Judith Donatus and Jubilate EsogwaGovernor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, has charged Nigerian universities to lead the way to a new Nigeria through the standards and records they set.
Uzodimma stated this while delivering the 52nd convocation lecture of the University of Nigeria Nsukka on Thursday.
He said the universities should provide the compass that would serve as a guide to the new Nigeria desired by all the citizens.
“This new Nigeria we desire should be known for a higher level of productivity, driven by advances in technology…should be prosperous and industrialized, with ample employment opportunities for our graduates… should be functional and dynamic and should be devoid of such ills as corruption, inequality, and poverty,” Uzodimma stated.
The governor said universities are known as the center of learning and excellence and they have played major roles in developing Europe, America, and other parts of the Western world. “In Europe, universities were established in the Middle Ages to provide education, and training in theology, law, and medicine. These universities produced scholars and professionals who contributed to the development of European societies, including the ‘Renaissance’, ‘Scientific Revolution’ and ‘The Enlightenment’,” he noted.
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Governor Uzodimma argued that development can only happen when people are equipped with the right skills to manifest their full potential. He stressed that university education is about nurturing critical thinking and problem-solving skills. “Universities are considered the bedrock of development because they develop the human to acquire advanced skills for the benefit of society,” he further explained.
The Imo governor, who is also the Progressive Governors Forum chairman added that Nigeria has been able to produce lots of world-class professors such as Professor Barth Nnaji, the first black man in American history to be bestowed with the title of Distinguished Professor of Engineering, Ume Ifeanyi, Cyprian Uzoh, etc. He also listed some prominent personalities in the country who were products of UNN including former governors of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi, Dr Chris Ngige; current governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo; former DG of NAFDAC and Minister of Information, Prof. Dora Akunyili; and former governor of Enugu State, Dr Chimaroke Nnamani, among others.
He however noted that some challenges have hindered the ability of universities in the country to contribute to national development as they should. He listed the challenges which include a lack of basic facilities such as modern classrooms, laboratories, etc, and social vices like cultism among others. He also mentioned that many lecturers have no passion for the job and some have, lost it, due to some ugly trend in the country’s education system. “It appears cultism has become the unofficial new faculty in most universities,” he posited.
Uzodimma claimed that universities are living in the analogue age yet to embrace modern-day digital realities. “The truth is that our universities are yet to align with the fast emerging technologies presented through artificial intelligence, blockchain, big data and algorithm, robotics, 5G, and quantum computing,” he further stated.
He therefore charged universities across the country and their graduates to lead the way to a new nation through technology and governance. “There is no doubt that the future surely holds great prospects for Nigeria’s digital economy, when all our higher education institutions are turned into smart universities, imbued with the knowledge base and competitive edge to match their contemporaries in other parts of the world,” he stated.
The governor also urged that the law establishing the Nigerian Universities Commission should be strengthened so that it can strictly enforce the best standards in the universities.
In concluding his lecture, the governor said: “The new Nigeria which we all seek is like a rock in the hand of a sculptor… the universities are the sculptors while Nigeria is the rock. The sculptor owes it as a duty to mold the rock into a monument to behold.”
After the lecture, other dignitaries who graced the event such as the President-General of Ohaneze Ndi Igbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, and the University Chancellor, who is the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, applauded the governor for his leadership and also praised the Universit
Judith Donatus
