By Abubakar Oladeji
The establishment of a technical university is supposed to be a welcome development in any society, especially in any state in technologically under-developed countries like Nigeria. Resulting from its massive population of about 200 million and decades of poor economic performance, Nigeria has the largest informal sector in Africa with an average national unemployment rate of 24.7 per cent in 2013 and poverty incidence of about 70 percent in 2010. It is a settled issue in development literature that a robust and dynamic informal sector can contribute significantly to the Gross Domestic Products (GDP), create employment and reduce poverty, only when practitioners are equipped with requisite technological skills.
Technical university/education therefore remains a critical tool of empowerment for nations. This is because such venture has the tendency of raising the capability and expertise of the students and, as a consequence, increases the output and eventual developmental drive of such societies. It is on this prism that the raging debates about the propriety of a technical university in Oyo state are situated.
For some reasons, some right, many other clearly incomprehensible and apparently politically-laden, there have been debates about whether or not Oyo State Government should venture into establishing any type of university at all. Part of the arguments is the prevalence of economic recession affecting virtually all the states of the federation, except, perhaps Lagos, with the state owing its workers some month salaries, and with the LAUTECH debacle unresolved. Given the foregoing, some critics would not even want to hear of establishment of any capital project, which they consider a misplaced priority at this point in time. I have looked at some of the issues raised by critics of the establishment of the Technical University Ibadan (TUI) critically and come up with my views on why the establishment of the university is a laudable project for which kudos should be given to the governor for his foresight and his uncommon courage.
First and foremost, the importance of education cannot be over-emphasised as it is the pinnacle of universal knowledge and a platform for global development. Indeed, one of the factors that indicate development in any society is the provision of access or avenue for universal knowledge. Thus, Oyo state, and in particular Ibadan, being the largest city in West Africa, undoubtedly deserves the establishment of its own university with prospects of not just access to indigenes and non-indigenes of the state to universal knowledge, but also the tendency for job opportunities for teaching and non-teaching staff alike.
The issue of access to higher education has been particularly problematic in Nigeria year in year out. On the average, while about two million candidates seek admission to higher institutions annually, the total carrying capacity of all the universities combined is less than a quarter of admission seekers. This scenario becomes a big challenge especially in states without own university, forcing parents to seek alternative avenues for their children and wards, including private and foreign universities for those who can afford them.
In addition, the newly established Technical University Ibadan is not just any university; it is a special type specialising in engineering, technology, applied science and natural sciences to solve societal problems. These special courses not readily available in the regular universities and which would be provided by the institution will give tulip to technological advancement at this period in the life of Nigeria. According to Governor Ajimobi the Technical University is founded on the “principle of unique innovation, research collaboration, exceptional service, integrity, excellence, and uplifting of the human condition, knowledge, skill, classroom, industry and theory and practical”. The university, he added, would provide succour for parents who often send their wards to neighbouring countries for higher education. As argued by the Pro-Chancellor of the university, Professor Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe, the twelve programmes to be offered in the university are in line with tackling unemployment in the country, with teaching emphasis being on “building skills, aside from imparting knowledge”.
In view of the foregoing, and based on my conviction on the propriety of the technical university Ibadan, I have therefore presented below reasons why I believe all well-wishers of this great state should rally round the present administration to make the worthy initiative a success.
The university has many merits. It is Oyo state’s first solely-owned, state university. The crisis-ridden Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, is jointly owned by the state and Osun, with limited access to Oyo citizens due to limited carrying capacity of the institution. It is to be noted that neighbouring states to Oyo have fared better on this account.
Ogun State has three state-owned universities, namely: Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye; Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijebu-Ode; and the newly approved Moshood Abiola University of Science and Technology, formerly Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta. Osun State, on the other hand, has its own State University, located in Osogbo, the state capital, with other campuses located in five other towns (Ejigbo, Ifetedo, Ikire, Ipetu-Ijesa and Okuku) spread across the six geopolitical zones of the State.
Being one of the largest cities in Nigeria, Ibadan deserves more than the present number of tertiary institutions. The establishment of the technical university will, therefore, go a long way in addressing the problem of access to higher education by admission seekers in Oyo state.
The newly established Technical University Ibadan is the first technical university in Nigeria. It is a specialised university with prospects of achieving highly trained professional for driving the technological advancement of the country, particularly at this time when global development agenda is largely drive by access and use of technology and innovation.
To be concluded tomorrow
Oladeji, PhD, a Senior Research Fellow, writes from NISER, Ibadan.