A high-powered Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) delegation, led by Pro-Chancellor Professor Siyan Oyeweso, recently visited Ekiti State Governor Abiodun Oyebanji.
The visit aimed to strengthen university-state collaboration on education, community development, and innovation.
During the meeting, both parties explored partnership opportunities, emphasizing knowledge exchange and sustainable regional progress.
Governor Oyebanji praised OAU’s contributions, pledging support for joint initiatives to drive socioeconomic growth.
The meeting, held at the Governor’s Office in Ado-Ekiti, underscored the University’s commitment to fostering strategic partnerships and advancing educational development across the South-West region.
Professor Oyeweso thanked Governor Oyebanji during the visit, expressing OAU’s gratitude for their dialogue.
He highlighted the Governor’s visionary leadership and steadfast advocacy for quality education.
Additionally, he commended the Governor’s exemplary governance in Ekiti State, emphasizing OAU’s enduring historical ties with the region.
Reflecting on these ties, Professor Oyeweso recounted the pivotal contributions of Ekiti State indigenes to OAU’s academic foundation.
He noted that some of the first academic staff at the University, including distinguished scholars like Professor Aluko, hailed from Ekiti State.
This legacy of scholarly excellence, he said, has endured over the years and continues to enrich the institution.
In recognition of these contributions, Professor Oyeweso proposed the construction of a 1500-seater lecture theatre at OAU, to be named the ‘Ekiti-Kete Lecture Theatre.’
He sought the support of the Ekiti State Government in bringing this project to fruition.
Governor Oyebanji welcomed the delegation warmly, praising OAU’s enduring legacy as a hub of academic excellence and national progress.
Next, he honored Chief Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo, the university’s namesake, emphasizing his visionary contributions to education and socio-political progress.
Shifting focus, he stressed how Awolowo’s ideals still shape Nigeria’s development and urged the delegation to uphold these transformative principles.
The Governor commended OAU for its unwavering commitment to maintaining high academic standards and fostering innovation.
He noted that the University’s contributions have significantly shaped Nigeria’s higher education landscape and produced outstanding leaders across various sectors.
Governor Oyebanji reiterated his administration’s dedication to supporting higher education and fostering collaborative partnerships with institutions like OAU. He emphasized key areas such as funding, infrastructure development, and research as critical points of collaboration.
Governor Oyebanji thanked OAU for recognizing his administration’s efforts and urged them to engage other South-Western governors. He stressed that these states must collectively preserve Awolowo’s legacies, including supporting OAU’s growth.
Pledging to facilitate such partnerships, he confirmed his administration’s readiness to back initiatives like the Ekiti-Kete Lecture Theatre. Furthermore, he highlighted shared goals in advancing regional education.
Finally, he expressed confidence that sustained collaboration would advance educational excellence and fulfill Awolowo’s development vision, uniting states toward common progress.
He highlighted the importance of unity and cooperation in addressing regional challenges and advancing shared goals.
The visit concluded with a shared commitment to strengthening ties between OAU and Ekiti State.
Indeed, the proposed Ekiti-Kete Lecture Theatre embodies this partnership, recognizing Ekiti State’s lasting contributions to OAU’s academic legacy.
Simultaneously, it fosters deeper collaboration, ensuring future generations thrive through strengthened academic and institutional partnerships.
This courtesy visit reflects OAU’s broader strategy of building regional partnerships that enhance academic development and institutional growth.
By engaging with key stakeholders like Governor Oyebanji, OAU continues to position itself as a leader in higher education and a catalyst for socio-economic progress in Nigeria.
