The National President, Adeyemi Federal University, Ondo State alumni Association, Dr. Festus Oyebade has called on Federal Government of Nigeria to change subsidy on petroleum to subsidy on Education for rapid growth of the country, saying education triggers Development.
He advocated that subsidy on Education would be more productive than on fuel which he regarded as wasting of Nigeria scarce resources.
The Adeyemi Alumni National President made the call at the school Auditorium during the 59th founders day lecture titled”NIGERIA’S CIVIL RULE AND THE IMAGINED POSSIBILITIES OF DEVELOPMENT” organized by the alumni.
He stressed that the recently secured $800 million loan from world Bank to cushion the effect of subsidy removal should be diverted to Education, saying the outgoing administration should allow incoming Government use the money on education.
Dr. Oyebade who underscored the importance of education in the life of a country which he hinged on ‘Plato and Aristotle’that prescribed Education as the surest means of decoding the latent potential in individuals’ Development physically, mentally and spiritually. He however, frown at the 20 million out of school children in Nigeria. According to him,” This uninviting statistics is a defeat of the Sustainable Development Goal on Education (SDG 4) meaning that each state of the federation has 556,000 out of school students”
Dr. Oyebade called on Government, private institutios and individuals to rescue the nation from the mess, saying if urgent steps are not taking, the huge numbers of students without education could ground the country to a halt in future.
He added that another time bomb in the education sector is high rate of unqualified teachers in schools. ” It’s like a quack doctor conducting intricate surgery on patients”We must be wounded at heart that 90 percent of private School Teachers in South-West are not qualified according to Prof. Josiah Ajiboye, The Registrar, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria”
Dr. Oyebade further bemoan the security achitecture of Nigeria which gave room for adoption of Nigeria students. Citing example, he said “on 6 September, 2021 UNICEF Represntitave in Nigeria, Peter Hawkins revealed since December 2020, 1436 students and 17 teachers were abducted and #220 million had been paid as ransoms while many schools were closed due to insecurity”
Speaking on the economy of Nigeria, the National President cautioned the federal government to drastically reduce the cost of servicing foreign debt which may not be Sustainable if care is not taken.
While commending the Federal Government for approving the institution to Federal University, he charged government to announce names of Vice Chancellor and principal officers for the smooth running of the institution without further delay.
The national President further charged the students to shun social vices that can truncate their educational dreams and drag the good name of the school in the mud.
The high point of the event was presentation of #50,000 each to ten outstanding students in their various field of studies as Education Support Fund which the president said would be done yearly.
Also, Distinguished award of Honorary Fellowship of Adeyemi Alumni Association was bestowed on the governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu while Hon. Abiola Peter Makinde, House of Representatives Member representing Ondo East and West Federal Constituency was given award of excellence, Amb. Godson Echegile (OFR),Dr. Emmanuel Olakunle Filani and Dr. Olawunmi Egbayelo – Ilawole (MNIM) were given awards.
Responding on behalf of the awardees, Hon. Abiola Makinde reiterated that Adeyemi Federal University has come to stay and would get necessary apparatus to be operational in a matter of days. He promised their unalloyed support for the institution at all times and appreciated the Alumni Association for honouring them.
Dignitaries at the lecture were: S.A to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on Union matters, Oba Olabomi, Oniragbiji, Lisa of Ondo Kingdom, High Chief Ogundipe, Acting Provost of the institution, Dr. Olufemi Olajuyigbe, school management, Alumni Executives, members and students.
