At the inauguration of the N350 million Olufemi Okenla Entrepreneurship Centre at Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago Iwoye, the Minister of Education, Dr. Moruf Alausa, underscored the urgency for Nigerian tertiary institutions to nurture graduates who are both employable and capable of creating jobs.
Represented by Mr. Tolani Sule, Lagos State Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Dr. Alausa highlighted that Nigeria’s youthful population remains underutilized due to persistent unemployment. He insisted that the country’s education system must integrate entrepreneurship training to foster job creation and economic advancement.
He commended Olufemi Okenla, a distinguished OOU alumnus, for his philanthropic gesture, which aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda focused on youth empowerment and economic diversification. “Today’s event is not just about the opening of a facility; it is about the opening of minds—a gateway to new thinking, new ventures, and new opportunities,” Alausa remarked. He further stated, “The generosity and foresight of the Olufemi Okenla Foundation (O.O.F.) in establishing this centre exemplifies the type of partnership we must continue to nurture—where private commitment meets public aspiration for the greater good.”
Alausa stressed the importance of evolving the role of education to produce job creators and innovators, not just job seekers. “Entrepreneurship is the bridge between knowledge and national prosperity. Our tertiary institutions must become incubators of creativity, industry, and sustainable enterprise,” he added.
Prof. Ayodeji Agboola, OOU’s Vice Chancellor, expressed gratitude to Okenla for supporting the university’s mission to develop entrepreneurial graduates. He called on other alumni to contribute to the institution’s growth.
Prof. Oluwatoyin Ashiru, Chairman of the Governing Council, described the new centre as a major boost to OOU’s drive for global competitiveness.
Okenla, reflecting on his undergraduate days, recounted his entrepreneurial ventures and emphasized that academic qualifications should not limit one’s pursuit of entrepreneurship. He revealed that the centre’s foundation was laid on his 59th birthday and that he had allocated additional funds for its equipment, operations, and seed funding for emerging businesses. He also pledged to sponsor students for entrepreneurship training.
The keynote speaker, Prof. Olusegun Sogbesan of Onitsha Business School, advocated for compulsory entrepreneurial education in all tertiary institutions to shift the focus from job-seeking to job creation.
The ceremony concluded with the centre’s commissioning by Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo and the presence of several dignitaries, marking a significant milestone in OOU’s commitment to entrepreneurship.