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Tag: Igbinedion University

  • Igbinedion University: Dream of one man transformed into global treasure -IUO VC, Prof Ezemonye+Photos

    Igbinedion University: Dream of one man transformed into global treasure -IUO VC, Prof Ezemonye+Photos

    ..says at IUO we produce complete graduates for the future

    … underemployment is alien to us

    Vice Chancellor of the Igbinedion University Okada, IUO, Professor Lawrence Ikechukwu Ezemonye has said the university was the creation of one man, the Esama of Benin Kingdom, Gabriel Igbinedion which has transformed into a global treasure.

    Ezemonye, a two-time Deputy Vice Chancellor of University of Benin is a Professor of Ecotoxicology and Environmental Forensics in a chat with seasoned journalists across Nigeria after an entrepreneurship exhibition/a facility tour of different rare departments, laid it bare that “in 23 years IUO blazed the trail becoming an international hub for the academia.

    “The credit goes to one man who pioneered it in Nigeria by going into a social contract where many entrepreneurs refused to venture into in 1999 via the establishment of a private university.

    “That man is the Esama of Benin Kingdom, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion who held the bull by the horns and this singular action today has transformed into a global treasure where people tap into on a daily basis.

    On why IUO places so much premium on entrepreneurial skills, Ezemonye said:

    “First of all I had my worries with the proclamations from industries, when they tell us that the graduates are not fit for purpose in the industries and you see, it worries me so much and I began to wonder what is responsible for that.

    With a few group of intellectuals, we found out that, not that our students are not properly groomed but that there is disconnect between the demand of the industry and the products, the output.

    “It is not an affront to anybody, it is not even at a disadvantage to the university, it is just that there is no merger. You see, the Nigerian educational system and the industry portfolios were working in silos.

    “The industry does not want to merge with the university and the university as an ivory tower does not have the time for the industry but all that have changed now.

    “So that is why we felt that we must make students that are future ready and that is the mantra I brought into this university, the future readiness. How can a student be future ready?

    “A student that is future ready is free from three things; one, unemployment, two, under-employment and three, unemployability and for you to avert those three syndromes you must be entrepreneurially groomed.

    “So here in this university, the first thing we do is to inspire and stimulate entrepreneurial thinking amongst our students, that is number one.

    “The second thing we do, is to provide the knowledge base and knowledge exchange for the transaction of entrepreneurial thinking amongst students.

    “And the third one is the one you witnessed today, which is the actual exhibition of the products of the inspiration, the stimulation of entrepreneurial thinking among our students.

    “Let me tell you what we have done here in Igbinedion University. You see, I have been working in the last 10years on industry-academia integration and so in Igbinedion University, what we have done is to imbibe the principle of co-development of programmes with the industry, co-design the programme with the industry, we co-deliver the programme with the industry, co-supervise the programme with the industry and co-graduate the programme with the industry. And the success stories have been recorded.

    “If an industry, in my university, all post graduates programmes are supervised by an academic and an industry supervisor, here in this university, so but it is logical.

    “If an industry expert and an academia designs a programme together, delivers teachers, the programme together, supervise the programme together, in some cases co-fund the programme together and graduate the students together, there is no moral basis to say that that graduate is not fit for the industry, that is number one.

    “Let me also tell you what we have done in this university and you need to take this away. This university has a board of industry-academia interface headed currently by the DG of NOTA (National Office for Technology Association) and we have industry partners and academia in that board and they meet quarterly and what do they do, they review curriculum and industry demands.

    “Today we have a project with Cortis PLC, we are co-designing dedicated programmes for RENA in our engineering department and they are providing opportunities for students and staff both for sabbatical and internship.

    “So that is the partnership that we have established in this university that our mainstream academia-industry interface as a way of life in our university programme.

    “So to answer your question, if you get the industry together to participate with you, tear down the silo walls and remove the toga of ivory towerism then we won’t have this problem.

    “I can tell you for free now that before now I used to advocate that unemployability was the main cause, was worse than unemployment, yes. You know you graduate and they tell you that you are not fit for purpose.

    “You know the worse one now, the worse syndrome that is now operating in the valley of death is underemployment, when a graduate now earns N20,000 N30,000, that one is dehumanizing.

    So one singular way in averting them is through entrepreneurship, employ yourself.

