Nigerian youths are intelligent–UNILORIN VC

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, has said he was convinced of the innovative spirit of the Nigerian youth and stressed the importance of creating a conducive environment to nurture and propel groundbreaking ideas among the nation’s youthful population.

Prof. Egbewole stated this in his office penultimate Thursday (December 28,2023) during an interactive session  between the University of Ilorin’s management team and the leadership of the Opolo Global Innovation Limited.

The Vice Chancellor,who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Olubunmi Abayomi Omotesho, highlighted the importance of providing avenues for young minds to transform their ideas into tangible products or services.

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Prof. Egbewole emphasised that such initiatives not only create employment opportunities for individuals but also contribute significantly to driving the nation’s economy.

While stressing the need for continuous innovation to prevent ideas from languishing on shelves, Prof. Egbewole drew attention to the changing landscape of industries, citing examples such as Nokia, Skype, and BlackBerry, which faced challenges due to their inability to adapt to evolving technologies.

He, however, explained that the collaboration between the University of Ilorin and Opolo Global Innovation Limited is aimed at creating a conducive environment for students and staff to develop their ideas and prevent them from becoming obsolete.

Prof. Egbewole insisted that it was high time that Nigeria took advantage of its huge youth population and their innovative potentials to position the country on the global stage.

In articulating the vision behind the collaboration, the Vice Chancellor emphasised the centrality of visibility to the University’s goals. He noted that by projecting the institution’s activities more effectively, they could add value and align with the vision of the current administration’s 1:10:500 initiative.

He added that the collaboration signifies a significant step towards nurturing innovation at the University of Ilorin and empowering Nigerian youths to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of technology and industry.

Also speaking, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Management Services), Prof. Suleiman Folorunsho Ambali, said that the MoU aligns with the Vision 1:10:500 of the Vice Chancellor as he expressed confidence in its potential success.

Describing the MoU as a positive step forward, Prof. Ambali stated that, “Our hope is that it will come to fruition very soon. As a ‘Better by Far’ University, we must be able to do it better than others, and we are serious about doing it better. We believe that at the end of the day, our students and researchers will sincerely benefit from this initiative.”

The Opolo Global Innovation Limited was represented at the event by Dr Oyedeji Oluwafemi, and Miss Elizabeth Olowolaju and Mr. Abdulrahman Mohammed .

Others who graced the event included the Registrar, Mr Mansur Adeleke Alfanla; the Ag. Bursar, Mr.  Abdulbaki Oba; the Chairman Opolo-UNILORIN Advisory Committee,  Prof. Dupe Ademola-Popoola; the Director of COMSIT, Prof. Rasheed Jimoh; the Director of TEC, Prof. Usman Adebimbe Raheem; the Director of the Centre for International Education (CIE) Prof. Lateef Onireti Ibraheem; and the Ag. Director of  the Centre for Research, Development and In-House Training (CREDIT),  Dr Abdulkareem Oloyede.