…as Edwin Clark University holds maiden convocation lecture

Prof Julius Okojie

By Festus Ahon – Asaba

Former Executive Secretary of the National University Commission, NUC, Prof Julius Okojie has said the future of education in the country lies squarely in the hands of private universities in Nigeria.

Okojie who stated this while delivering a lecture at the maiden convocation of Edwin Clark University, Kiagbodo, Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State, said one major vantage of the private universities was their stability, lamenting that government-owned universities were always faced with the challenges of the incessant strike.

In the lecture titled; “Private Universities and Future of University Education In Nigeria”, he said even some universities have lost a cumulative period of more than eight semesters due to frequent strike, adding that whenever government owned universities were on strike, their private counterparts were in session.

Okojie held that the stability of the private universities in Nigeria has also encouraged parents and guardians greatly to make their children and wards study here in Nigeria rather than study in other African countries.

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Chairman of the occasion, Prof Ihechukwu Madubuike commended the Proprietor of the University, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark for his vision and foresight in establishing the institution and also thanked God for keeping him alive to witness the first convocation and first sets of graduates of the University.

Earlier in his remarks, Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Timothy Olagbemiro, thanked the Chancellor, Chief Edwin Clark for his commitment to the development of the university which according to him, was licensed by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the National Universities Commission, NUC on 7th May, 2015 as the 60th Private University in the country.

Vanguard News Nigeria.