By Oyinkansayo Wole-Bodunde.
Prof. Oladapo Afolabi, former Head of Service of the Federation, has called on Nigerian universities to prioritize innovation and competitiveness to drive national development.
He emphasized that universities must be creative and solution-focused to remain relevant, highlighting funding, innovation, and good governance as essential components for success.
Prof. Afolabi made the call during the 2025 Faculty Lecture at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), held in honor of the late Prof. Olu Odeyemi, a pioneering microbiologist. Prof. Afolabi said that Prof. Odeyemi’s legacy exemplified innovation and good governance. He said, “There are three critical components for a university to survive, not only for today but for the 22nd century. One is funding. The second is innovation and the third is good governance.”
The guest lecturer, Prof. Oladele Ogunseitan, praised Prof. Odeyemi’s commitment to environmental stewardship, saying, “Prof. Olu Odeyemi’s commitment to the highest principles of environmental stewardship has also influenced me to continue to seek opportunities for working across sectors to ensure that the results of my research help create, implement, and sustain meaningful progress for the health of people and the integrity of the ecosystem that sustain inhabited communities.”
The Vice Chancellor of OAU, Prof. Adebayo Bamire, described Prof. Odeyemi as an icon and father figure, while the Dean of the Faculty of Science, Prof. Adeyinka Adesina, highlighted Odeyemi’s accomplishments in microbiology. The Head of Department of Microbiology, Prof. Nkem Torimiro, praised Prof. Odeyemi’s contributions to Nigeria, and his son, Kunle, reflected on his father’s profound impact, saying that he was “a rare breed” sent by God on a mission.
