Ogunbodede: OAU Has Been a Trailblazer Since Inception 60 Years Ago

As Obafemi Awolowo University, one of the outstanding universities in the world in the area of research, innovation and academic excellence marks its diamond anniversary on June 8, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede during an interactive session with journalists in Lagos, speaks on several landmark innovations led by the institution, and how the school continues to pride itself in value addition to the body of knowledge in Nigeria, Africa and the world at large. Sunday Ehigiator was there

Tell us about OAU from inception?

Obafemi Awolowo University is a comprehensive public institution established in 1961, by the regional government of Western Nigeria, as a conventional university that places a premium on teaching, research and community service. The university which commenced classes in October 1962, as the University of Ife, was renamed Obafemi Awolowo University on the May 12, 1987 in honour of Chief Obafemi Awolowo who lived between 1909 to 1987, and was the first premier of the Western Region of Nigeria, and one of the founding fathers. The take-off site was the campus of the defunct Nigerian College of Science and Technology, Ibadan, and the university is presently situated on a vast expanse of land totaling 11,861 hectares in Ile-Ife, Osun State in the South-west of Nigeria.

What was the establishing vision of the institution?

The visionary founders set out to establish a university that would be unique in a number of ways; they dreamt of a university of the highest standard and of world-wide repute in the Western Region of Nigeria. Fired by the nationalist spirit of the age and the fervor deriving from newly won political independence, they conceived of a university that would not be a mere colonial ivory-tower, but rather a true African university both in form and in substance.

What are some of the early achievements of the university?

The university started the first Faculty of Pharmacy in West Africa, the first Department of Chemical Engineering, the first Technology Production and Development Unit and the first campus Intranet/Internet facility in the country. The arts and the sciences were given adequate space to co-mingle with ease, so that a graduate of the sciences could feel at home in the world of the liberal arts, and in the same manner, the arts graduates could pick their way through our increasingly scientific and technological world. The idea was to make the products of the institution emerge as well-rounded educated people with a capacity for adapting to change.

Tell us about some of the founding philosophies of the institution?

The guiding philosophy of the university set by its founders emphasised the Omoluabi (moral integrity) principle which entails hard work, integrity, public spiritedness, and an honour code. OAU, also referred to as ‘Great Ife’, has in its 60-year of existence lived up to this expectation. Also, a core value of OAU is the defense of the rights of individuals and groups in the society. The motto of the university is ‘For Learning and Culture’. Education is seen as the dominant tool for the development of society. The mission of the university is to nurture a teaching and learning community; advance frontiers of knowledge; engender a sense of selfless public service; promote cultural adaptability and add value to African culture. The university strives to ensure that our graduates meet not only the employment requirements of the nation and the world at large, but also the challenges of principles higher than mere self-interest and self-fulfillment in a rapidly changing technological world.

Beginning with academics, mention some of the notable achievements of the university?

The university has in recent years achieved rapid growth and development, particularly in the areas of academic programmes, research, staff training, and infrastructural development and staff/student welfare. Also, all the 93 academic programmes in the university are currently accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC), making OAU one of the few universities with 100 per cent accreditation of its programmes. The lockdown and ravaging effects of the COVID-19 pandemic also caused the university to put in place the necessary machinery to facilitate the deployment of appropriate technology for online teaching in the university. The university runs a Centre for Distance Learning (CDL) and all the programmes in the centre are currently accredited by the NUC. Also, the university has greatly improved its service delivery in teaching, research and community service. This is evidenced in our performance in the annual Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, which is usually widely reported in Nigerian newspapers and the electronic and social media. This has helped to boost the institution’s reputation nationally and internationally. The university intends not to just maintain our current ranking, but improve on the performance.

How has the university fared in the area of research?

The university has made significant advances in research resulting in nationally and globally-significant success stories. The university has produced, among its staff, a Nobel Laureate and six Nigerian National Merit Award Winners. Nigeria’s only Nobel Prize winner (in Literature) and the first African laureate, Wole Soyinka, was Professor of Comparative Literature at OAU and currently Emeritus Professor of Dramatic Arts at OAU. Also, the university pioneered kidney transplant in Nigeria in 2002, which was the first renal transplantation to be undertaken by a team of indigenous surgeons in any public institution in Nigeria. The research’s contributions to global significance in medical research include; identification of the potential anti-sickling properties of Fagara zanthoxyloides; mechanisms of chloroquine-induced pruritus and the role of thiamin deficiency, (induced by anaphe venata entomophagy) in the causation of ‘Ijesha shakes’ otherwise known as seasonal ataxic syndrome.
Also, the first separation of Siamese twins in sub-Saharan Africa was carried out at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, a feat that has been successfully repeated on different occasions. In addition, a cochlear implantation has successfully been performed repeatedly in our Otorhinolaryngology Unit. Our medical research facilities are embodied in the sprawling Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital’s complex comprising the Ife State Hospital, the Wesley Guild Hospital Ilesha, and Comprehensive Health Centres, as well as the multidisciplinary laboratories at the main University Campus. Departmental laboratories are also well equipped for cutting-edge research.

How about staff contribution in the area of research?

The university encourages staff to publish in high-impact journals and organises several research-grant workshops and seminars to widen the capacity of the staff in grantsmanship.
The university subscribes to information resources on grant awarding organisation and makes these readily available to staff. Staff are also sponsored on local and foreign staff development training programmes (post-doctoral research, PhD training, and professional Dl development).
The university will like to acknowledge the financial contribution of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) in facilitating the participation of many of our staff in these programmes.

