Gabriel Dike
Worried by the current situation in the country, the former Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi and the Vice Chancellor of Chrisland University, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Prof. Chinedum Babalola, have urged graduates to embrace innovation and creativity to boost the nation’s economy.
Obi and Babalola gave the advice at the maiden convocation ceremony of Christland University, which attracted stakeholders, including the proprietress, Chief (Mrs.) Winifred Awosika, former Chief Judge of Ogun State, representatives of VCs, traditional rulers , board of trustees and governing council members, principal officers of the university, students, well-wishers and parents of the seven graduating students.
Obi, who was guest speaker at the convocation, tasked the graduates to think out of the box and embrace entrepreneurship rather than search for white-collar jobs.
Identifying the problem of the continent as economic development, he urged leaders to deliberately invest in the youth and begin to think out of the box by approaching issues from different perspectives to achieve new results.
He commended the proprietor of the university Chief Awosika for investing and providing quality education as an entrepreneur in a country where the government does not support owners of schools nor render help.
“What government only does is to collect taxes from private institutions and not support them for growth, development and training of high level human resources required by the country.”
He decried poor investment in the education sector, saying that South Africa with lesser population than Nigeria in 2018 alone budgeted $17billion where Nigeria had over the years failed to match the figure.
Obi took time to offer advice to the new newly graduated students, tasking them to deplore their education to the practical realities of contributing solutions to the problems of humanity. He advised them to always be agent of positive change in the society.
In her address, Prof. Babalola affirmed that the university ultimate goal is to produce dual certificated graduates that will be change agents in the society.
Prof. Babalola told the gathering that attracting Mr. Peter Obi as guest speaker is one of the greatest blessings for the convocation, pointing out “his achievements as the governor of Anambra State is ever so fresh. His business sense is what we want to tap into in this university”.
The VC disclosed that the institution started with seven students in January 2016 but currently has over 240 students. She said the university international reputation has grown with two foreign students from Mali and Togo.
According to her, the university established an entrepreneurship and leadership centre which will contribute to solving the challenge of unemployment, poverty and weak leadership, noting that students will acquire entrepreneurial and vocational skills that will enable them create jobs and wealth instead of becoming job seekers.
Her words; “It is not a mere rhetoric that we have chosen “Creativity innovation, and entrepreneurship; A critical intersection for economy development in Africa” as the theme for the convocation because as manufacturer of knowledge for today and tomorrow, we must continue to turn this limiting way of thinking on its head and challenge students to dive into themselves for the answer, to dream big and find the ways their own solution an work”.
Babalola said the university is motivated and reinvigorated more than ever, to continue to teach its students to value their own imagination and provide them with creative opportunities.
The VC explained that nine programmes presented to the National Universities Commission team for accreditation, recorded 100 percent success and that the university is taking giant stride towards the introduction of 11 new courses in the proposed College of Basic Medical Sciences.
Chancellor and chairman, Board of Trustees of Chrisland University, Chief (Mrs.) Awosika told the graduating’ student that they are expected to utilise the knowledge acquired to transform the society and the world as a whole.
Chief Awosika said the idea of establishing Chrisland University was a culmination of an educational initiative that started on October 3, 1997 with the establishment of a pre-school at Ladipo Oluwole Avenue, Ikeja, adding ‘’this seed which was sown about four decades ago has not seized from germinating.’’
“Our programmes are also designed to encourage entrepreneurship, capacity building and provide the necessary skills to be job creator, self employed and self-reliant, “she noted.