In the series of articles I wrote in 2018, I focused on endowment of funds to universities as the only way to keep them alive. So, may we please revisit what took place at the Western Delta University (WDU), Oghara on this year’s 29th of April.

It was more than just an ordinary 15th Founders’ Day celebration. Obviously, that day a deep infusion of fresh air went into WDU’s lungs. But if we fail to learn the survival lessons that event held for other Nigerian universities – both private and public- then the Nigerian university system will never recover from the chasm it has already fallen into.

As Founders’ Days usually go, eminent personalities who have contributed to WDU’s growth received awards. Those personalities included Their Excellences Dr. Olukayode Fayemi, former two-time Governor of Ekiti State who also served as Minister of Solid Mineral Resources and Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, former governor of Delta State, Peter Obi, former Anambra state Governor, three giants of Nigerian academia, Emeritus Professor Andrew Onokeroraye, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin and the pioneer Pro-Chancellor of WDU; the pioneer Vice Chancellor of the WDU, Prof. Peter Hugbo; Prof. G. G Darah, former Chief of Staff to Chief James Onanefe Ibori, the fire eating activist from the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University,  Chief Dere  Otubu, Chief Dr. Williams Makinde, former Managing Director of Delta State  Oil Producing Area Development Commission ( DESOPADEC ); Deacon Moses Ogbe, former INEC Resident Commissioner to Lagos State; and Engr. Chief Greg Ighere of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

One of the real lessons of that day was in the glittering constellation of persons which the WDU’s moving spirit, Ibori, was able to attract to WDU. Their differing backgrounds (consider Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate, Fayemi the All Progressives Congress chieftain) of those who answered a call from Ibori, a Peoples Democratic Party pillar since 1998, is a reminder that the university is not just apolitical but a place of study. Added gleam came from Publisher of This Day Newspapers and Promoter of Arise Television, Prof. Nduka Obaigbena, Publisher of Ovation Magazine, Chief Dele Momodu, the General Overseer of Mercy Land Church, Prophet Jeremiah Fufeyin, traditional rulers and other notable personalities.

Now, we have to get into the kernel of a university’s survival; endowment. The ordinary tuition fees from students is hardly enough for any university to survive on, if a university has to attract the best Professors from the ends of the earth and engage in research as academic activities of a university goes beyond mere teaching and grading the students’ examination scripts.

That is where the personalities who graced the 15th WDU Founders’ Day ceremony made a difference. Never to be forgotten is that immense endowment, a real benefaction, from Prince Nduka Obaigbena of a grant of all of One Billion Naira to Western Delta University, “to encourage the institution in its quest to build a first rate institution committed to the pursuit of excellence in all areas of academic learning, technological development and social service”. Obaigbena, described Ibori as a long-time friend and a people-oriented leader who is ever ready to sacrifice for the development of his people. The Arise Television promoter who gave Chief Ibori  an all-round eulogy also commended him for his large heart and great vision for establishing the university, remarking that running a university is money-intensive and the promoters do it virtually for development purpose and not really for profit.

He said he is at the 15th father’s day celebration of the Western Delta University, to rejoice and encourage a friend who is giving back to society what it needed to grow.

Ibori had introduced Peter Obi as his younger brother, who was invited to impact his knowledge to WDU students in view of his abundant talent and crave for human resources development. In a brief remark, Obi, whose presence threw the university into a frenzy of loud ovation and a momentarily uncontrolled, even rowdy, movement guests but mostly the students as people milled around him, trying to touch him, acknowledged Ibori’s reference to him as a junior brother and promised to contribute to the overall development of the Western Delta University.

He and Dr. Kayode Fayemi accepted Ibori’s invitation to become visiting lecturers at WDU. While Dr. Fayemi will lecture on Governance and Policy Implementation, Obi will impact his excellent knowledge of entrepreneurship into the students.

Others who donated to the Western Delta University are: Senator Chief Ighoyota Amori, N250,000, Prophet Jeremiah Fufeyin, N5m, Chief Greg Ighere, an unspecified amount, Chief Williams Makinde, unspecified amount, His Excellency Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan and his family, an unspecified amount, amongst others. Yes, there is this unspecified amount, too; Dr. Kayode Fayemi who delivered the day’s lecture; Sub-National Governance; The Ekiti Example, announced he would build a School of Policy Implementation at WDU.

Endowments built the great universities of the world. With the endowed funds, Nigerian universities should begin to invest in profitable ventures. Harvard has the largest university endowment in the world, valued at about $50.9 billion as of 2022 – thanks to the endowments but more thanks to the shrewd investments made by the Harvard Corporation.