Bunmi Olarewaju and Femi Otitoju
The Directorate of Integrated Services and Training (DIST), Federal University Oye- Ekiti, held a one-day training programme, tagged “The Power of Purpose: Reimagining our Roles in Driving Innovation Through Skills Development in the University.”
It was held at the Faculty of Science Twins Lecture Theater I, on Thursday 10th July, 2025.
Acting Vice- Chancellor Professor Olubunmi Shittu who was ably represented by his Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Professor Tajudeen Bolanle Opoola declared the event open.
Also in attendance were Deputy Vice-Chancellor Strategic Partnership Research, Innovations and Linkages (SPRIL), Professor Joshua Ogunwole, the Registrar, ably represented by Mr. Sunday Akinkunmi, a Deputy Registrar and Personnel Affairs Officer.
Other dignitaries were Professor Bukola Bolaji, Professor Femi Adekunle and the Public Relations Officer of the university, Mr. Foluso Ogunmodede.
However, the Acting Vice-Chancellor in his opening remarks welcomed participants to the one-day retreat organized for the entrepreneur development officers of the institution, saying the retreat was a deliberate response to the urgent call for a transformative approach on how to drive innovation and practical skills within the university system.
Accordingly, the Acting Vice- Chancellor said participants should see the training as an opportunity to look back with a view to taking proactive steps to reflect and reimagine “our roles as catalysts for entrepreneurial growth and a purpose-driven development.”
To the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olubunmi Shittu, Entrepreneur Development was no longer a peripheral concern as it had become central to the mission of building a 21st Century university responsive to societal needs relevant to industrial development.
To do this effectively, he said “we must drive our actions, not just actively but also intentionally focused and value driven engagement.”
He went on: “You are the frontline Ambassadors of this purpose as your passion, your creativity and leadership are pivotal to whether our entrepreneurship and innovation agenda would thrive.”
Earlier, Director of the Directorate of Integrated Services, Mr. Olanrewaju Patrick Ogunjobi emphasized that the retreat marked a significant moment “not just as an event” but as a checkpoint on our journey towards building a truly entrepreneurial and innovation-driven university.
He said: “As someone who has had the privilege of overseeing Directorate of Education Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, acknowledged that over the years entrepreneurship at FUOYE had evolved from a vision into a living structure with dedicated staff, expanding programmes and increasing motivated students from small vocational classes to fully-fledged skills acquisition centers both at Oye and Ikole campuses.
“We have seen our students pick-up tailoring, cameras, cooking pots, digital tools, business and transform them into means of survival, self-reliance, and event start-up ventures. “
As global economics pivot toward skills-based employment and innovation ecosystem, the role of universities is shifting from knowledge-transmitter to value-creators. Our graduates can no longer depend on certificates alone, they must graduate with competencies by entrepreneurship mindsets and adaptive skills that position them as creators of opportunities and not seekers of job.”
Meanwhile, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor SPRIL, Professor Joshua Ogunwole hailed the initiative as a foundational step toward a more entrepreneurial and sustainable university ecosystem.
He said: “You are the critical compass that we need for the future. There is no way that we can have a viable university environment without an entrepreneurial center.”
Professor Ogunwole, however, canvassed more industry-driven training sessions, stressing the need to support students in exploring diverse interests and talents outside their core academic disciplines.
To Professor Olusola Ayanda, who spoke on driving Innovation through Vocational and Soft Skills across Nigerian Universities, defined innovation as “the transformation of ideas into valuable products, services, or processes, and highlighted its role in national competitiveness.”
Professor Ayanda criticized academic system for its overreliance on theoretical instruction and called for reforms that would bridge the gap between knowledge and practical skills.
“Vocational education fosters self-reliance and reduces unemployment,” he said.
Echoing the sentiments, Mr. Kunle Oladele, the second resource person, delivered a presentation entitled “Strengthening Innovation Ecosystem by Identifying and Promoting Entrepreneurship Opportunities within the University System.”
He said that universities should evolve into innovation hubs supported by infrastructure, mentorship, funding, and strong town and gown relationships.
According to Oladele, “Universities naturally act as talent incubators. Within their diverse communities lie an untapped reservoir of ideas waiting to be transformed into impactful ventures.”
Citing the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development, Innovation, and Support Service established in FUOYE in 2011 as an example of the university’s commitment to entrepreneurial education, Oladele called for stronger partnerships with private industry, more deliberate innovation policies, and broader access to funding and mentorship as panacea.
Also, the retreat spotlighted success stories such as that of Oluwatobi Onyewusi, popularly known as Extremebeatz, an alumnus of FUOYE, who was recently selected for the prestigious JBL Music Academy in Amsterdam.
His achievement was praised as a testament to the university’s growing reputation in fostering talent and global competitiveness in creative industries.
Participants and speakers collectively stressed the importance of intentional innovation, prioritizing interdisciplinary research, revamping university curricula, engaging with communities, and accessing funding opportunities.
Initiatives like the €40 million Blueprint-ICT-Dev Project, TETFund’s research commercialization efforts, and collaborations with global institutions were presented as pathways to elevate Nigerian universities.
As the retreat concluded, a unified call emerged for FUOYE to trail the blaze in repositioning Nigerian universities from degree-awarding institutions to dynamic engines of innovation, entrepreneurship, and socio-economic impact.
Photo Credit: Toluwanimi Bamigbola
