Private funding vital to survival of Nigerian universities – Osinbajo

Nigeria’s Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has advised the nation’s universities to explore private funding as an alternative to government interventions, saying doing so is vital to the sustainability of academic institutions.

Mr Osinbajo spoke on Tuesday at the official opening of the auditorium donated to the Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Public Health, University of Ibadan, by the Kessington Adebukunola Adebutu Foundation.

According to the Vice President, the Nigerian government’s annual budget is inadequate to meet national developmental needs, urging universities to “embark on aggressive marketing to meet their needs rather than blaming the government for all their inadequacies.”

Mr Osinbajo also commended the UI Department of Nutrition and Dietetics for its earlier role in the Nigerian food chain, even as he urged the department to engage more in research “that is in synergy with the needs of relevant government agencies.”

Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Olubanwo Adeosun, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State appreciated the foundation for the donation, noting that Mr Adebutu is “a philanthropic Nigerian who donates generously irrespective of political or religious affiliations of the beneficiaries.”

Appreciation

The university’s Vice-Chancellor, Kayode Adebowale, represented by his deputy in charge of Administration, Ezekiel Ayoola, thanked the donor organisation and assured that the auditorium would be put to good use and be well maintained.

He noted that “the project was particularly significant and praiseworthy at a time like this when Federal Universities required all the support they could get from all quarters.”

In her remarks, the Provost of the College of Medicine, Olayinka Omigbodun, urged the government to “relax its policies such as TSA, which are strangulating research efforts in the universities.”

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She also urged the government to transform the universities to discourage brain drain.

KAAF Auditorium

Kola Oyefeso, who delivered Mr Adebutu’s message, noted that the foundation was established when the donor turned 70 in 2005.

He said the foundation is “a special-purpose vehicle to give back to society”, especially in education, health service delivery, employment generation, and religious institutions, among others.

The 250-seater KAAF Auditorium is said to have been built at a total cost of N315 million.

He said it is fully air-conditioned with multi-media facilities: a 150KVA generator with a backup 10KV Inverter attached to solar panels and a 15KVA Lithium battery.

The Acting Head of the beneficiary department, Oluyemisi Folasire, assured that the auditorium would be a dedicated space to deliver lectures, presentations, discourses and performances to large audiences, facilitating effective communication, knowledge sharing, and community engagement.