The Vice-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede, says the institution would soon become the hub of aeronautic and aerospace engineering studies in Nigeria.
Ogunbodede said this in his address at the university’s 44th Convocation held on Thursday in Ile-Ife.
He said that a departmental building was already under construction, adding that none of the federal Universities across the country currently offers a programme in the field.
According to him, OAU is taking up this challenge in order to open up an entirely new paradigm of innovation in learning and practice of aeronautics in Nigeria.
The vice-chancellor also said that the university was collaborating with interested government agencies and corporate organisations to construct an airstrip.
He said that the air strip would not only serve as a training ground for the planned aeronautic engineering programme of the university, but would also assist in ameliorating the burden of air travel in Osun.
Ogunbodede stated that OAU was also partnering with Troyka Nigeria Limited to start a unique programme in Media and Communication studies with the construction of a Media School as well as television station.
The vice-chancellor further said that OAU would soon generate its own electricity to last 24 hours a day, attributing this to the education programme of the Federal Government which was providing 8.03 Mega Watts Gas-powered turbine stand-alone electricity generating system.
“Moving off the national grid would enable the university to save between N35 million and N65 million, ” he added.
Ogunbodede also said that the National Universities Commission (NUC) had conducted a general accreditation across all universities, .
He expressed confidence that the university would record 100 percent success when the outcome of the exercise was made public.
The courses involved, he said, were Law; Dentistry, Botany, Applied Arts and Home Economics.
Ogunbodede stated further that OAU was reviewing the curricular of all academic programmes which would train their graduands to be job creators and not job-seekers.
“All graduates of OAU will be equipped with entrepreneurial knowledge in addition to vocational training that will allow them acquire at least one skill that would ensure survival in the era of massive unemployment.
“Such skills would include: Metal works, Wood works, Leather works, Aluminium fabrication, Paint-making, Fashion Designing, Photography, Film Production and Editing, Agribusiness, Block-making Kerbs and interlocking, Hair-Dressing, Barbing and Cosmetology and ICT,” he said.
