Adebayo Adenrele
A Professor of Development Economics in Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti (EKSU), Taiwo Owoeye has called for the reintegration of Nigerian academic framework to global education and labour system.
This according to him would enable Nigeria to become a key driver of productivity and achieve a relatively high level of proficiency at a lower level of income to attract foreign investments.
Professor Owoeye made this call on Wednesday while delivering the 90th inaugural lecture of the University titled: “An empty House Full of People: Poverty, Productivity and Prosperity in Nigeria”.
He added that it would also allow the country to develop high-quality Universities to drive innovation and economic development, thereby increasing productivity and sustaining the prosperity of Nigeria.
His words, “A key driver of productivity is diffusion of knowledge from high income and highly productive nations to poor nations and this usually occurs through three routes- trade, education and migration.
“The most important of these routes is trade; but trade requires that the low-income country first achieve a relatively high level of productivity at a lower level of income to attract foreign investment.
“While political will and public funding are crucial for establishing elite universities, one of the biggest obstacles to reforming the Nigerian university system is the left-leaning ideological posture of Nigerian academics.
“Born of pre- and post-colonial struggles, many Nigerian academics are trapped in an ideological mindset that promotes universal access to university education at the expense of quality”.
In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Joseph Ayodele hailed the inaugural lecturer for the insights, reiterating that Nigeria would experience increased productivity and prosperity if the recommendation is duly considered.
