Professor Oluwafemi Mimiko, former Vice Chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University and a distinguished political science scholar at Obafemi Awolowo University, advocated for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s education system to enhance its global relevance.
This statement came during his inaugural public lecture at KolaDaisi University (KDU) in Ibadan, Nigeria, held at the Sherifat Agbeke Auditorium.
Addressing the topic, “Why should Regular Nation-Building Challenges Continue to Undercut Nigeria’s Development Possibilities? Lessons from Elsewhere,” Professor Mimiko emphasized that for Nigeria to align its education with that of developed nations, significant focus must be placed on mainstreaming Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). He described TVET as the cornerstone of any modern society.
“Same goes for healthcare and nutrition – the two other dimensions by which human capital is depicted. All of these are the ways of a developmental state, which requires a berth in Nigeria if the promise of good governance and democracy is to be delivered,” he stated.
Highlighting Nigeria’s vast potential, Professor Mimiko expressed concern over the country’s youthful population, which he described as “deprived, disenchanted, disoriented, and angry.” He noted that the Adult and Non-Education Commission reports show that 31 percent of Nigerians are illiterate.
“The state is complex in its outlook, but bereft of the requisite capacity to administer development. It is structured to enrich and sustain exclusivity, and the country itself groans in the throes of state capture,” he lamented.
He painted a stark picture of the nation’s challenges, stating, “There is hardly any better way to describe a country that has 63 percent of its 220 million people living in multidimensional poverty; 20 million of its children of school age roaming the streets, maternal mortality rate at 1,047 per 100,000 in 2020 was one of the worst in the world, and an employment figure at 33.6 percent.”
Professor Mimiko further identified insecurity as a pressing concern, with Nigeria hosting some of the world’s deadliest terrorist groups. He urged for a reformed state that is “visionary, inclusive, and nimble enough to be capable of addressing the differing, probably conflicting aspirations of the array of formations that make up Nigeria.”
He pointed out that many countries worldwide have successfully navigated similar nation-building pressures, and Nigeria must do the same to avoid being permanently labeled a land of mismanaged potential.
In his opening remarks, Professor Adeniyi Israel Olatubosun, the vice chancellor of KDU, reiterated the university’s commitment to public enlightenment as a key aspect of its academic culture. He stated, “KDU is living up to its mandate not only as a citadel of learning but also as a world in miniature, where possible solutions can be designed, implemented, and actualized for the comfortable existence of people in society.”
Professor Olatubosun identified the reasons for Nigeria’s inability to learn from progressive nations as being rooted in corruption, lack of discipline, disrespect for fundamental human rights, and underutilized resources. “These reasons are fertile ground for breeding insecurity problems, stagnant and battered economy, and dependence on Western capitalist prescribed models, making it difficult for the country to extricate itself from the typical status of an underdeveloped economy,” he concluded.
The call for an educational overhaul echoes the urgent need for transformative change in Nigeria, aiming to harness its immense potential for a better future.
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