The Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, has challenged universities across the country to embark on agrressive innovations driven researches capable of meeting demands of the 21st century and solving its accompanying challenges.
He explained that the need for the nation’s varsities to lead the society out of the local challenges, particulary those posed by coronavirus pandemic ravaging the entire world necessitated the call
He noted that with the said challenges, it had become imperative for the nation’s universities to look inward and invest more in researches, innovations and technologies as a permanent way to prepare the world for future eventualities.
Speaking yesterday during the 9th convocation ceremony of the Osun State University (UNIOSUN), in Osogbo, Oyetola who is the Visitor to the varsity said that it was incumbent on all tertiary institutions to roll up their sleeves and prove instrumental in the global response against the deadly respiratory disease.
Addressing the participants at the virtual ceremony, the Governor said that the leadership of the nation’s tertiary institutions, particularly universities, must prove their strength in finding solutions to the myriad challenges confronting the country.
He said that the university must continue to bear the creativity and innovation torch for the industry and the society, most importantly at this critical time when the whole world was moving from physical to virtual engagement.
“At this critical time when the whole world is moving from physical to virtual engagement, the University must continue to bear the creativity and innovation torch for the industry and the society.
“I charge the University to lead the society out of the challenges posed by Covid-19 and prepare the world for eventualities that may come in the future,” he said.
Furthermore, Oyetola enjoined the graduands to take advantage of the numerous opportunities presented by the pandemic by looking inward to employ entrepreneurial skills and competencies which the university had imbued in them to be job creators and employers of labour.
“The accompanying new normal presented by COVIS-19 is an invitation to the graduands to look inward and put to use the entrepreneurial skills and competencies which the University has imbued in them to be job creators and employers of labour.
“The graduands are products and ambassadors of innovation and entrepreneurship which the University stands for in a world in need of thinkers as a solution to its myriad problems.
“I challenge the graduands to take up the challenge with courage and be solutions to the unemployment quagmire the nation and the world are grappling with.
While commending leadership of the university for being the trail blazer both in academic standard and character building, Oyetola said that the resolve to hold the 9th convocation virtually was a testimony to the edge the institution has in the comity of universities in the country and beyond.
