By Gift Esumike
The Igbinedion University, Okada (IUO), on Tuesday celebrated its Chancellor and Founder, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, at 92, highlighting his pioneering role in the emergence and growth of private university education in Nigeria.
The celebration featured a birthday lecture titled, “A Tapestry of Nine Decades of Wisdom… Still Counting: The Journey and the Legacy.”
The lecture was delivered by Prof. Yakubu Ochefu, Professor of Economic History and Strategic Studies, at the university’s Library Conference Hall, Okada.
In his lecture, Ochefu said Igbinedion’s 92-year journey demonstrated how individual initiative and private enterprise could contribute significantly to national development.
He said the university founder belonged to a generation of African pioneers, who challenged the notion that government alone should be responsible for building major institutions and providing essential services.
“Development is too important to be left to governments alone,” Ochefu said.
He argued that private citizens with the vision and capacity to act had a responsibility to contribute to the development of public goods, particularly when state capacity was limited.
Tracing Igbinedion’s journey, Ochefu recalled his humble beginnings, selling kerosene in bottles on the streets of Benin City before joining the Nigeria Police Force and later venturing into business.
Igbinedion, the lecturer said, founded Mid Motors Nigeria Ltd. in 1968, describing it as the country’s first indigenous motor assembly plant, before establishing Okada Air in 1983.
According to him, the establishment of Okada Air further demonstrated Igbinedion’s willingness to enter sectors traditionally dominated by government.
He said the airline, which operated a fleet of more than 40 aircraft, showed the capacity of indigenous private enterprise to provide services in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
Ochefu, however, identified the establishment of Igbinedion university in 1999 as the most enduring and transformative aspect of Igbinedion’s legacy.
“When he established Igbinedion university in 1999, he executed what I consider his most revolutionary act.
“With a single stroke of institutional imagination, he took higher education out of the exclusive domain of state bureaucracy and placed it in the hands of academic freedom and private enterprise,” he said.
He said the decision to establish a private university helped demonstrate that Nigerians could independently build and sustain institutions capable of contributing to the country’s intellectual and human-capital development.
Earlier in his address, Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye, Vice-Chancellor of the university, described Igbinedion, who is the Esama of Benin as a visionary leader, accomplished entrepreneur and philanthropist whose contributions had impacted generations.
Ezemonye noted that the establishment of the institution in 1999 was a defining milestone in Nigeria’s higher education history.
According to him, the institution came at a time when university education was largely dominated by government-owned institutions.
“The celebration provides an opportunity to reflect on the life and achievements of the chancellor, whose legacy is defined by courage, determination, resilience, vision and generosity,” he said.
The vice-chancellor described the establishment of the Nigeria’s first private university, as one of Chief Igbinedion’s most significant contributions to education.
He also highlighted the achievements of students of the university, noting that they had continued to distinguish themselves by winning awards at national, continental and global levels.
These achievements, he said, reflected the institution’s contribution to producing graduates capable of competing beyond Nigeria.
In his goodwill, Dr Foster Sankara, who led the delegation from the Office of the President of Ghana, commended the celebrant for his achievements across various sectors of the economy. (NAN)
EIG/AUO/CHOM
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Edited by Usman Aliyu/ Chioma Ugboma