In an unprecedented coincidence of multiple recognitions of the exceptional contributions that Emeritus Professor Olugbemiro Jegede continues to make in education, both locally and internationally, the erudite professor has bagged two appointments within a space of one week.
In the first development, President Tinubu Appoints Emeritus Professor Jegede as the substantive foundation Pro – Chancellor & Chairman of the Governing Council, Federal University of Technology, Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State.
The appointment was contained in a recent publication by the Federal Ministry of Education on Friday, 17 May 2024, signed by the Permanent Secretary, FME,
Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, OON, which detailed that the Federal Government of Nigeria has approved the Constitution of the Governing Councils of 111 Federal
Tertiary institutions in Nigeria, which comprise 50 universities, 37 polytechnics, and 24 colleges of education.
In the second development, Emeritus Professor Olugbemiro Jegede has been appointed a member of the National Research Foundation Screening & Monitoring Committee by the Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (tetfund) Arc. S.T Echono. The appointment was via a memo TETF/ES/R&D/DE/NRFS&MC/2024/VOL.1 of 14 May 2024 on the reconstitution of the 55-member committee for various specialist areas of academic research pursuits.
According to the publication and the memo, the appointments are with immediate effect.
*EMERITUS PROFESSOR OLUGBEMIRO JEGEDE*
A top-flight globally acknowledged academician, administrator, and community leader,
Emeritus Professor Olugbemiro Jegede hails from Ogori in Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area of Kogi State, Nigeria. He kick-started his journey into Western education right in his community, Ogori, where he attended St. Peter’s Anglican Primary School between 1958 and 1964. He proceeded to Crowther Memorial College, Lokoja, for his secondary school education and finished in 1969.
Young Olugbemiro was admitted to the prestigious Federal Government College, Warri, Delta State for his ‘A’ level, 1970-1971. In September 1972, he was admitted to the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria. He graduated as the best in his class with a Second class Upper in B.Sc Education Biology. His studied for his Master degree in science education both at the University of East Anglia, Norwich, England, and at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, with the degree awarded by the latter. He attended the University College of Wales, Cardiff, United Kingdom, for his Ph.D (Science Education) in 1981.
He once served as an instructor at the Nigerian Military School, Zaria, in 1972. He had his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme as a lecturer at the Alvan Ikoku College of Education, Owerri (1975-76). From 1977, Professor Jegede was at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, as a lecturer and rose to become an Associate Professor Professor in 1987. He was appointed as the youngest Professor of Education then, at the age of 37 years, by the University of Abuja in the 1989/90 academic session. He was Foundation Dean of the Faculty of Education and Head of the Department of Education, University of Abuja and on record that he developed the Blueprint used in setting up the Centre for Distance Learning and Continuing Education of the University of Abuja.
He serves as an external examiner to several universities around the globe. He is a consultant to several agencies, including the World Bank, Commonwealth on Learning, UNESCO, UNICEF, UNDP, EU, AfDB, AAU, NUC, UBEC, JAMB and TETFund
Professor Jegede, was the Secretary to the Government of Kogi State of Nigeria (2012-2016), Secretary-General and Chief Executive of the Association of African Universities (AAU) 2010-2012, and at the invitation of Federal Government of Nigeria, was the National Coordinator, National Open and Distance Learning Programmes (2001-2003) and foundation Vice Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in September, 2003. By the time he completed his tenure in 2010, he had developed the University to the position of the 7th best university in Nigeria as rated by the Webometric global ranking of universities.
Professor Jegede serves as Vice President (African Region) on the Governing Board of the International Council on Education of Teaching (ICET) and was President of the African Council for Distance Education (ACDE) and, now its global Ambassador. Among his national and international awards Professor Jegede cherishes most are; the Best Vice-Chancellor in Nigeria 2009 by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Kwame Nkrumah Africa Leadership Award, the 2010 Hitachi Software of Japan Award of Hitachi Prominent African Leaders for Change in Education, and the 2009 African Leadership Star Award for Excellence in Tertiary Education. As a seasoned scholar and administrator, he has made numerous presentations and demonstrable expertise in many areas, which include Psycho-Social Environment and Learning, Knowledge Engineering and Cognitive Science, Virtual Reality and ODL Research. As stated in his 112-paged Curriculum Vitae, in addition to 175 invited keynote addresses at world conferences, University Convocation ceremonies, and public lectures, he has published more than 25 books and over 190 articles in foremost journals in the world. He is one of the few distinguished academics in the world with two Professorial Chairs. He was appointed Professor of Science Education in 1989/90 and was appointed the first Nigerian to be Professor of Open and Distance Learning in 1997.
Two major global landmarks, significant and astounding contributions to education and knowledge by Professor Jegede are (1) his Theory of Collateral Learning propounded in 1995, to explain how non-western science learners attempt to cope within a classroom environment not very receptive to their indigenous knowledge; Jegede’s Theory of Collateral Learning, which has been cited over 7,000 times in global scientific literature, has attracted over 56 postgraduate studies worldwide; and (2) his Theory of Webagogy of 1998 propounded to serve as the roadmap scaffolding for the design of online programmes and course materials for virtual learning environment. Emeritus Professor Jegede worked as ODL coordinator for postgraduate studies at the Science and Mathematics Education Centre of the Curtin University of Technology, Perth Australia (1988-1989). He was a co-founder of the e-Journal in Instructional Science and Technology in 1995 as the first electronic journal in ODL in Australia. He was foundation Director of ODL Research at the University of Southern Queensland, Australia, where he won the 1995 best researcher of the year award. He was foundation Director of the Centre for Research in Distance and Adult Learning (CRIDAL) at the Open University of Hong Kong (1997-2003).
Professor Jegede was the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of The Governing Council and the Chancellor of the Littoral University, Porto-Novo, Republic of Benin; and honoured with PhD (honoris causa) of the University. He is a Fellow of the Commonwealth of Learning (FCOL), Fellow of the African Academy of Science (FAAS), Fellow of the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (FSTAN) where he served as the Vice President of the Association (1982-1986); Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Education, and Member of the New York Academy of Science since 1981. He is the 2015 recipient of the prestigious International Council for Distance Education (ICDE) Prize of Excellence for Lifelong Contribution to the field. Olugbemiro Jegede was appointed Emeritus Professor at the National Open University of Nigeria in 2015. He was conferred with the honorary Doctorate degree on Public Administration by Salem University, Lokoja, in 2013. He is Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows Association of Nigeria (COSFAN), a member of the Board of Fintech Institute; Board of the Building Bridges International, and also Chairman of several Boards including E-Surfers Paradise Ltd, FutureX Ltd, Teckplus Technology Ltd, OES Technologies Ltd, and eUniversity Africa. A self-taught expert in many areas of ICT, Emeritus Professor Olugbemiro Jegede is currently the Chairman, TETFund Advisory Committee on Digital Literacy, Productivity, and Emerging Skills. He is the Adviser on Education Matters to the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion).
Prof. Jegede is a traditional title-holder of the Ogurefa of Ogoriland. Ogori Community will ever be grateful to him for facilitating the siting of the Community Study Centre of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in their land which has helped to reshape the lives and activities of the people of the area.
Emeritus Professor Jegede enjoys assisting, visiting, and attending to people. He is an expert in Chinese cooking and loves African and continental culinary art. He is happily married and blessed with children who have also distinguished themselves globally in their various professions.