President and Chairman of the African Development Bank Group, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has declared the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) as the largest open university on the African continent.
By Chimezie Godfrey
President and Chairman of the African Development Bank Group, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has declared the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) as the largest open university on the African continent.
Dr. Adesina made this declaration on Friday in Abuja while delivering the Convocation Lecture at the 14th Convocation Ceremony of NOUN. The lecture, themed “Advancing Africa’s Positioning within Global Development and Geopolitical Dynamics,” highlighted NOUN’s pivotal role in expanding access to higher education.
Expressing admiration for the institution, Dr. Adesina stated, “I have great admiration for NOUN for three reasons. First, NOUN is the largest Open University in Africa. Just think of the scale it offers—over 2,000 courses and more than 600,000 students enrolled.”
He continued, “Second, NOUN is the second largest open learning university in the world. That means NOUN gets a gold medal in Africa, a silver medal in the world for the excellent work on open learning. There is no other institution in Nigeria’s history that has ever achieved such an incredible standing. You make Nigeria exceptionally proud. And you make Africa proud too. Congratulations with your incredible achievements.”
He further emphasized, “NOUN should receive at least three times its current budget from the Federal Government of Nigeria, to continue to expand access to education for all.”
Highlighting NOUN’s notable alumni, Adesina remarked, “Third, NOUN produced your most famous alumni, President Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That is also another claim to fame at home.”
In a more personal touch, he added, “Of course, I am also proud of NOUN for family reasons. Well, my wife’s younger sister is a Professor at NOUN—Professor Yetunde Ofulue. So, you can understand when I say ‘I love NOUN for life!’”
Dr. Adesina also expressed his appreciation for receiving an honorary doctorate degree from the university. “I wish to thank the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Olufemi Peters and the University Senate for the great honour of receiving an honorary doctorate degree from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). I am delighted to be here today with my dear wife, Grace.”
Reflecting on the vast audience made possible through NOUN’s digital platforms, he said, “I have delivered Convocation Lectures all over the world, but this is the first time that I will be addressing a gathering of over 600,000. That is the equivalent of speaking to 10 packed FIFA World Cup stadiums, each with a capacity of 60,000 required to host quarterfinals or semifinals. Well, thanks to your digital online platforms, that is possible.”
Dr. Adesina also stressed the value of education, sharing a personal story. “Nothing is more important than education. My late father, Roland F. Adesina sacrificed all to send my siblings and I to school. He used to tell us that education is the greatest leveler in society. Access to good education, he reaffirmed, will allow the children of the poor to reach and exceed the pinnacles reserved for the children of the rich and the privileged in society.”
On broader global issues, Dr. Adesina warned of increasing geopolitical risks and the effects of major conflicts. “The geopolitical risks of the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Russia, and conflicts in the Middle East are rising,” he noted, adding that trade tensions among global powers like the US, Canada, China, India, and Mexico could lead to another global recession.
He criticized the global financial system’s failure to support Africa adequately: “The global financial system has been unable to effectively address the challenges facing Africa, especially on matters of debt, climate change, and access to greater financing.”
He further observed that restrictive immigration policies are threatening labor mobility, particularly among Africa’s burgeoning youth population. “The recent dismantling of the official development aid agency in the US, and similar anti-aid measures in other parts of Europe, means that the old development models that Africa has always relied on will no longer work,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of the occasion and former INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, delivered a candid assessment of Nigeria’s university system.
He lamented that most Nigerian universities are producing graduates who lack both academic competence and moral character.
He said, “Now, anytime we mention, ‘found worthy in learning and in character,’ people tend to wonder whether learning and character necessarily go together. Well, they do not.
“One can have learning and even be considered learned, as lawyers refer to that, but with no good character. I’m sorry to say, also, one can be certificated without learning anything or learning much, and yet have good character. But the expectation is that university graduates are positioned for the ideal of having both learning and character.”
He continued, “If this ideal has been approximated in Nigerian universities in the past, it now remains a mere aspiration in most cases. Regrettably, our universities are certificating illiterates and awarding degrees in many cases to persons with unworthy characters.”
Prof. Jega concluded by emphasizing the importance of convocation lectures: “The purpose of a convocation lecture is to inspire and motivate students, faculty and staff, to celebrate milestones and to address important issues or themes relevant to the academic community or to society at large.”
He thanked the NOUN Vice Chancellor for honoring him as Chairman of the Convocation Lecture event.