How well are staff trained from time to time?

Funding has been accessed for Academic Staff Training and Development (AST&D) to pursue Master/PhD programmes in different institutions outside the university.
Over 50 members of staff of the university (academic and non-academic) have attended local and international conferences and workshops through TETFund support, while many others have attended such workshops and conferences through support from international donor agencies.
Training of university staff on Advanced Digital Appreciation Programme for Tertiary Institutions (ADAPTI) took place from Monday 16, to Friday 20 November 2020.

How has the institution performed in the area of grants?

I will say we have performed brilliantly. The number of awards for NRF and IBR funds increased tremendously in the period under review, which is between 2010 and 2020, when compared to those of previous years.
First, the global competition of the COVID-19 African Rapid Grant Fund of the National Research Foundation (NRF) and Research and Innovation Support and Advancement (RISA) for 2020 higher institutions was awarded to three of our academic staff members.
Also, staff members attracted research grants for equipment and research materials through the university’s partnership with the African Private Business Enterprise, and the Future Leaders African Independent Research (FLAIR) fellowship run by the African Academy Sciences (AAS) in partnership with the Royal Society, supported by UK’s Global Challenges Research Fund.
Between 2010 and 2020, we received external research grants received in four categories. First, we received 20 grants in dollar, amounting to $12,583,291.54; we also received 13 grants in pounds, amounting to ₤383,381.05; we received seven grants in Euros, amounting to €576,515.48 and also received 18 grants in Naira, amounting to N815,526,741.

Tell us about infrastructural development of the school?

Recently, the university undertook the procurement and installation of 39 desktop computers; procurement of generator and equipment for woodwork, fashion designing, photography, air conditional diagnosis, aluminum fabrication, leather-works and painting for entrepreneurshi; procurement and installation of teaching and learning equipment to meet the accreditation needs of 30 departments and units; radio station equipment; two Toyota Hilux vehicles and one 33-seater bus.
The following projects are also either completed or on-going: construction of Environmental Design and Management (EDM) Building, construction of Environmental Design and Management (EDM) Building (Mechanical and Electrical Works), and renovation of ETF 500-seater capacity lecture theatre.
Others are construction and furnishing of 250-seater lecture theater, storm waste drainage and pedestrian walkways, construction of Electronic and Electrical Engineering Building (undergraduate laboratory), and construction of Electronic and Electrical Engineering building, to mention but a few.
Also, currently ongoing is the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) 8.03MW power project for the supply of electricity to the university, which is almost completed.
The university also processed and obtained from the Transmission Corporation of Nigeria the license as an electricity distributor, making it the first Nigerian university to enjoy the privilege.
The university has embarked on a Staff Housing Scheme as part of its efforts to address the welfare of staff. The project is proposed for a land area of 123,407 hectares (305 acres) which has already been acquired. Construction of student hostels is also currently progressing under phase 3 of the students’ village project.

What about collaborations with other players?

We have collaborations with various international partner institutions in Europe, USA, Canada, and Germany, among others. Strong links have also been established with the Federal Ministry of Health, Osun State Government, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, and Federal Ministry of Science and Technology. The first iLab in Africa, south of Sahara was developed and established in OAU, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It has continued to make significant contribution to teaching and research.
In-house development of software for university administration and records; Result Processing (RPS Software); Transcript Processing Software etc
The university has developed a robust entrepreneurship programme supported by TETFund to improve the employability and ability of our graduates to contribute effectively to national development. This is accessible to all undergraduate students of the university.

Can you give us a mini assessment of the university’s alumni?

Alumni of this great citadel of learning have won numerous awards on various occasions. Currently among our alumni are two state governors, three ministers, officers at top levels in the military, and President of African Development Bank.
Others are, the President of African Export Import (Afrexim) Bank, Chairmen/CEO of commercial banks in Nigeria, vice-chancellors of universities, about a third of all the Senior Advocates of Nigeria, top management levels of the major pharmaceutical industries in the country, the electronic and print media, and the Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) Industry. They also occupy named professorships at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of Texas at Austin, Harvard University, and a distinguished professorship at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

Let’s talk about the diamond celebration of the university?

The diamond jubilee which will commence on June 6, will come to its climax with the convocation ceremonies in December, 2021. There will be specific college, faculty and departmental activities where the major research and innovations of the university will be exhibited. This is in addition to the international press briefing, anniversary lecture, carnivals, fun fair and other activities. Over the 60 years of our existence, many people have willingly saddled themselves with the onerous responsibilities of using their resources to assist the university in various ways, thereby promoting the rapid development of the institution and also uplifting the society and humanity at large. Therefore, 60 of such individuals will be honoured as part of the diamond jubilee celebration. Hence, the university is also extending invitation to all our alumni, friends, corporate organisations, and stakeholders, and will be very pleased to also discuss potential brand expression and visibility during and after the ceremonies.

What should we look up to about OAU in the next 60 years?

The university will continue to dedicate itself to the promotion of learning and culture, through her mission of promoting by research and other means, the advancement of culture, economic, scientific, and technological problem. We also hope to continue to create a conducive teaching and learning environment for imparting skills, knowledge, behaviour and attitude; advancing and protecting the independence of the academic enterprise; engendering a sense of selfless public service and promoting African cultures and traditions.