“A University should be a place of light, of liberty, and of learning.
Challenging, questioning, enjoying good people and good friends, and pushing yourself to the limit.
-. Benjamin Disraeli
Mention private universities in Nigeria today and the swelling opinion in the public sphere describes not a few of them as nothing but “glorified secondary schools”. The reasons are obvious because several are characterised by decrepit infrastructure, ill-equipped laboratories, libraries and learning facilities, as well as inadequate and ill-motivated staff. But one citadel of learning that has remained the exception rather than the rule is none other than Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State.
Also known as BellsTech, it is the first private university of technology established in Nigeria, by the Bells Education Foundation back in 2004. It began admitting students from the 2005/2006 academic session. Its moving mantra right from the outset is its “dedication to quality delivery of value in every way; for national development and international cooperation and understanding. We create new ways of thinking and achievement, making us stand out”.
Without sounding immodest, some 14 years after, the university has achieved tremendous feats worthy of recognition and encomiums; to serve as inspiration to others. These achievements, truth be told, span academics, sustained human capacity development of staff and students, administrative processes and projects, as well as pragmatic partnerships. What more, it has produced brilliant minds that the current and third, goal-getting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Jeremiah Ojediran has aptly described as “world changers”. He has also praised his two predecessors, Prof. Julius Okogie and Prof. Isaac Adeyemi for laying a solid foundation upon which his team is currently building some edifices.
It would interest the reader to know that as the university prepares for its 11th Convocation, empirical evidence on ground “points to new initiatives and policy directions aimed at re-engineering and revitalising its academic programmes”. The salutary aim of course, is to increase its visibility and positively impact not only on the popular Ota industrial hub, as its immediate environment but nationally and internationally.
For instance, as a first-of-a-kind, the university is launching a book with the title: ‘BellsTech@10’. As a milestone, it affords Nigerians and indeed the world at large the privilege of appreciating the noble efforts of its founding fathers, celebrating their foresight and resilience over the first decade of its existence. This is noteworthy.
In a remarkable vein, the university has pioneered new narrative to implement a Conversion Programme. The move is to avail HND holders affected by the B.Sc/HND dichotomy to upgrade their certificate to B.Sc degree status. The first set, numbering 533 are graduating with 39 of them making First Class!
Currently, the university is affiliated to the league of other universities that form the body called ‘Joint Universities Preliminary Examination Board’ (JUPEB). It runs a one-year intensive foundation programme similar to A’ Levels in selected number of subjects. This qualifies the products to be admitted to any university at the 200 Level in their respective programmes.
Also, worthy of mention is the fact that virtually all the courses offered at the university have been fully accredited, not only by the National Universities Commission (NUC) but highly respected professional bodies such as COREN and ICAN in related fields.
Amongst the new ones are B.Sc. Nutrition and Dietetics (College of Natural and Applied Science), B.Eng. Computer Engineering by NUC and COREN. The other is Telecommunications Engineering (NUC and COREN) from the College of Engineering. Others in the same College (faculty) include B.Eng. Electrical and Electronics Engineering (NUC, COREN), B.Eng. Mechatronics Engineering. There is also the B.Sc. Accounting from the College of Management Sciences.
Still on the running of courses relevant to the needs of Nigerians, focus has shifted to the trio of Entrepreneurship, Agribusiness and AgriPrenuership, prompted of course by none other than the duo of iconic promoter, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and the new Chairman, Board of Trustees, Re (Dr.) Wilson Badejo.
Driven by a rare sense of sheer innovative leadership, piloted by Prof. Ojediran, new units within the university now enjoy a breath of freshair. Amongst these are the Skills Development and Resource Centre (SDRC) with an Acting Director.
Essentially, the students are imbued with skills that would make them channel their energy, imagination and innovation as employers of labour rather than job-seekers. Good enough, it has a working relationship with the Youth Development Centre of the Olusegun Obasanjo Library (OOPL).
