The Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi has said the time has come for the academic curricular of Nigerian Universities to be reworked and tailored towards solving the hydra-headed problems bedevilling the nation.
Fayemi also advised the Nigerian graduates to develop capabilities to generate uncommon innovation and ideas, describing these as the best catalysts to success under a 21st-century economy.
The governor said this at the Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, on Thursday, during the 24th convocation ceremonies of the university.
At the event, Fayemi garlanded the 14th Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II as the university’s Chancellor in appreciation of the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria for his superlative and selfless contributions to national cohesion and development.
Addressing the graduates, Fayemi said: “This is a period where the academic curricular of our citadels of learning should be tailored towards meeting the realities of our contemporary Nigeria and the antidote for its various challenges.
“It is a generally accepted norm that only qualified students could innovate and steer the ship of our university system as well as Nigeria as a nation to our expected shore.
“Therefore, I challenge the graduating students of today to see themselves as the future of Nigeria and the earlier the responsibility of leadership is embraced by their generation, the better for them as a people and to us as a nation”.
The governor told the graduates that they can only accomplish their aims in life when they manifest good characters saying: “You will be judged alongside your academic credentials with the content of your character, through the understanding of the concept of right and wrong, and capability to innovate workable ideas”.
Fayemi said he appointed his royal majesty, Muhammad Sanusi the Chancellor of the university, in a bid to nationalise and globalise the institution.
“The Chancellor, a respected man of international repute is currently enrolled in Oxford University, the UK for a fellowship programme. It is my firm belief that he shall be of tremendous help to EKSU”.
Sanusi while appreciating the governor and the university for the honour, commended Fayemi for playing a significant role in unifying the country, describing this as a rare show of patriotism to one’s fatherland.
“I assure his Excellency that this appointment will only further encourage me to continue joining hands with him (Fayemi) as we seek to make contributions to resolving some of the intractable issues currently facing this country”.
The Vice-Chancellor of EKSU, Prof Eddy Olanipekun, disclosed that a total of 11,437 will be conferred with degree titles, while 48 of them bagged first-class honours.
