Education: Olanipekun, Yusuf Ali task BOUESTI governing council on innovative ideas

Two prominent and renowned lawyers, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN and Professor Yusuf Ali, SAN have called on governing council members of the Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Ikere-Ekiti (BOUESTI) to come up with innovations towards the development of the young university.

The duo explained that for the state-owned university to be a 21st-century institution properly, the governing council would play a prominent roles in supporting the authorities for BOUESTI to compete favourably nationally and globally.

They spoke in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital during a retreat organized for members of the institution’s newly constituted governing council under the chairmanship of Professor Oladipo Aina, with the theme, “Re-Inventing the Wheel of Progress for Rare Achievements in a 21st Century University”.

Aside from the duo who delivered papers, the Registrar of the University of Benin, Ademola Bobola addressed the participants on, ‘Desirable Synergy between Council and Management for Maximum Achievement: Prospects and Challenges.

Speaking, Olanipekun, who is the Chancellor of the university, urged the council members to maintain a cordial relationship with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olufemi Adeoluwa and not engage in a rivalry with him in the running of the institution.

According to him, “ So, the way forward, truth be told, the money is not there, the government can’t do it alone, they (government) don’t even have the resources not to even talk about the government of Ekiti state. It is not a question of you sitting down, you can’t be laying back, you are a member of a council you have to be dynamic, you have to be proactive and progressive in thinking and you have to be a leader and out of nothing you have to bring something out for the overall development of the university.

On his part, Ali, a former pro-chancellor of the University of Osun (UNIOSUN) said the success or otherwise of any university would be determined by the vibrancy of its governing council, urging the BOUESTI members not to see their appointment as a way of allocating fund to themselves but a call to service.

The senior lawyer advised the council members to develop a strategic plan in collaboration with the management for the university to have an identity and higher best brains in specific fields.

“The university must establish a tradition of excellence. The state governor has done well in putting these caliber of people together in the council, it is made up of people who have achieved in their respective careers and I believe they will do well for this university,” he said.

The chairman of the governing council, Professor Aina said the retreat was necessary to design new dynamic and innovative policies for the smooth running of the university in line with the global best practices.