Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti
The Chancellor of Ekiti State University (EKSU), Dr. Tunji Olowolafe, has commended the Ekiti State Government for establishing six technical colleges across the state, describing the initiative as a strategic investment capable of equipping young people with practical skills needed for the future economy.
Olowolafe, however, stressed that the initiative would require sustained investment in infrastructure, modern equipment, curriculum development and manpower to maximise its impact and meet the growing demand for technical education across the state.
He spoke while delivering the lead paper at the Ekiti at 30 Future Summit, where Governor Biodun Oyebanji declared that Ekiti must move beyond merely identifying its opportunities and begin translating them into tangible prosperity through innovation, technology and productivity.
Delivering the keynote address, Oyebanji said the state must embrace new approaches to knowledge, enterprise and development as it prepares for the next phase of its growth. He described the Ekiti Knowledge Zone as a landmark initiative capable of breaking international barriers in knowledge, technology and business, while positioning the state to compete more effectively in the global economy.
In his lecture entitled, “The Path to Ekiti’s Greatness: Opportunities, Choices, and Imperatives for the Next 30 Years,” Olowolafe also commended successive administrations, traditional rulers, community leaders and other stakeholders for their contributions to the development of Ekiti over the last three decades, particularly in the education sector.
The Are-Ekiti-born academic said the state’s longstanding reputation as a centre of educational excellence had given it a comparative advantage that should now be deliberately converted into technical skills, entrepreneurship, employment and sustainable wealth creation.
While acknowledging the establishment of six technical colleges by the state government, the EKSU Chancellor said the institutions should be expanded and strengthened to serve young people across the 16 local government areas.
He advocated the modernisation of their curricula, improved infrastructure, acquisition of contemporary equipment and sustained investment in manpower development to ensure that the colleges remained relevant to the demands of a rapidly changing global economy.
According to him, specialised training in areas such as solar installation, welding, fabrication, machinery maintenance, food processing and other technical trades would prepare young people for productive careers while reducing unemployment and creating wealth.
Olowolafe also advocated the engagement of master vocational instructors from countries renowned for technical education, including Switzerland, Germany, Canada and South Africa, to strengthen teaching capacity and expose students to international best practices.
“We must expand this capacity by modernising the curriculum and directly hiring master vocational instructors from nations with elite technical education systems, such as Switzerland, Germany, Canada and South Africa, to train our faculty and connect our colleges digitally to clients and employers everywhere,” he said.
The Pro-Chancellor of Miva Open University also pledged to partner with the state government to establish upgraded, modern and solar-powered ICT centres in the six government-owned technical colleges while supporting the introduction of foreign expertise into vocational education.
He further proposed strategic partnerships with leading international mining institutions to transform the Department of Geology of Ekiti State University into a world-class centre of excellence within the next five years.
Olowolafe said Ekiti’s educational advantage must now be complemented by deliberate investment in emerging technologies, identifying artificial intelligence, robotics, biotechnology, automation and renewable energy as sectors that would shape future economic growth.
He described the Ekiti Knowledge Zone as a transformational project capable of connecting technology entrepreneurs in the state to opportunities across the world.
According to him, the project, conceived under former Governor Kayode Fayemi and currently being implemented by Governor Oyebanji, would enable young innovators to establish globally competitive technology businesses without leaving Ekiti.
“On the digital side, the Ekiti Knowledge Zone is now under way. Conceived under former Governor Kayode Fayemi and being implemented by His Excellency, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, once complete, it will give our young people a place to build technology ventures without leaving Ekiti, serving clients in Lagos, London and Singapore, and bringing that income home to Ekiti. That is how education becomes wealth,” he said.
The renowned entrepreneur also identified reliable electricity as a critical driver of education, healthcare, manufacturing and small-scale enterprises.
He proposed the establishment of renewable-energy-powered microgrids across the state’s 177 wards to provide uninterrupted electricity for schools, hospitals, workshops and businesses, adding that collaboration with the Rural Electrification Agency would accelerate implementation.
He also challenged scientists, engineers and skilled artisans to develop solar-powered cocoa-drying equipment capable of modernising cocoa processing, increasing productivity and boosting foreign exchange earnings.
Olowolafe identified the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport as one of the state’s most strategic assets, describing it as evidence of the benefits of continuity in governance and long-term planning.
He, however, emphasised that improved road infrastructure would be essential to maximise the airport’s economic potential, facilitate industrial development and attract greater investment into the state.
The Chancellor also advocated stronger collaboration between government and communities in identifying and addressing local development priorities.
He cited the Gbemisola Olowolafe Memorial Community Secondary School in Are-Ekiti as an example of successful community-driven intervention, noting that plans were underway to transform the institution into a world-class secondary school with a capacity for 600 students and a curriculum built around science, technology, languages, arts and sports.
According to him, the adjoining GOMTECH ICT Centre is already providing training in artificial intelligence, coding, graphic design and Mandarin, thereby exposing young people to globally competitive digital skills.
Highlighting ongoing reforms at EKSU, Olowolafe said the university had launched Project Digi-Teach EKSU, an initiative aimed at equipping all 650 lecturers with digital teaching competencies.
“The same thinking drives our work at Ekiti State University, where His Excellency appointed me Chancellor in 2024. Through Project Digi-Teach EKSU, we are bringing all 650 lecturers to full digital teaching proficiency, and our Trading Room has grown into a Senate-approved diploma programme in financial markets,” he said.
He added that high-speed Starlink internet had also been deployed at 12 strategic locations across the university campus to enhance digital learning, research and innovation.