TheCable

President Muhammadu Buhari has advised Nigerian youths to stay and advance the cause of their motherland.

The president, who was represented by Suleiman Raman-Yusuf, the deputy executive secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC), was speaking during the 44th convocation ceremony of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife on Saturday.

“It is high time that universities took more proactive roles in ensuring that graduands perform more meaningfully in the world of works,” he said.

“It is in view of this that we wish to exhort our youths to start looking inwards, stay and advance the cause of their motherland. We have no other country than Nigeria. We should remain here to salvage the country together.”

Buhari said the future of Nigeria lies in the mode and quality of education provided to the citizenry adding that the government needs support with funding education.

He, therefore, tasked universities on the need for them to increase their internally generated revenue (IGR) to enhance sustainable education.

In his remarks, Eyitope Ogunbodede, the university’s vice-chancellor, announced that the university is currently reviewing the curricular of all academic programmes, in line with current developments and standards.

Ogunbodede added that emphasis was being placed on training job creators and not mere job seekers.

He informed the gathering that the university would no longer be dependent on the national grid, as it would soon generate its own electricity.

NAN reports that event witnessed the conferment of honorary doctorate degrees on some personalities including Ibukun Awosika, chairman of First Bank of Nigeria Plc. and Benedict Oramah, president of African Export-Import Bank (AFREXIMBANK).