  • [Photos/Videos ] Okada agog as Igbinedion University exhibits products designed by its Entrepreneurship Centre

    [Photos/Videos ] Okada agog as Igbinedion University exhibits products designed by its Entrepreneurship Centre

    Okada town in Edo state was agog with activities as students of one of Nigeria’s pioneer private university, Igbinedion University in Edo State exhibited products designed by the school’s David Osunde Centre for Entrepreneurship on Wednesday.

    The skills acquisition program cuts across all departments to make the students self dependent after the graduation.

    The peak of the exhibition was when the Vice Chancellor, Prof Lawrence Ikechukwu Ezemonye, the DVC, other top officers of the university visited all the exhibition stands to encourage all the participants.

    Prof Ezemonye bought virtually all the products available for the use of the university and for commercialisation.

    More than ten skills acquisition stands were on the stands as all the departments, the school of engineering, medicine, ICT, Business school and others.

    See photos/Videos below:

     

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  • Igbinedion names teaching hospital after Oyakhilome

    Igbinedion names teaching hospital after Oyakhilome

    The Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Okada, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, has renamed the Igbinedion University Teaching Hospital after Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, the founder of LoveWorld Ministries.

    According to him, the hospital will henceforth be called Pastor Chris Oyakhilome Teaching Hospital.

    Igbinedion announced the naming during the convocation ceremony of the institution’s 2021/2022 academic session held in Okada, near Benin.

    He also conferred an honorary Doctor of Science degree on Oyakhilome for his contributions to humanity and development.

    In addition to the degree, the chancellor donated a parcel of land to LoveWorld Ministries.

    In his response, Oyakhilome thanked the chancellor and the university management for the honour and kind gesture.

    Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye, said that the institution was celebrating 23 years of academic excellence and two decades’ track record of timely graduation and unbroken convocation.

    Ezemonye noted that the university had so far turned out more than 16, 000 graduates and postgraduate students since inception.

  • Buhari appoints ex-Igbinedion varsity VC, Prof Osaghae as DG, NIIA

    Buhari appoints ex-Igbinedion varsity VC, Prof Osaghae as DG, NIIA

    President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed the immediate past Vice Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Okada, Professor Eghosa Emmanuel Osaghae as Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, NIIA, Lagos.
    News of the appointment was shared by the Principal Public Relations Officer of Igbinedion University, Obajide Ilugbo via his Facebook account on Friday.
    “Edo State born Professor of Comparative Politics and immediate past Vice-Chancellor of Igbinedion University Okada, Professor Eghosa Emmanuel Osaghae has been appointed by President Mohammad Buhari as Director General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Lagos,” his post on Friday on the social media platform read.
    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that Professor Osaghae was Vice-Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Okada for a record fourteen years, from 2004 to 2018.
    He was a regular guest speaker at the annual national discourse forum, The Plaftorm organised by the Pastor Poju Oyemade led Covenant Christian Centre in Lagos.
    He is a tenured Professor of Comparative Politics at the University of Ibadan.
    Professor Osaghae is the 2019 Claude Ake Chair at the Uppsala Univesity, Sweden.
    He was the 2017 Van Zyl Slabbert Professor of Politics and Sociology at the University of Cape Town and the 2014 Emeka Anyaoku Visiting Chair of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London.
  • Ex-VP Sambo hails Igbinedion varsity on quality education delivery

    Ex-VP Sambo hails Igbinedion varsity on quality education delivery

    A former Vice President of Nigeria Architect Mohammed Namadi Sambo weekend commended Nigeria’s Premier Private University, Igbinedion University Okada for distinguishing itself in academic excellence and value driven education for over two decades.

    Speaking at the 22nd Matriculation ceremony of the University, which held physically and online via zoom and other social media platforms, Sambo said that the great feat achieved by the institution in creating entrepreneurs instead of job seekers attests the to quest for excellence by the founder and chancellor of the Institution, Chief Dr. Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion.

    The former Vice President said while the security challenges in the country has some direct relationship with the massive job deficit, IUO has set the pace for breeding skilled graduates with the ability to handle high skilled jobs.

    He advised the matriculating students to take advantage of world class teaching and learning facilities provided by the institution to be change agents.

    In his speech,Vice Chancellor Igbinedion University Okada,(IUO) Prof Lawrence Ezemonye said the institution is setting new standards in producing future ready and innovation driven students in line the institution’s smart campus and entrepreneurial inclusive vision.

    Guest Speaker and Technical Adviser on Gas Business and Policy Implementation to the Minister of state Petroleum Resources ,Engr. Justice Derefaka who also joined via zoom spoke on the topic : “Refocussing Value Driven Education in the Digital Age Through the lens Entrepreneurship , Enterprise and global competitiveness: lessons for Nigeria”.

