KU8+ Varsities Urged To Serve As Kwara’s Developmental Brain Box
Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Consortium of Universities in Kwara State (KU8+) and immediate past Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Olanrewaju Oloyede, CON, has urged Universities in Kwara State to serve as the developmental brain box of the State by providing research-driven solutions to identified developmental challenges.
Prof. Oloyede made the call in a goodwill message he delivered at the opening ceremony of the Fourth KU8+ Conference, held at Summit University, Offa, adding that Universities should remain apolitical and perform what he described as a “sanitising role” by providing objective advice to governments and helping to shape policies that would foster sustainable development.
Recalling his tenure as Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Oloyede said he once declined an appointment as a Presiding Officer during a national election because he believed Universities should remain neutral and be available to mediate whenever political actors disagree.
The renowned academic also challenged the KU8+ Universities to harness their collective expertise to transform agriculture, noting that Kwara State hosts several Federal Government institutions with mandates related to the agricultural sector, including the Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI), the Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI), the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority, the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM), the Faculty of Agriculture and the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS).
Describing agriculture as one of the greatest strengths of Kwara State, Prof. Oloyede urged the KU8+ institutions to collaborate in developing innovative solutions capable of boosting agricultural productivity and economic growth.
Prof. Oloyede also lamented the collapse of notable industries in the State, including the Bacita Sugar Company, the Jebba Paper Mill and the Tobacco Company, challenging Universities to deploy research and innovation towards reviving such industries and reinventing the economy of the State.
He maintained that Universities should assist governments in preparing for the future by generating fresh ideas and practical solutions to emerging challenges rather than merely reacting to events.
The former JAMB Registrar commended the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin and Chairman of KU8+, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, for conceiving the idea that birthed the KU8+ Consortium.
He clarified that contrary to claims in some quarters, he did not establish the Consortium, explaining that while the University of Ilorin pioneered earlier collaborative initiatives such as AWAU and U6+ during his tenure as Vice Chancellor, KU8+ was an initiative of Prof. Egbewole’s Administration.
In his remarks, the Olofa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi Esuwoye II, congratulated the organisers of the Fourth KU8+ Conference, describing the Consortium as a commendable initiative that had already begun to redefine collaboration among universities in Kwara State.
Oba Esuwoye commended the visionaries behind KU8+ for demonstrating that collective efforts yield greater results than individual pursuits, applauding the university leaders for coming together in the interest of educational development. He expressed optimism that the collaboration would soon position Kwara State to produce the best students in Nigeria through the Consortium’s shared programmes and initiatives.
Meanwhile, the second Lead Paper presenter, Emeritus Professor of Science Education, Olugbemiro Jegede, has urged the KU8+ members to deepen collaboration by introducing a credit transfer system that would enable students to move seamlessly among member institutions. He also advocated staff and student exchange programmes, joint degree awards, and collaborative teaching and research initiatives to foster greater academic integration within the Consortium.
The renowned education scholar proposed the establishment of a unified academic ecosystem, including a consortium-wide Learning Management System (LMS), virtual campuses, shared high-performance computing facilities and cloud infrastructure. He said pooling resources would eliminate unnecessary duplication, improve efficiency and expand access to quality teaching, learning and research facilities across member universities.
Prof. Jegede added that the future of higher education lies in academic integrity, technological innovation, evidence-based practices and institutional collaboration. He urged universities to move beyond operating in isolation by linking research, teaching and community engagement to build a resilient and inclusive higher education system capable of driving national development.
