The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, at the University of Ibadan, Professor P. O. Olapegba, has declared the need for African nations to remove boundaries for the continent to be truly great.
He made this declaration while receiving a 19-man delegation from the Republic of Liberia on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kayode O. Adebowale, that paid a courtesy visit to the Vice Chancellory to herald a special training programme organised by the UI Postgraduate College.
Professor Olapegba stated that having the delegates on the training programme, which is focused on implementing fiscal decentralisation, county treasury, and local financial management in Liberia, was a commendable initiative of the Liberian government.
He noted that there was a lot to be learnt from the programme, and that the experience was going to be mutually beneficial because it would offer an opportunity for peer review needed to advance governance in the two countries.
The DVC observed that African countries had similar challenges, hence, they should collaborate to solve problems peculiar to Africa.
He also stated that Europe has its own problems, therefore, Africa should solve her own problems through symbiotic relationships such as the one which the training programme affords, and should stop depending absolutely on the Western world for answers.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor assured that the training, which also entails decentralisation of governance, would help drive development closer to the grassroots and ensure that the dividend of democracy is delivered to the masses.
Professor Olapegba reiterated that the UI Postgraduate College is the flagship of postgraduate education in Nigeria and being the platform to facilitate the training, the college has a robust teaching and research base to fulfill training needs of the delegates.
The Provost of the Postgraduate College, Professor A.S.O. Ogunjuyigbe informed the Deputy Vice-Chancellor that discussions about the collaboration started in October 2024.
He disclosed that the government of Liberia requested that her top officials be trained by the University of Ibadan for efficiency in the areas of implementing fiscal decentralisation, county treasury, and local financial management in Liberia.
He said that the training, which would span 10 days, would cover academic grounds, while the delegates would also be guided to visit monumental sites in the city of Ibadan and Oyo town.
The leader of the team, Dr D.N. Romeo, said that Liberia operates a unilateral system of government but is in the process of decentralisation, hence the need for the training that would prepare the officials for a smooth transition.
The delegation was made up of county superintendents, top officials at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, as well as officers of the revenue authority of Liberia.
