Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose has called on Nigerians to invest in the country’s education sector expressing belief that a Nigerian university can one day emerge best in the world with proper funding.
The governor made this remark while speaking with newsmen at the 12th Convocation Ceremony of the Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State. The first family was in Ota on )Friday to celebrate one of their Sons, Oluwarogbayimika Fayose who is one of the “Royal Set of Eagles” released by the institution in 2017.
“I won’t condemn people for sending their wards to study abroad but I have always believed the best could be gotten here in Nigeria. During my first tenure as governor, I withdrew my sons from a private school(Olashore International School) to SPEB public primary school in Ekiti, an initiative of my then administration. My Sons graduated from Nigerian Universities, I want others to emulate me, we have the best here, we can choose to invest here”, Mr. Fayose said.
Governor Fayose said; “We talk and do. Whatever we say is what we practice. Apart from the fact that none of children attended schools abroad, I have never travelled out of the country for Medicare.
He said; Even though views of people like us might not be popular among the powers that be because we say the truth and act the truth, we won’t stop telling them what they do not like to hear and one of such is that the only way to improve the standard of education in the country is for children of holders of public office to experience what children of ordinary Nigerians are experiencing in schools in the country.
The governor, who earlier expressed appreciation to God and the University for adding value to life of the graduand urged Nigerian graduates to take advantage of the opportunities they were exposed to in transforming Nigeria to a better place.
He said, “As a parent, we are fulfilled. Graduating from here is a value added to his life, as the fourth son of the family and the third to graduate from this University, it gladdens our hearts and we are happy to identify with him, we thank God for his life and we thank the University for helping us to train him.
“When you have certificate issued to you, it comes with character, I urge modern day Nigerian graduates to make a sense out of the certificate and the character and take advantage of the opportunities they were exposed to so as to have a better tomorrow for themselves and the future generations. I wish these graduands the best and pray that the parents reap the fruits of their labour over them”.
Expressing delight, excitement and greatness at being a product of the Covenant University, Mr. Rogba Fayose who said being a son of a serving Nigerian governor added no extra pressure on him while in school thanked his parents for their moral and financial support in helping him achieve such feat. He expressed readiness at facing future challenges as they come with God on his side.
Founded in the year 2002 by the General Overseer of the Living Faith Church Worldwide aka Winners’ Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo, Covenant University according to a 2017 publication by the National Universities Commission(NUC) is the best private university in Nigeria.
