THE vice chancellor of Atiba University (AU) Oyo, Professor Sunday Okeniyi, has revealed that for decades, the Nigerian educational system has struggled with structural inefficiencies, overcrowded classrooms, outdated curricula, inadequate funding, and a misalignment between academia and industry.
Professor Okeniyi stated this during the maiden edition of the institution’s Founder’s public lecture held at the main hall of the institution, recently, with the theme: ‘Rethinking Tertiary Education in Nigeria through Private Universities for Sustainable Development.’
He stated further that the result of the structural inefficiencies is a generation of graduates who struggle to find their feet in a rapidly evolving world.
He noted that private universities had a responsibility to lead innovation in higher education by breaking the cycle of outdated learning models and shifting from note-memorisation to problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking.
He also emphasised the place of strong industry partnerships between academia and industry, noting that ‘graduates should not just be job seekers; but job creators, as the duo must synergise to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset that enables students to thrive in both corporate and independent ventures.
According to him, Atiba University is equipping students not just for degrees but also with skills, vision, and resilience as the very tools needed to build a prosperous Nigeria through research, mentorship, and strategic collaborations for raising a new generation of leaders, thinkers, and innovators.
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In his address, as the guest speaker, Professor Toyin Falola from the Department of History at the University of Texas, Austin, stated that the outdated curriculum is one of the major challenges facing Nigerian institutions, which he noted is debarring them from meeting the demands of the job market.
He enjoined the government to support private universities by extending scholarships and access to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) so as to help them in fulfilling their role towards national development and growth.
Falola commended the founder and president of Atiba University, Dr James Ojebode, for establishing the institution to build a better future for Nigeria through education.
In his remark, the Oyo State Commissioner of Education, Science, and Technology, Professor Salihu Adelabu, lauded the institution for making quality education accessible, affordable, and flexible to learners across Nigeria and beyond.
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