Obasanjo: NOUN Not Inferior UniversityObasanjoObasanjo: NOUN Not Inferior University

James Sowole in Abeokuta

Former President OlusegunObasanjo, yesterday, rose in defence of the programmes being run by the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), declaring that the university is not inferior to other universities in any form.

Obasanjo said he was happy that the university, which was established when he was president and from where he later bagged PhD in Christian Theology, years after, was already achieving the vision for which it was set up.

Obasanjo spoke when he received a NOUN delegation, led by Director, Directorate of Advancement and Linkages (DAL), Professor Ganiyat A. Adesina-Uthman, which was on a courtesy visit to OlusegunObasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta.

The delegation included leaders and some members of the NOUN Alumni Association (NOUNAA), led by IfeanyiObikelu, and OlusegunObasanjo Centre for African Studies (OOCAS), led by Professor Wilfred Ugwuanyi.

Obasanjo said NOUN was established when he noticed some gaps in the country’s education sector, despite the number of federal, state and private universities in the country.

The former president also highlighted how universities came into being in Nigeria, starting with the first generation institutions.

He stated, “There was only one university in Nigeria for about 10 years, which is University of Ibadan. Now, we have second generation of universities, which are federal universities, including Nsukka, UNIPORT, Amadu Belo University.

“We also have third generation universities, which are the state universities, before private universities came in. That is how universities evolved in Nigeria from the first generation to the recent stage.

“But in spite of all, we were still not coping, the gaps kept getting wider and wider, that was why I said Open University is a necessity. It created more avenues and made it convenient for working class citizens.

“Then some people rose up, saying OPEN University is inferior to non-OPEN University, but I was not discouraged. I said, let’s go there and have a taste of what they are saying is inferior. Then I came in, I saw, and I conquered.

“If the distinguished lecturers, who supervised me and supervised many PhD students, and if they supervised me successfully, then my PhD wouldn’t be inferior. So, if mine isn’t inferior and those before me are not inferior, National Open University is, then, not inferior and has come to stay.”

Adesina-Uthman said NOUN had been a great blessing not just to Nigeria and Nigerians, but also to African countries.

She said, “NOUN is set out to assist Nigeria in human capital development, to meet the international standard for manpower per 1,000 population for sustainable knowledge-based economy. But it has also been effective in training human capital development for neighbouring countries.”

President of NOUNAA, Ambassador IfeanyiObikelu, said the association had made tremendous strides towards strategic development of both the association and its members.