By Rotimi Agboluaje, Ibadan
An Ibadan-based media, public relations and advertising firm, Cred 360 Media Limited, has honoured the Vice-Chancellor of Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State, Prof. Abel Olajide Olorunnisola, for his contributions to university administration, scholarship and the advancement of higher education.
The award ceremony, however, evolved into a broader conversation on the future of Nigerian universities, as Olorunnisola called for increased investment in higher education, stronger digital infrastructure and innovative approaches to teaching and learning.
Olorunnisola, who assumed office as Vice-Chancellor of Bells University of Technology on August 1, 2026, previously served as Vice-Chancellor of Dominion University, Ibadan. He also held several academic and administrative positions at the University of Ibadan, including Dean of the Postgraduate School and Head of the Department of Wood Products Engineering.
Cred 360 Media said the award was presented in recognition of his exemplary leadership and distinguished service, particularly his contributions to the development of Dominion University.
Speaking after receiving the award, Olorunnisola said the rapid transformation of the education sector, driven largely by digital technology and artificial intelligence, had made it imperative for Nigerian universities to rethink conventional teaching methods.
He noted that students now had unprecedented access to information through platforms such as ChatGPT, YouTube and other digital resources, stressing that lecturers must adapt by creating more interactive and technology-driven learning environments.
“We have to develop ways of meeting today’s students halfway,” he said, while emphasising the need to combine technological innovation with the discipline required for effective learning.
The vice-chancellor said his own teaching approach had evolved towards greater interaction with students, distinguishing between simply delivering lectures and creating an environment in which students actively participate in the learning process.
He urged universities to teach students how to use emerging technologies responsibly rather than attempt to completely shut them out.
Beyond technology, Olorunnisola identified inadequate funding as a major challenge to the growth and global competitiveness of Nigerian universities. He urged the government to regard higher education as a strategic investment in national development.
According to him, Nigerian universities have continued to produce professionals who compete successfully on the international stage, despite infrastructural and funding constraints.
He cited Nigerian doctors, engineers, software developers and other professionals contributing significantly across the world as evidence of the quality of human capital being produced by the country’s universities.
The professor, however, said greater government commitment was required to unlock the full potential of the nation’s higher education system.
He also called for substantial investment in digital infrastructure, warning that inadequate systems had exposed the vulnerability of universities during disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic and prolonged industrial actions.
Olorunnisola said robust digital platforms would enable universities to sustain teaching and learning even when students and lecturers could not physically access campuses.
On the financial burden facing students of private universities, he said rising living costs had become a major concern for families, with the expenses extending beyond tuition to feeding, accommodation and other daily needs.
He disclosed that during his tenure at Dominion University, the institution introduced flexible payment arrangements and scholarship opportunities to ease the financial burden on parents and students.
Reflecting on his academic journey, Olorunnisola described his transition from Wood Products Engineering to university leadership as divinely guided.
He recalled that he initially planned to pursue a master’s degree in Industrial Engineering but eventually enrolled in Wood Products Engineering after he was unable to secure admission into his preferred programme.
According to him, he later developed a passion for the discipline and built a career spanning teaching, research and university administration.
The vice-chancellor described the Cred 360 Media recognition as particularly significant because, according to him, it was unsolicited and reflected an appreciation of his contributions to education and society.
“I appreciate the fact that people recognise the contribution I have been able to make,” he said.
Olorunnisola also outlined his vision for Bells University of Technology, identifying institutional differentiation, human capital development, infrastructure, reputation and global competitiveness as key priorities of his administration.
He said the university had moved beyond the survival phase associated with younger institutions and must now define what would distinguish it from other universities.
“Reputation is number one. If the reputation of a university is bad, students will not want to come, staff will not want to work there and parents will not want to send their children there,” he said.
He stressed the need for universities to uphold high standards of integrity while investing in infrastructure, quality academic programmes and human capital capable of positioning them for greater national and international recognition.