    He expressed satisfaction with management of the institution, noting that Nigeria’s first premier private university is a leading ivory tower in the country.

    Presenting a plaque of Honour to Architect Sambo, which was received on his behalf by the Deputy Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA), Mr. Roland Asoro, Ezemonye lauded the sterling qualities of the former VP noting that his numerous contributions to the educational development in the country earned him the honour.

    Others including a development Partner of Igbinedion varsity, Rosula Foundation were also presented a plaque.

    To climax the 22 matriculation ceremony, members of staff and students led by principal officers of the Igbinedion university have held a special thanksgiving service at the Chapel of Grace in Okada to appreciate God for a successful ceremony.

  • Goodluck Jonathan visits Godwin Obaseki amid rancour in Edo State

    Goodluck Jonathan visits Godwin Obaseki amid rancour in Edo State

    Amid rancour in Edo State, former President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday visited Governor of the State, Godwin Obaseki.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Jonathan said he was in the State to visit the family of Chief Gabriel Igbinedion.

    He said the visit was to show appreciation for the honorary doctorate degree conferred on him by Igbinedion University, and the renaming of the university’s College of Arts and Social Sciences after him.

    Speaking on his private visit to Obaseki, after visiting the Igbinedion family, Jonathan said, as a former President, it was not out of place for him to visit the Governor of the State if the Governor was chanced.

    “Traditionally, for somebody who has been a President, when he goes to a state, he has to pay a courtesy call to the Governor of the state. If you are not free, fine, but at least I informed him,” Jonathan said while addressing newsmen.

    When questioned to assess the government of Governor Obaseki, Jonathan, who was visibly in a hurry to leave, simply said, “people are pleased”.

    TNG reports Obaseki took advantage of the occasion to take a swipe at the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, accusing him of deliberately breaking protocol every time he visits the State.

    He said it was unfortunate that Oshiomhole, who has served as Governor of the State does not realize that courtesy demands that he (Oshiomhole) should inform him (Obaseki) as the chief executive in charge of his security when he is in the State.

    “He (Jonathan) is just extending the courtesy, as someone who has served the country in the highest level and you heard what he said.

    “There is a courtesy when you are going to visit a State, you want to inform the person in charge of the State that you are coming and when you have time during a visit, you can now pay him a courtesy call.

    “Unlike the unfortunate incident, we have been having in Edo State. It is really sad where somebody who had been the Governor of a State visiting the State and does not realize that courtesy demands that he should inform the Governor or the Governor apparatus of his visit as the chief executive in charge of his security when he is in the State.

    “It is really sad and unfortunate that people who have served, who should know better, decided to behave the way they do or behave with impunity and sense of lawlessness,” Obaseki said.

    Recall Oshiomhole was in Benin on Saturday to attend the burial ceremony of late Madam Cecilia Agbonyinma, mother of Ehiozuwa Agbonyinma, and was booed at the Benin Airport by some youth.

    His convoy was also pelted with empty water can, even as heavy security presence at the airport barred the youths from getting close to the convoy.

    Also, the road leading to Oshiomhole’s residence was barricaded with two trucks, one of which was later set ablaze.

    It was gathered that the barricade was to prevent any political meetings from holding at Oshiomhole’s residence.

    Security was later beefed up around the house to forestall any attacks at night.

    Speaking to newsmen about the airport incident, Obaseki said Oshiomhole should have informed the State government about his visit to the state.

  • Igbinedion University denies increasing tuition fees, says ‘parents can pay in instalments’

    The Management of Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, has refuted claims as reported in some sections of the media that it recently increased its tuition fees.

    This was revealed by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Prof. Eghosa E. Osaghae in a statement made available to TheNewsGuru.com.

    Osaghae noted that that the management is aware of the current economic situation in the country and will not further aggravate the situation by embarking on any form of increment.

    He explained that rather than increase the fees, management has decided to create a window for parents to pay in instalments.

    The Vice Chancellor also informed the public of the various scholarships programmes opened for students of the institution.

    The statement reads in full: Dear All, please be informed that contrary to the post on increased fees making the rounds, Igbinedion University, Okada has not increased fees, and has no plans to do so. In fact, rather than increase, we have lightened the burden of paying fees by allowing parents to pay in instalments. I make these submissions as Vice Chancellor of the University. Thanks for your support.’