute accommodation deficits for staff and students.

The Vice-Chancellor appealed for support to recruit more personnel, retain retired academics on contract, and engage sabbatical and adjunct lecturers. He also requested funding for NUC and professional accreditation scheduled for October, stressing that successful outcomes are vital to RSU’s competitiveness. He reaffirmed management’s commitment to work with government to position RSU as a leading centre of knowledge, research and innovation.

By Amadi Akujobi