By Ayobami Ife, Abeokuta
The Vice Chancellor of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) Ago -Iwoye, Prof. Ayodeji Agboola, has advised Nigerian universities to bridge the gab between the ‘town and gown’ by making their knowledge and research works relevant and impactful to people in the town.
Prof. Agboola advocated that the rational for whatever that is being done in the university, be it research, teaching and human capital development, should be driven by the need to improve the lot of the town and society.
The Vice – Chancellor who spoke with newsmen shortly after the university’s Town and Gown Day celebration on Thursday as part of the activities marking its 40th anniversary, noted that any research work that is devoid of benefits to the town is useless.
The celebration which had in attendance the Ebumawe of Ago – Iwoye, Oba AbdulRasaq Adenugba, Oba Oyebola Sowunmi, members of the university community, students and residents of various host communities, featured drama presentation, cultural dance performances, exhibitions among others.
Agboola who recalled that he was one of the early generations of students of OOU that were admitted into the institution when it took off 40 years ago in Ago – Iwoye town before it relocated to its present permanent site, said the town had impacted on him positively.
He said the Town and Gown Day which would henceforth be celebrated annually as advocated by the Ebumawe, Oba AbdulRasaq Adenugba, would further strengthen the bond of harmony among the indigenes, students and other members of the university community.
He urged the students to see the people of the university host communities as their parents and guardians in order to profit from their words of experience and wisdom.
“The university actually started in the town. That time, we didn’t even have a gown to take there, but they accepted us and gave us everything that they had. And during that period we were there, they prayed for us that all the students that were going to produce from there would be successful and I’m happy to inform you that I ‘m one of them. I was there, I graduated there, I worked there and today I’m where I’m a Professor.
“So, whatever you are doing, if it is research and it doesn’t have the components of town, it is not useful. Whatever you are doing to improve society, you must put the town in mind, if that is not done, then that thing is useless.
“So, it is always important to have both town and gown coming together all the time. And seeing that we are one. We see them as parents of these children (our students) because they stay in the town and the students must also appreciate them. And people in the town should also come here(the campus) to see what is being done. You have heard the Kabiyesi saying I’m more or less the Otunba Soyesanmi of Iwoye. It shows clearly that I have actually benefited from the town because when I came here, I was nobody but Iwoye has actually done me good and I’m somebody today
“I want the students to see it that way that if you moved closer to the people in town, apart from the formal education, they are your parents when you are here day and night. In that situation, you would be able to benefit from their words of experience and wisdom. I believe that what the Kabiyesi has suggested, we will be doing it yearly so that the people in town will know that we are not their enemies and people in the university will also know that the people in the town are their friends,” Agboola said.
Also speaking, Oba AbdulRasaq
Adenugba described OOU as a significant milestone in the history of Ago – Iwoye and the mainstay of the town’s economy.
Oba Adenugba noted that n from housing, essential commodities, transportation to other businesses in the town, the university and the students remained the drivers of all of them as the ready market.
He reckoned the Town and Gown Day celebration as a good development that has come to stay, saying it should be observed every year.
The monarch also expressed the hope that other tertiary institutions in the state would follow the example now established by the OOU.
He said, “Olabisi Onabanjo University has started it and I’m sure all other universities will definitely follow. As far as the university is concerned, it is a pacesetter in its own right. Olabisi Onabanjo is an institution and it is a household name in the arena of universities or academia. I’m sure the pace has been set by the university
“We have started it and Rome was not built in a day and we are expecting that next one will be more elaborate than what we have now. The awareness has been created for all the campuses and satelite centres in collaboration with OOU all round the state and I’m sure that all the alumni will look back to see what everyone can contribute to bring an elaborate celebration of this kind of a thing next year. I’ve pronounced it today that we should have Olabisi Onabanjo Town and Gown Day which by the grace of God we will be coming up every year. We shall all be together to celebrate it.”
