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Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Consortium of Universities in Kwara State (KU8+), Prof. Ishaq Olanrewaju Oloyede, has challenged universities in the state to become its “developmental brain box” by providing research-driven solutions to its economic and social challenges.
The immediate past Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) made the call in a goodwill message at the opening of the Fourth KU8+ Conference at Summit University, Offa, at the weekend.
He urged the universities to harness their collective expertise to transform agriculture, revive collapsed industries and provide objective advice to government on policies capable of driving sustainable development.
Oloyede said universities should remain apolitical and perform what he described as a “sanitising role” by offering independent and objective advice to governments.
Recalling his tenure as Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, he said he once declined an appointment as a Presiding Officer during a national election because of his belief that universities should remain neutral and available to mediate when political actors disagreed.
He challenged KU8+ institutions to collaborate in developing innovative solutions to boost agricultural productivity and economic growth, noting that Kwara was home to several Federal Government institutions with mandates in the agricultural sector.
They include the Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI), Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI), Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority, National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM) and the Faculty of Agriculture, among others.
Describing agriculture as one of the state’s greatest strengths, Oloyede said the concentration of agricultural institutions provided an opportunity for the universities to develop solutions to the challenges confronting the sector.
He also lamented the collapse of major industries in the state, including the Bacita Sugar Company, Jebba Paper Mill and Tobacco Company.
Oloyede challenged the universities to deploy research and innovation towards reviving such industries and reinventing the state’s economy.
He said 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.
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The former JAMB Registrar commended the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin and Chairman of KU8+, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, for initiating the consortium.
He clarified that, contrary to claims in some quarters, he did not establish KU8+, explaining that although the University of Ilorin pioneered earlier collaborative initiatives, including AWAU and U6+, during his tenure as vice chancellor, the consortium was an initiative of Egbewole’s administration.
Also speaking, the Olofa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi Esuwoye II, congratulated the organisers and described KU8+ as a commendable initiative that was already redefining collaboration among universities in the state.
He commended the university leaders for coming together to promote educational development and expressed optimism that the collaboration would help Kwara produce some of the best students in Nigeria through shared programmes and initiatives.
Meanwhile, the second lead paper presenter, Emeritus Professor of Science Education, Olugbemiro Jegede, urged KU8+ members to deepen collaboration through a credit transfer system that would allow students to move seamlessly among member institutions.
Jegede also advocated staff and student exchange programmes, joint degree awards, and collaborative teaching and research initiatives to promote greater academic integration among the universities.
He proposed a unified academic ecosystem featuring a consortium-wide Learning Management System (LMS), virtual campuses, shared high-performance computing facilities and cloud infrastructure.
According to him, pooling resources would eliminate unnecessary duplication, improve efficiency and expand access to quality teaching, learning and research facilities across member universities.
Jegede said the future of higher education depended on 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.