Also worthy of mention is the Research and Development Unit as a directive from the NUC. Working under the Office of the VC the focus is “on fostering knowledge development, strengthening and facilitating advancement with bold, novel and relevant ideas”.
Then comes a fruitful gesture, the forward-looking Centre for Agriculture Technology and Entrepreneurship (CATES), which is “to lead the way in the drive towards self-sustenance and abundance in agrarian revolution, beginning with Nigeria”. It already has a working relationship with the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and Rome Business School.
While the Bells University Open Distance LearningCentre has trained some members of staff on setting up and operating the OnlinePlatform, organised by Prof. Peter Okebukola, the Advancement Unit was established to serve as the clearing house for all linkages and collaborations.
And talking about pragmatic partnerships, the university has reached agreement to work with ICT University, Baton Rouge, USA buoyed by the recent visit of the President of the University, Prof. Mbarika. There is also the partnership with Zhejiang University, China with an international conference being anchored by the Advancement Unit of the university.
Upping the ante in partnerships is the training which New Horizons is providing the students such that 10 of the graduating students registered for and passed with international certification examinations of Microsoft Office Specialist, 2016. Beneficiaries are graduating with degrees in Architecture, Electrical and Electronics Engineering., Mechanical Engineering, Accounting and Economics. Also, 116 members of staff have benefitted from training in Microsoft Office Word 2013, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Comptia Security and C-JAVA. Interestingly, the training came at no cost to the University and members of staff!
To equip the students for the future, 272 of those graduating obtained certification in IT fields such as Peach Tree, Comptia Project, Customer Relations Management, MATLAB, Android Application and CCNA.
All these efforts are showing as some of the students are breaking academic grounds and coming up with worthwhile innovations. For instance, Cynthia Komolafe and Taiwo Alamu, who represented BellsTech in a competition by the Society of Testing LaboratoryAnalysts under the auspices of the Institute of Public Analysts of Nigeria (IPAN), came first and third, respectively, beating students from long-established universities, including Unilag.
Notably, some final year (Top-Up) students from the College of Engineering have innovated an Automatic Boom Barrier at the two entrance gates to the University. The new product comes with Vehicle Number Plates Recognition Device via Cameras. Another group has installed a self-devised Security System via a Closed Circuit Camera System. This would increase the security system within the campus.
Intriguing also is the fascinating fact that trio of Tobilola Akala, Oluwatobi Falolu and Zainab Ajao have become Chartered Accountants while still in school! Some creative-minded students of the Department of Architecture, College of Environmental Studies have been requested to design a 200-Seater Staff Cafetaria at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library.
And talking about the Chief Promoter, he has initiated the much-talked about ‘Interactive Sessions with Baba’ during which students are free to ask questions on topical issues, as they drink from his fountain of immense knowledge.
Such grooming must have encouraged graduates of the university who are now into philanthropic gestures. An instance is that of Mr. Tobi Ogunsemowo, a graduate of Mechanical Engineering now made famous by the annual donation of branded exercise books, beginning in 2017 but has spread from Lagos through Ogun to Anambra, Edo and Delta states.
Still on giving, the Bells University Parents Forum (BUPF) which has in the past donated building structures and buses has added a standard Computer-Based Test Centre.
In all, kudos goes to the management team made up of the Vice Chancellor, his able Deputy, Prof. Olubukola Kuforiji; the Registrar, Sumonu Tarfa, the University Acting Librarian, Dr. Kuburat Towolawi and of course, the Bursar, Mr. Omotayo Adepoju, Deans of Colleges and heads of departments for being great catalysts in driving processes with innovative ideas.
N.B.
This piece is dedicated to the fond memories of the founding Pro-Chancellor/Chairman, Governing Council and Member, Board of Trustees, Prof. Emmanuael Edozien, as well as member of the pioneer Governing Council, Venerable Prof. Akinwunmiju Akindoyeni who recently passed on.
Ayo Oyoze Baje
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
