The 14th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Peter Olapegba, on Monday promised to preserve what works, reform the institution for the future, and produce students who are critical thinkers and problem solvers.
He made the promise during his inauguration lecture at Trenchard Hall.
Professor Olapegba said his administration will promote UI’s internationalisation through collaboration, student exchange programmes, and visiting scholarships.
While noting that excellence costs money, the 14th VC said government funding remains essential, and he promised to explore knowledge commercialisation and industry partnerships.
He also promised AI literacy education at the institution by strengthening the digital ecosystem across its operations.
During the inauguration lecture, Professor Akin Ogundiran, of African History and Black Studies at Northwestern University, United States of America, said, “To be relevant, the university must become more African and more global; more rooted and more connected; more technologically capable and more humanistic; more entrepreneurial and more ethical; more independent in thought and more accountable in service.
“Knowledge sovereignty means meeting the world standing upright: collaborating without subordination, learning without surrendering agency, and partnering without becoming dependent. Africa must not merely be a place where other people’s theories are tested. It must be a place from which theories, technologies, and solutions originate.”
Chairman of the inauguration lecture, Emeritus Professor Oluwole Akande, expressed optimism that Professor Olapegba “brings to the office valuable institutional experience and an understanding of the responsibilities involved in managing a University of Ibadan Stature.”
He noted, “African universities must certainly be consumers of global knowledge, but they must also be producers of knowledge. We must strengthen research, promote innovation, preserve our intellectual and cultural heritage, and develop solutions to the challenges confronting our societies.
“Our relevance will ultimately be measured not only by our academic publications and international rankings but also by our contributions to human development, social progress, and national transformation.”
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
