Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, the Vice President of Nigeria, has issued a challenge to the universities in the country, saying that no government in the world is capable of funding universities to the extent that is required. He also challenged the universities to work aggressively to raise funds and market their institutions.
The challenge was issued by him on Tuesday, during the opening ceremony of the Kessington Adebukunola Adebutu Foundation, which took place in the Auditorium of the University of Ibadan’s Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics.
A Nigerian philanthropist by the name of Sir Kessington Adebutu provided funding for the construction of the auditorium.
The Vice President of Nigeria stated that it is now essential for Nigeria’s tertiary institutions to engage in aggressive marketing in order to raise the funds they need because it has become necessary due to the fact that government budgeting will not provide the funding required for the optimal operation of universities in Nigeria.
“Consequently, educational institutions that engage in vigorous fundraising are among the most prestigious in the world.
“A whole department in some of the best universities, like Harvard, Yale, Oxford, and Cambridge, as well as all universities in general, have very aggressive departments that are solely committed to marketing the university and fundraising.
“For instance, I received my education at the University of Lagos; I consider it to be my Alma Mata. But in addition to that, I earned a degree in economics from the London School of Economics at the University of London.
Even if it’s just for ten pounds, I always get a letter from the London School of Economics asking for donations of some kind, and it never fails to arrive on the first of the month.
“They are constantly engaging in aggressive marketing, and ever since I left the company in 1981, I have received this letter unfailingly on the first of every month. There is no correspondence coming from the University of Lagos. Not one.
“No one has ever approached me and said, ‘You are an alumnus. Come and donate.’ No, that has never happened. And I have no doubt that the situation is the same at the University of Ibadan. There must be a vigorous approach to marketing.
No government in the history of the world has ever been able to or will ever be able to fund universities to the extent that is required. It requires aggressive marketing in order to succeed.
“In order for the university to generate revenue, we are going to have to develop and sell a number of different programs. Universities can only remain operational thanks to financial support from private donors.
Concepts and potential answers
When Vice President Osinbajo was asked about recent happenings in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Ibadan, he responded by saying that the work being done in the department is important because Nigeria is currently facing a great deal of difficulty in the area of human nutrition.
According to him, the serious problems that have been plaguing nutrition in the country have been brought to light as a result of his position as Chair of Nigeria’s Nutrition Council over the past three years.
“As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, poverty has worsened, and malnutrition and unhealthy dietary practices have created new dangers to the health of a large portion of our population, as well as new obstacles to their ability to be productive.
“A large number of children are malnourished, and malnutrition and food insecurity have only made it more difficult for children to learn and to acquire the skills and knowledge that are necessary to be successful in the workplace.
“However, the mental and physical retardation that results from this condition is permanent. Imagine for a moment an entire adult generation whose mental and physical health has deteriorated to the point where they are a burden on their communities and on the nation as a whole, both economically and socially.
“Consider the implications of the possibility that half of our population could be at risk of mental and physical retardation that is irreversible if we don’t get it right.
“As a result, I believe that this preeminent institution and this department have their work cut out for them.”
Foods used in therapy
The Vice President of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo, stated that Nigeria has the local capacity to produce therapeutic foods, also known as Ready to Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF), which are used to treat acute malnutrition. He made this statement while pointing out that the department has been engaged in research in public health nutrition and agricultural linkages.
“We have the potential to produce enough of that RUTF for the entire continent of Africa, and the projections are that the price of ready-to-use therapeutic foods is going to increase; that with all of the food chain problems we have everywhere in the world, these prices are going to increase.”
Therefore, there is a significant consumer base there; in addition, there are significant opportunities for business and research in that location.
Osinbajo explained that ideation, research, and teaching met with philanthropy in order to create the KAAF Auditorium. Philanthropy was especially important in supporting development ideas in order to bring the facility to fruition.
Osinbajo praised Chief Adebutu for the generous donation he made, and at the same time he urged the Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics to work toward the establishment of a research grant funded by the philanthropist.
