Only Sound Education ‘ll Transform Africa – Komara, Ex-Guinean PM

Former Prime Minister, Republic of Guinea, Mr. Kabine Komara, has said that only sound and qualitative education that can transform the African Continent.
Speaking at the 20th Convocation of Igbinedion University, Okada, where postgraduate diplomas, masters, doctoral and honorary degrees were conferred on graduates and awardees of the university, Komara said there was need for African universities to raise their standards.
He said, “Let’s talk about how we can start developing our nations, the role of integrating and the need to raise the standards of university education in Africa. Unless African universities can reach the same system of measurement of education like other countries and adopt the standard quality and methodology of education of those nations, it would be very difficult to protect and produce valuable human resources that would compete with other human resources worldwide.
“It is important for African universities to come out to launch knowledge. They can birth ideas so that we can use this knowledge to develop the continent and to also protect our idea and how we can use our ideas to enhance our continent. Otherwise we owe our continent a great responsibility.”
The former prime minister said it was important for African countries to share resources. “One important aspect of sharing resources is water. Water is very vital to our existence. Today, to get water is now a problem everywhere in various countries in Africa, because of the scarcity of water in Africa. In Nigeria today, the battles between herders and farmers lead to the loss of about 1,500 lives every year.
“If African leaders cannot solve the issue of water in their continent it might lead to a great problem in future in Africa. Urgent steps should be taken to address the issue of water in the continent.”
Komara, who also talked about food security said, “Food security is a very serious critical issue in Africa. So, we are suffering for hunger in Africa. It is fundamental for African universities to unite to have enough skills and capacities to strengthen ourselves to see how we can produce inside Africa for our consumption,” he added
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, who was represented by the minister of Transportation, Mallam Sambo, said government alone cannot solve the challenges of education in Nigeria, so, it needs the partnership of private universities to transform and improve the education sector in the country.
Prof. Osinbajo said, “Twenty-three years ago, Igbinedion University laid the foundation as the first private university in Nigeria. I must commend the founder of this great institution for taking this bold step. I wish many more years of success as you continue to pursue your mandate of being a centre of academy excellence through teaching, research and knowledge production.”
The vice-president said with the huge demand for university education, it was obvious that government alone cannot build the carrying capacity. “To achieve this, we must foster strategic partnership between governments and the private sectors,” he said.
He pointed out that Nigeria should invest in more universities. “As a nation, we must invest more in opening of more universities, with the number of youths amounting to 70 percent population of our youth. We cannot overemphasize the need to expand the capacity of our tertiary educational landscape effectively. We must encourage transnational education by deliberately attracting top foreign universities across the world to set up their campuses in Nigeria.
“This will enhance quality and healthy competition. We must deepen private partnership,” he said.
Aligning with what the Guinean prime minister said, Osinbajo said universities across Africa must adopt international best practices to deliver standard and qualitative education to their students. “Anything short of this means that our continent would be uncompetitive,” he added.
“They must passionately carry out their duties without fear or favour. A strong higher education is vital to the acceleration development with inclusive societies and promote economic growth and development, which is why as educationists and stakeholders, we must continue to ensure world class educational standard and quality becomes a norm,” Prof Osinbajo said.
Chancellor of the university, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, in his address read by his son, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, said the establishment of the University had brought great light to the university sector.
Vice Chancellor of the Igbinedion University, Okada, Prof. Ikechukwu Ezemonye, said the University was fully accredited by CISCO to offer industrial certification in Cyber security, among others courses.