The Vice Chancellor of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Prof. Ayodeji Agboola, has said that the state-owned university has produced 265,000 graduates since it was established 40 years ago.
Agboola said this on Tuesday at a press briefing to mark the 40th foundation anniversary of the university held at the institution.
The VC, who spoke on the theme, ‘Lighting the path of academic excellence: Yesterday, today and tomorrow’, said the next five years would be used to consolidate on various achievements of the past administrations.
Agboola explained that the university, which started with 522 students and four faculties in 1983, had grown to receive 22,000 applications from candidates with about seven thousand quota every year.
He added that the OOU, which was formerly known as the Ogun State University, now runs 72 programmes with 65 of them having full accreditation by the National Universities Commission.
The VC also disclosed that the institution had produced 190 first class graduates between 2016 and 2021.
According to Agboola, the 40 foundation anniversary celebrations and commemoration is to highlight the achievements of the university, celebrate its growth and successes, and bring the university community together in a series of events and activities with its alumni, public and corporate world and the society at large.
While speaking on the plans to address the rate of students dropping out of the school, Agboola attributed the development to funding.
He said, “Students dropping out in the institution, when we noticed that, we did the SWOT analysis of what happened to them. We came to realise that the major problem there was funding, so, we instituted immediate funding but, of course, it cannot take care of all of them.
“So, going forward, we have agreed that we are going to be doing work-studies where funding will be given to just 500 because we cannot take care of all of them.
“With work-studies, we are sure that majority of them will be accommodated and that will also solve the problem.”
He also blamed the brain drain to the shortfall of the teaching staff, adding that some lecturers, due to the current situation in the country, resigned and left the country for greener pastures.
On the plans to project the university in the next five years, Agboola said six strategic intervention pillars would be adopted.
Agboola, who assumed office last October, said his administration planned to ensure academic excellence, high impact and translational research; university administration; improving students experience; entrepreneurial, linkages and partnership and improved and sustainable funding.
