The Chancellor of Covenant University, Dr. David Oyedepo, has charged Africans in the knowledge industry to wake up from their slumber and begin to chart the way forward by developing learning modules geared towards the rebirth of Africa.
He made this call during the opening of the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Africa Forum 2023, tagged: ‘Education Africa 2030 and Beyond-Sustainability and Social Impact in an African Context,’ held at the Covenant University Centre for Research, Innovation and Discovery (CUCRID), in Hebron, Canaanland, Ota, Ogun State.
While declaring the 2-day international event hosted in collaboration with QS open, the Chancellor urged professionals and players in the knowledge industry in the African continent to retrace their steps from the sleepy position they currently occupy. He stated that without a departure, arrival at one’s destination is not in view.
Speaking on what was responsible for the pitiable state of the Blackman; Dr. Oyedepo identified a lack of adequate capacity utilization of the natural endowment the continent is blessed with. He stated, “If we fail to feed and exercise the muscles of the brain, through the art of peak learning and solution-driven reasoning, it will sag and become flabby, just like the muscles of a weak body that is not exercised.
“I believe our problem in this part of the world lies in the lack of adequate engagement, which is largely responsible for where we are today. Every great nation is a function of the valuable contributions of individuals and organizations within her domain. A developed people is what results in a developed nation.”
Stressing on the need for the continent to become intellectually innovative and creative to redress the situation, he assured that Covenant University as an Afrocentric university would sustain its burning passion for a new Africa.
Dr. Oyedepo charged Africa’s knowledge industry to find indigenous solutions to their problems through massive investment in the education sector.
Dr. Ashwin Fernandes, Executive Director, Africa, Middle East/South, Asia, QS United Kingdom, said the focus was to explore and strategize on educational approaches and systems that can foster sustainability and encourage social impact.
Fernandes said that the theme of the forum is pertinent, as it stands at the height of a rapidly evolving world.
“There is a profound understanding that the role of education remains as pivotal as ever, serving as the cornerstone for cultivating sustainable growth and driving meaningful social change within our African communities,” he said.
In the same vein, Ms Veronica Omeni, Principal Consultant and Forum Chairman, QS, United Kingdom, said that the Africa Forum 2023 was not just a conference but a meeting of minds with lofty ideas.
Omeni said it was a call to invest in data-driven strategic approaches to designing, managing and developing education that meets the needs of Africans in an African context.
Speaking on the sideline of the conference, Prof. Peter Okebukola, a former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC) called on African countries to invest more in education to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The former NUC boss said the implementation of policies in areas like education and food security requires political will from both the leaders and followers.
He noted that looking at the SDGs most African countries are still far from achieving them due to poor investment in education.