Nigeria must urgently reform its educational curriculum to align with modern realities or risk falling behind in the global knowledge economy, Bishop (Prof.) Dapo Folorunsho Asaju, a retired academic and Anglican Bishop of Ilesa, declared on Monday, September 8, 2025.
Delivering a lecture titled “The Crown of Glory: Education as Service to Humanity” at Igbinedion University, Okada, during the 91st birthday celebration of the institution’s Founder and Chancellor, Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin Kingdom, Asaju emphasized the need for a curriculum that fosters innovation, creativity, agriculture, technology, and critical thinking.
Asaju criticized Nigeria’s current academic framework as outdated and inadequate for driving sustainable national development. “Our curriculum must evolve to reflect current realities. We need a system that produces problem-solvers, not certificate holders,” he said, stressing that education should equip young Nigerians with practical skills, ethical grounding, and global competitiveness. He warned that the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) poses challenges to academic integrity, urging institutions to adapt swiftly to remain relevant.
Citing global examples, Asaju noted that countries like China, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia have transformed their societies within a generation through education and innovation. He also expressed concern over the growing influence of secularism in Nigerian schools, which he argued erodes moral and spiritual values essential to learning. “We must return to producing men and women of integrity, holy writers, ethical thinkers,” he said.
Asaju called for better incentives for university lecturers, arguing that poorly motivated academics cannot deliver quality education. He praised Chief Igbinedion’s establishment of Igbinedion University, Nigeria’s first private university, as a “crown of glory” and urged wealthy Nigerians to invest in education as a legacy of service to humanity. “Life is not just about amassing wealth, but about how much we impact humanity,” he added.
Representing the Chancellor, Deputy Chancellor and former Edo State Governor, Chief Lucky Nosakhare Igbinedion, described the lecture as one of the most impactful in the Esama’s birthday series. The Vice Chancellor Prof. Lawrence Ikechukwu Ezemonye PhD, FAS, hailed Chief Igbinedion as a towering figure in Nigeria’s educational landscape, noting that Igbinedion University, established in 1999, remains a benchmark for private higher education. “When the history of private university education in Nigeria is written, the first chapter will be reserved for our Chancellor,” Ezemonye said, commending Igbinedion’s vision for expanding access to quality education.
The lecture was part of a weeklong celebration of the Esama’s 91st birthday, attended by academics, political leaders, community figures, and well-wishers from across Edo State and beyond.
