According to an address published by Vanguard News, Dr. Tunji Olowolafe, Chancellor of Ekiti State University (EKSU), has called for a strategic pivot in Ekiti State from purely academic qualifications toward empirical inquiry, technical vocational training, and industrial value addition.
Translating Intellectual Heritage into Wealth
Reflecting on Ekiti’s history dating back to the Kiriji War (1877–1886) and its reputation as an academic powerhouse, Olowolafe highlighted the state’s density of tertiary institutions, which includes seven universities, seven polytechnics, and eight colleges of education, health, science, and technology. He noted that while Ekiti households traditionally place immense value on higher education, the central challenge remains translating theoretical knowledge into poverty alleviation and community wealth.
To navigate emerging global disruptions such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and robotics, Olowolafe proposed three foundational pillars: reliable energy access, practical technical education, and integration into industrial supply chains.
Ward-Level Solar Microgrids and Technical Training
Addressing the state’s infrastructure requirements, Olowolafe recommended conducting a technical audit across all 177 political wards in Ekiti to deploy renewable microgrids. He noted that solar microgrids generating 300 to 500 kilowatts could sustainably power local schools, healthcare facilities, and small enterprise clusters with backing from the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).
In the area of workforce development, Olowolafe argued that the state’s six government technical colleges cannot fully cater to demand across its 16 local government areas. He proposed expanding technical curricula and recruiting master vocational instructors from nations with established apprenticeship systems—such as Germany, Switzerland, Canada, and South Africa—to upskill local educators.
Highlighting existing industrial training links, he pointed to civil engineering students from EKSU who recently completed six months of practical training on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, urging formal recruitment pipelines with major industrial developments like the Dangote Refinery.
A Personal Lesson in Empirical Evidence
Olowolafe underscored the necessity of evidence-based problem solving by recounting a childhood incident in which he was bitten by a snake. While his grandmother administered a traditional remedy believing it would confer permanent immunity, his late uncle, Professor Femi Elegbeleye, intervened to take him to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) for clinical antivenom.
Drawing from his subsequent medical background, Olowolafe emphasized that respect for cultural heritage must be balanced with rigorous empirical verification when life, health, and economic development are at stake.
Agriculture, Solid Minerals, and University Reforms
Turning to commerce, Olowolafe expressed concern over inefficiencies in post-harvest handling, particularly roadside cocoa drying vulnerable to livestock. Citing figures from the Ministry of Agriculture indicating Ekiti produced 4,500 tonnes of cocoa in 2025, he urged engineers and artisans to manufacture affordable solar-powered dryers to ensure cocoa is processed into finished goods locally.
Similar domestic value-addition was advocated for solid minerals, aligning with policies promoted by Solid Minerals Development Minister Dele Alake. To support this, the Tunji Olowolafe Foundation is upgrading EKSU’s Department of Geology with solar power, Starlink internet access, computers, and specialized field-testing equipment.
The foundation has also established the Gbemisola Olowolafe Memorial Community Secondary School and the GOMTECH ICT Centre in Are-Ekiti. At EKSU, under the leadership of Vice-Chancellor Professor Joseph Babatola Ayodele, institutional upgrades include the Project Digi-Teach initiative for 650 lecturers, a Senate-approved financial markets trading diploma, and campus-wide high-speed internet deployment.