Oyebanji: Ekiti Ready to Partner Private Initiatives for Growth, Devt

Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has declared his administration’s readiness to support private initiatives by individuals or groups working with locals or the international community towards lifting the state to ensure further growth and development.

The governor stated this yesterday at the Alfa Belgore Hall of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, (ABUAD) while declaring open the maiden Africa – Asia Intercontinental Universities Conference hosted by the university.

Specifically, the governor said he was happy that ABUAD was granted the right of hosting, saying such an institution that had been playing pivotal roles in changing the face of tertiary institution in the country cannot be honoured less.

According to him, Ekiti State under him would do everything humanly possible to continue to attract collaborations and partnerships with people and institutions, including foreign countries, that share his vision and mission towards taking the state to its place of dreams.

He commended the legal luminary and Proprietor of the university, Afe Babalola (SAN), for always using his university to advance the course of the state, and urged others to emulate him.

Earlier in her speech, Ms. Yan Yuqing, the Consul-General of the People’s Republic of China in Lagos, said the Chinese nation decided to collaborate on the international conference so as to cross-fertilize ideas, reach consensus and facilitate further cooperation in the fields of science, education and talent development, between China and Nigeria, and even to the whole of Africa.

She said: “China continues to achieve remarkable success in the field of higher education. Up to 2023, China has a total of more than 3,000 institutions of higher education, among which there are over 1,200 ordinary undergraduate schools, and over 1,500 higher

“Vocational schools in China have trained many talents for China’s economic development and social progress,

“On the other hand, science and technology have become important drivers of China’s economic growth. New quality productive forces will not only invigorate China’s high-quality growth, but also provide impetus for global sustainable development.”

The Consul-General disclosed that in 2023 alone, China invested about $470 billion in research and development (R&D) expenditures or 2.64 percent of GDP.

She described Africa as the most promising continent in the world in terms of economic development, and that Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa, saying Nigeria and the whole of African continent had great potential for development in terms of science, technology and innovation, talent development and technology-driven innovation if well harnessed.

She also noted that China and Nigeria are important strategic partners, saying China was always willing to cooperate more with Nigeria in the field of higher education, explore support for more outstanding Nigerian students to study in China and Chinese students to come to Nigeria for exchanges, and support more joint scientific research among universities.

Besides, Yuqing said numerous Chinese companies are investing in Nigeria, creating a large number of jobs and also promoting the development of Nigerian society.

According to her, “China is willing to support the empowerment of Nigerian youth employment, and through Chinese language and vocational skills education, provide more Nigerian youths with the opportunity to work in Chinese enterprises, and even serve as the companies’ administrators.”

In a goodwill message, the acting Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Chris I Malyakt, on behalf of the 272 universities in Nigeria, lauded Afe Babalola for his innovations, courage, tenacity of purpose and determination, “as a hugely passionate Nigerian icon, whose tireless contribution in providing quality university education and expanding our higher landscape must be fully documented.”

He said all over the world, universities, generally perceived as the centres of learning, research, teaching and community engagement, play an important role in human development, and that they are the catalysts for change, engines of innovation, and key contributors to societal progress, hence, their acceptance as the critical Institutions for the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development.

He described as apt and timely, the theme of the conference: ‘Building Bridges for Advancing the SDGs: Enhancing Inter-University Scientific Collaboration between Africa and China’, as it is in perfect alignment with the internationalisation agenda of the commission, to advance sustainable development, through enhanced research and scientific collaboration between Africa and Asia.

He said as the flagship regulatory agency for university education in Nigeria, the commission would expect the conference to address a fundamental need for cross-continental partnerships, required to drive sustainable development and innovations.

Earlier in her welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Smaranda Olarinde, said the conference was a milestone event that provides a timely opportunity to deepen the longstanding cultural, economic, and educational ties between citizens of the Peoples Republic of China and Nigeria

Prof. Smaranda said it was a huge delight for the institution when she received the invitation letter from the director of the Centre for China-Africa Discourse Studies (CECADS) for ABUAD to host the milestone conference.