The Federal Government cannot afford to underestimate the negative consequences of the trending “Japa” movement of Nigeria’s youths, migrating in their thousands to finding greener pastures overseas.
This is the submission of Dr (Mrs) Ajoritsedere Awosika, Chairman, Access Bank Plc, on Tuesday, in Abeokuta, while addressing graduands at the 4th Convocation Ceremony of Chrisland University.
To Awosika, the Japa syndrome represented nothing but huge talents loss to the country reputed to be Africa’s giant.
She consequently blamed the trend, describing it as a fallout of the failure by both government and the financial services sector to appropriately invest in education at all levels.
Read her: “The consequences of underinvestment include brain drain and talent loss (as we are currently witnessing through the japa movement), limited access to applied research capacity for local problem solving, limitations to economic growth due to low levels of skills in the workforce, low-quality teaching and learning at every level of education, and, perhaps most glaringly, expanded wealth inequality within and among nations, with those investing proportionately more experiencing resultant growth rates far outpacing those with lower levels of investment and strategic development.”
Awosika spoke on the lecture entitled: “The Visible and the Invisible Hands of Development: Interrogating the Roles of Tertiary Institutions and the Financial Sector in Nigeria.”
While noting that tertiary education was instrumental in fostering growth, reducing poverty and boosting shared prosperity in any society, she canvassed a five-point agenda for revamping education in Nigeria, emphasizing that government must intentionally pool funds for proper investment in education.
Listed in the multi-pronged approach are: the need for strategically diversified systems, purposeful technology, Equity to redress injustice, resilience and goal-oriented, effective utilization of resources.
The Chairman of Access Bank tasked the government, institutions and leaders in the finance sector to latch on her 5-point recommendations to reframe and strengthen the tertiary education systems for greater impact on learning, growth, innovation and social development.
The Chrisland University Convocation event also witnessed the conferment of honorary doctoral degree on the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, Okukenu IV, and the Vice-Chairman of Famfa Oil Limited, Apostle Mrs Folorunso Alakija, who both emerged as the first recipients of Chrisland University Honorary Doctorate Degrees.
While conferring the award on the recipients, the Chancellor, High Chief Dr Mrs Winifred Awosika noted that the conferment was in recognition of their respective good reputations, distinguished achievements, exemplary leadership, and various notable contributions to humanity and the society in general.
In the same vein, the University conferred Bachelor Degrees on 52 graduands, including nine first class graduates.
The Institution’s Founder and Chairman of its Board of Trustees, disclosed that the University was a consummation of her long-held vision of providing qualitative education at all levels to generations of Nigeria and the world at large, expressing determination to continue to provide the required resources to support quality research, teaching and development toward making the Institution a global brand.
In an address, the Pro-Chancellor, Distinguished Professor Ayodeji Olukoju, encouraged the graduands to place themselves in the hands of the shaper of destinies, which is the Almighty God.
“If you allow God in your life, He will mould you into a vessel of honor. He will not only make you the hammer but deploy you to shape lives and situations that you encounter according to His divine will”.
In her speech, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Chinedum Peace Babalola stressed the need for the graduands to acquire new knowledge and skills that will enable them excel and succeed.
According to her: “Today is a milestone that tells you how far you have come. Keep learning, keep trying, keep accomplishing, keep dreaming, keep innovating and keep venturing as you journey on. I admonish you to be like the ant. Partner, collaborate and form business groups that can make you become like the Founders of Flutterwave, Paystack and others.”
Similarly, a major road on the Campus was named after the Alake of Egbaland, His Royal Majesty, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, Okukenu IV, while the Chancellor also commissioned the University’s College of Law complex.
The roll call of personalities included the wife of Ogun State Governor, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun, wife of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief Mrs Bola Obasanjo as well as the AG. Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Prof Babatunde Kehinde who represented the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu.
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