By Dayo Adesulu

WEBSTER University’s  President, Professor Benjamin Olayinka Akande, a Nigerian-born American citizen has urged decision makers of institutions of higher learning in Nigeria to focus more on application of knowledge and less on theory adding that our curriculum should be adjusted to reflect this. “The Nigerian educator sector is strong because it prepares people to succeed in a very difficult situation. What we need to do is improve in it and focus on application  and less on theory.’’

According to him, Nigerians by nature are very industrious and intelligent people  who can make the most sweetest from the most bitter lemon adding that the best way to do this is by focusing our attention on education that get to do with application of knowledge.

The Vice-Chancellor, with more that twenty -five years as a professor and administrator said.’’ What we hear from banks, institutions is that when they hire Nigerian graduates, they know the theory but don’t know how to apply it. So what is missing in our education sector is how do we create a curriculum shifts theory to application. We are to apply our theory to make decisions in real live situation.

Akande who spoke during the unveiling of Webster MBA in Lagos said that the shift might not be too easy because it will take commitment from decision makers in institutions of higher learning to make the adjustment. He averred that if the application of knowledge is introduced in the curriculum, Nigeria in no time will be able to produce the next Bill Gate or Steve Job.  According to him, Webster University which has berthed in Ghana is willing to come to Nigeria to provide MBA education.

Akande who lamented the backlog of students who were unable to get admission into university system yearly noted such scenario will form a compounding unemployment. He said even if the government is willing to employ them, they are unemployable as they don’t have the focus, preparations to go to employment place.

The administration, he urged should focus on dealing with that situation, noting that no country can be viable and relevant without a very strong oriented educational process. ‘’That is a pr-crossroad in creating jobs to innovations and entrepreneurship,’’ he added. He said:’’Right now the educational system in Nigeria is not moving in the full scale speed it needs to go. We need resources but we also need a re-commitment.

Speaking on the need for drivers of sector to be focus, he advised them to chose a direction to what is important to us? He asked: ‘’It is to prepare students for medicine, entrepreneurship  and be great managers, engineers. What kind of focus? If it is engineering, will it be civil or mechanical. Are we focusing on road construction or on technology? We need to decide where we are going to commit our resources as a country.

Asked why Webster University is not in Nigeria but in Ghana, Akande said it is all about a  government being able to open to new ideas that broaden the horizon of its education sector. According to the President, Webster University which is in different part of the world has not failed in the opportunity to collaborate. His words: Nigeria is the most important and viable market  because it has a strong economy and a population base which is very significant. That is why we are going to spend a lot of time in Nigeria.

On why there are no international schools in Nigeria, he said:’’ The process of establishing school in Nigeria is a steep hill to climb. They don’t make it easy for established US organisations to come to this country. ‘’May be the established universities do not need competitions, however, there should be some considerations. If Nigeria is going to be relevant, we have to allow other institutions to come in and share their knowledge. What we bring to Nigeria is intellectual property of over an hundred years experience in education that has produced president of Indonesia, that has produced astronauts, captains of industries in the Unite State if America.

“ We have done it for over two hundred years and we believe we can do it in Nigeria. The key point is, does the government enable it for us? The regulations, processes do not make it happen. I hope the administration of president Buhari will embrace the idea as many international schools want to come to Nigeria.

To actualise the aforementioned goals, he said there need to bring a new established regulation that basically states that we want to welcome other institutions around the world in the country.  “ the government has to state clearly the type of programme it needs in Nigeria. If the criteria is set, I know that we will like to meet them just like we met other countries of the world. If you look around, a very few outside us participate in Nigeria’s education economy. When Webster took its decision with Ghana, it was a bit more comfortable.

I am a Nigerian and I will want to see more of American institutions here. It is about access and affordability. I got a chance of going to America 36 years ago as a son of a Baptist minister. My dad did not have wealth, but America provided education for me and I am were I am today because of an opportunity. I want to see other Nigerians like myself to be given that same opportunity that, instead of going abroad, we can bring America here to them.

That makes it more affordable as students do not need to go to the embassy, no visa requirement to get the best education. That is a good thing and I believe it will be the future of this country. I pray I could engage in a conversation as to how to bring back that”.