Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has declared that the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) is in no way inferior to conventional universities in the country. He made the statement on Monday while receiving officials of the institution who paid him a courtesy visit to confer on him the NOUN Alumni Award.
Obasanjo, who earned a PhD from the university after his presidency, played a key role in the resuscitation of NOUN in 2001 during his first term in office.
"I Came, I Saw, I Conquered" — Obasanjo Speaks from Experience
Speaking during the event, Obasanjo emphasized that his personal academic journey through NOUN had convinced him of its credibility and rigor.
“Some people said an open university is inferior to non-open universities, but I was not discouraged. I said, let me go there and have a taste of what they’re saying. Then I came in, I saw, and I conquered,” he said.
Obasanjo noted that his doctoral research was supervised by two distinguished lecturers who had also guided several other PhD candidates. “If they supervised me successfully, my PhD wouldn’t be inferior,” he asserted.
Bridging the Education Gap
The former president traced the evolution of higher education in Nigeria—from the University of Ibadan being the sole institution for about a decade, to the emergence of federal, state, and private universities. Despite these developments, he said, the demand for university education continues to outstrip supply.
“Despite the availability of universities, we’re still not coping. The gaps keep getting wider, which is why I said the open university is a necessity,” he added, stressing that NOUN provides much-needed flexibility for working professionals and non-traditional learners.
NOUN Seeks Expanded Support and Infrastructure
During the visit, Prof. Ganiyat Adesina-Uthman, Director of the Directorate of Advancement and Linkages at NOUN, highlighted the university’s unique position as the largest of its kind in Africa. She called on Obasanjo to support key development initiatives.
“We need scholarships for some of our flagship programmes, including Entrepreneurship Studies, Criminology and Security Studies, Mass Communication, Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution, and Indigenous Studies,” she said.
Other infrastructural requests included:
- A university hospital
- A 50-room guest house
- A 1,000-capacity auditorium
- Naming rights for the Advancement and Linkages building
- Community service initiatives such as school supplies, water, and sanitation for host communities
Centre for African Studies Eyes Strategic Partnerships
Prof. Wilfred Ngwuanyi, Director of the Olusegun Obasanjo Centre for African Studies at NOUN, praised Obasanjo’s legacy of intellectual leadership and pan-African vision. He appealed to the former president to help the centre build partnerships with agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Chinese Embassy.
The goal, he explained, was to support collaborative research, publications, and possibly the establishment of a Chinese cultural centre under the university’s umbrella.
"NOUN Has Come to Stay"
Obasanjo reaffirmed his commitment to the university’s mission and growth, stating that at its peak, the institution had over half a million students enrolled, with that number continuing to grow.
“NOUN has come to stay,” he declared, assuring university officials of his full support for its future plans and initiatives.