Jonathan to Chair Colloquium on Igbinedion University 25th Anniversary

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

Nigeria’s first private university, Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, is set to celebrate its 25 years of existence. 

No fewer than six serving and former presidents from African countries are billed to attend the colloquium which is the high point of activities marking the anniversary.

Speaking to journalists at the university campus, Okada, Ovia Northeast Local Government Area of Edo State, Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Lawrence Ikechukwu Ezemonye, disclosed that the colloquium would be chaired and moderated by Nigeria’s former president, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

In his address the VC said, “In 1999, history was made in Nigeria with the licensing of the first private university in the country. That university is Igbinedion University, Okada, with licence No: 01. By May this year, it will be exactly 25 years since that epochal event. 

“Today, we are delighted to announce the upcoming celebration of the 25 years anniversary of Igbinedion University, Okada, and the premier and leading private university in Nigeria.  

“The University was established precisely on 10th May 1999 and will therefore be 25 years old on 10th May 2024.”

According to him, “Since inception, the university has achieved remarkable successes in teaching, research, capacity building, innovative studies and perhaps most significantly, the production of exceptional graduates in diverse fields of human endeavour who are contributing their quota to national and global development. These achievements warrant the elaborate celebration planned for the anniversary.” 

Ezemonye, further said that the colloquium, titled ‘Re-Imagining Tertiary Education for Africa’s Present and Future Realities’, will focus on tertiary education in Africa within the context of today’s dynamic globalised knowledge economy and tech-driven world.  

He also noted that, “the landscape of higher education is changing rapidly and disruptively, just as the entire education sector in Africa, thus impelling the need to adapt to the global demands. It is obvious that future ready universities must be equipped with continually increasing potency for technological disruption and collective digital paradigm shift.” 

The Igbinedion University Vice-Chancellor pointed out that other programmes to mark the anniversary would include the presentation of an anniversary compendium which is a coffee table pictorial tracing of the journey so far,  the Chancellor’s Photo Gallery Exhibition, commissioning of major projects, special exhibitions, Anniversary Luncheon, Evening of Grand Performance by a collection of artistes, community outreach progammes by the university staff and students, anniversary dinner, and a host of others. 

“In addition to the heads of states, a host of other dignitaries are billed to attend, some of whom will serve as Presidential Panel Discussants at the Colloquium”, he stressed.  

Present at the press briefing were other principal officers and senior staff of the university, including the Chief Medical Director of the Igbinedion University Teaching Hospital (IUTH), Professor Bazuaye Nosakhare, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Raphael Adeghe, the Registrar, Mr. Friday Benji Bakare, the Bursar, Mr. Emmanuel Imafidon, Dean of Post-Graduate School, Professor Deborah Odejimi and numerous others.