(Photo: Dr Mrs Modupe Ajayi,Registrar, Professor Adebiyi Daramola,Vice Chancellor and Chief Wole Olanipekun, Guest Lecturer after the 7th Annual Lecture of the Federal University of Technology Akure)
Law and Morality have been described as Siamese twins that can aid the growth of tertiary institutions and by extension national development. The prescription was made by the legal luminary and former Pro-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) while delivering the 7th Registry Annual Lecture of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) held on Thursday, 16th July, 2015. He spoke on the topic “Law and Morality in Tertiary Institution in Nigeria: Catalysts for National Development”.
Olanipekun said “the role of law and morality cannot be overemphasized in charting a positive direction for Nigeria’s tertiary institutions. In fact, any tertiary institution that is devoid of the foundational principles of law and the basic tenets of morality, even if it purports to carry out activities or make progress, is nothing but a sounding brass, a twinkling cymbal. Such institutions can be assured of being bereft of any developmental worth to the nation and its people.” He said acquired knowledge or invention not guided by sound moral considerations and ethical principles can only make the world a worst place to live.
Lamenting the state of the university system in Nigeria, the notable legal practitioner said, “The dearth of discoveries and inventions in our universities can be linked to the dual-core of this discourse, law and morality. While many may fault lack of adequate funding and competent hands as causes of this sorry state, I opine that the causal factors go beyond this. I blame the dearth of critical reasoning in our institutions, I blame the absence of diligence that births innovations, I blame the predominance of plagiarism, I blame the demise of originality.”
He, however, gave a wake-up call by saying research, critical thinking, novel proposition, discoveries and inventions should find a natural habitat in Nigerian universities as they do in several universities in the world.
Admonishing university administrators, Olanipekun called for a redefinition of tertiary institution from being mere repositories of obsolete and uneventful knowledge to becoming organic and dynamic centres of discoveries and innovations. This begins with conscious pollination of students minds with the seed of intellectual adventurism at their matriculation. Olanipekun did not end his lecture without a word for the government at all levels. He said, “A large chunk of the responsibility for the moral issues bedeviling our higher institutions of learning must be placed at the door steps of the government because some of these problems are the direct offshoot and consequences of government’s neglect of the educational sector. A scenario where a negligible amount is budgeted to the educational sector can only lead to a geometric decline in the standard of education.”
Earlier in his address, Chairman at the occasion and Vice Chancellor, Professor Adebiyi Daramola commended the effort of the Registrar, Dr. Mrs. Modupe Ajayi for her sterling qualitative leadership of the registry and for keying into the vision of the university. He gave special kudos for effort made in catching a big fish like Chief Olanipekun to deliver the lecture. Addressing the gathering, the Chief Host and Registrar of the institution, Dr. (Mrs.) Modupe Ajayi thanked Chief Wole Olanipekun for accepting to deliver the lecture. She also praised the management of the institution, particularly for the support the Registry always receive from the Vice Chancellor, Professor Daramola.
At the event, notable Nigerians who have made and who keep making positive contributions to national development were honoured. They are; the Orangun of Oke Ila Orangun, Osun state, HRM Oba Adedokun Omoniyi Abolarin, the Chief of Staff to the Ondo State governor, Dr. Kola Ademujimi and a former Registrar of FUTA, Mr. Babatunde Adebayo. They were all honoured with the Distinguish Award of Excellence of the FUTA Registry. The occasion attracted FUTA management, former and serving Vice Chancellors and Registrars of sister institutions, traditional rulers and other stakeholders in the higher education sector.
