President Bola Tinubu has given Nigerian universities the marching order to develop solution-driven researches that will tackle myriads of socio-economic problem bedeviling the country. President, who spoke at the weekend during the eighth convocation ceremony of the Federal University at Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), stressed that universities were supposed to be fertile centres for scientific and technological innovation and discoveries.
The President, who was represented by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, said there was the need for the academics to come up with innovative researches that would engender sustainable development.
He assured fellow Nigerians that his administration remained committed to tackling the challenges of funding for cutting-edge researches and innovations.
President Tinubu said he was not unaware of the importance of researches to national development.
“Let me reiterate the urgent need for our universities to adjust to ever-changing demands of the 21st century where technology is upgrading the global, community, and individual intelligence from time to time.
“Institutions of higher learning must recognise the next possible disruption that technology may bring and must be positioned to mitigate challenges and must, from time to time, take charge of innovations.
“Without education playing the catalytic role, development cannot be recorded in any nation in this century. Universities, in particular, should be in the vanguard for cutting-edge researches, teaching, and community service in line with tripartite mandate.
“Our universities must take the lead in championing demand-driven researches that would serve the society in improving the quality of human lives. We recognise the place of our intellectuals to undertake innovative researches that will address the nation’s development,” he added.
The highpoint of the ceremony was the conferment of honorary degrees of the university on Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, Senator Solomon Adeola, and the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Navy, Yusuf Gadji.
Reiterating his administration’s resolve to improve the nation’s education sector, President Tinubu berated the critics of the student loan scheme his administration introduced recently.
The President said despite what he called the “baffling responses from several quarters on the credibility and workability of the scheme,” his administration would implement it.
According to him, education remains one of the crucial aspects of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda as the government was working round the clock to ensure that education is accessible by all willing Nigerians through pragmatic funding and realistic policies. He said: “One thing that should be known is that education is not cheap anywhere in the world. This government is not ready to endorse the education that will not advance this nation.
“Student loan schemes are not rocket science initiatives. They are designed to grant access to all who are willing and who know the value of education in a way to take the burden off numerous individuals and communities who may have been intervening painfully in sending their wards to school.
“I expect that scholars would advise the government by calling our attention to how best this could be managed in their respective institutions, rather than cast aspersions on the idea.”
Rasaq Ibrahim– The Nation
