Rotimi Ige
Since his ascension to the throne of his forebearers over seven years ago, the Ooni of Ife, Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, (CFR) has made clear his intention of not only bringing an all-inclusive reign to Oodua race but also pledged to bring unprecedented development in all facet of life.
This, he said, will centre on the area of human empowerment, business development, youth empowerment, agricultural development, infrastructural development and promoting a made-in-Nigeria product with the recent launch of his multi-million naira retail outlet Ojaja More in Ile-Ife and Osogbo, Osun State with other outlets across South-West currently under construction.
For his unending passion for education and entrepreneurship, Ooni on Tuesday revealed plans for the official commissioning of his citadel of learning, the Ojaja University, Eyenkorin Ilorin, Kwara State formerly Crown-Hill University.
The news was shared by the monarch in Abuja via a post on his verified social media handles after securing full accreditation for the take-off courses of the institution from the National Universities Commission, NUC aided by its substantial Vice Chancellor, Professor Jeleel Ojuade.
After a thorough accreditation exercise recently conducted by the nation’s University regulatory body, the Ooni avered that it has always been his dream to own a citadel of learning where scholars can be moulded not in only learning but character and entrepreneurship to enable them to stand shoulder to shoulder with their peers outside the shores of Africa. Ooni has consistently challenged the status quo in Nigeria’s educational system where graduates are churned out yearly but with little or no knowledge of entrepreneurship and basic skills to help them stay afloat as they move to the other face of life.
He disclosed that “Our students just do the normal routine every four years write their projects and they graduate. What solution are they creating to the many issues we have in the country, especially in health, technology, housing, and agriculture among others?
“Nigerian Universities just churn out millions of graduates yearly but don’t arm them with the necessary skills and support they need. In China and the united states of America, students build most of the applications we use today.
“Facebook, Instagram, and the likes were built by students but today they are making billions of dollars from them. Our education curriculum should teach how to analyze situations and bring pragmatic solutions via proper research.”
Ooni further added that “imagine a university where student graduates and there is a business grant waiting for those who are willing to delve into entrepreneurship.
“The grants are made readily available to help establish what they have learned in school. We can’t keep churning out graduates without providing how they should be utilised. If not we would continue to witness the current brain drain and the massive exodus of our best hand to foreign countries.
“Ojaja university will be structured in a way whereby students will be given a free hand to explore and settle for what they wish to become with our solid support. They will be trained to be problem solvers and critical thinkers with a burning entrepreneurial mindset.
“The university is driven strictly by innovation and ideas. We will celebrate more innovative minds than academic excellence.”
Ooni also disclosed that admission into various degree programs would soon commence with an easy payment plan for students.
“What we are bringing on board in terms of academic reform is different from what is out there. Our graduates and products will not be half-baked.
“They will be well-trained to meet the teeming demands of a modern technological-driven society like Nigeria. They will be the change-makers who are ready to proffer solutions to all issues they might encounter in and outside their workspace.”
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