Oloyede calls for moral rejuvenation in Nigerian varsities
By Tajudeen Babamale and Bashirat Omotosho
The pioneer Vice Chancellor of the Fountain University, Osogbo, Prof. Hussein Oyelola Bukoye Oloyede, has called on stakeholders to urgently restore the dignity of the nation’s University system.
Prof. Oloyede made this appeal last Wednesday (April 15, 2026) while delivering a lecture, titled “Worthy Character: The Sine Qua Non of a University System” at the Faculty of Life Sciences First Lecture on Mentorship and Leadership.
The former Vice Chancellor said that a University is not only a centre of learning but also an abode of rectitude, which is established to produce graduates with knowledge, integrity, and conscience.
Prof. Oloyede, who is also the pioneer Vice Chancellor of Summit University, Offa, recalled that Nigerian universities have consistently produced distinguished men and women who are worthy in character and learning.
He said that the nation’s University system has produced so many wonderful personalities such as Dr Stella Adadevoh, who graduated from the University of Lagos, for her courageous Ebola response; Prof. Emeritus Is-haq Olanrewaju Oloyede, a proud alumnus of the University of Ilorin, who returned billions of naira generated by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to the Federal Government, and the late Prof. Dora Akunyili of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, for her principled leadership against counterfeit drugs, among several others.
Prof. Oloyede, however, described the growing ethical decline in the nation’s University system today as a contradiction of its ideals, warning that such compromises risk eroding public trust and weakening the moral authority of academic institutions if not addressed.
He decried the challenges of non-merit-based leadership appointments and declining collegial respect among academics, urging academic staff to reclaim their role as mentors and moral exemplars who shape both intellect and character through integrity, empathy, and resilience.
Speaking on governing councils and proprietors of universities, Prof. Oloyede cautioned against political, ethnic, and religious interference in university governance, as he advocated a transparent, merit-based, and competency-driven appointments of Vice Chancellors and Principal Officers, while describing councils as custodians of the university’s “soul.”
The renowned scholar also urged parents and the society at large to recognise their foundational role in character formation, stating that universities can only build upon values instilled at home, and called for a national campaign that would be led by universities and the National Universities Commission (NUC) to strengthen the link between admission, excellence, and integrity.
Prof. Oloyede argued that universities must remain spaces for rebuilding moral responsibility, insisting that the “greatest degree” they confer is not academic parchment, but integrity, duty, and conscience for societal good.
Speaking earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, commended Prof. Oloyede as he described him as a worthy model of mentorship and institutional leadership whose service record reflects excellence and commitment.
Prof. Egbewole, who said the former Vice Chancellor discharged his responsibilities creditably at the University of Ilorin and in other institutions, added that his career captures the essence of true mentorship.
The Vice Chancellor said that mentorship is rooted in integrity, which shapes character, urging academics at all levels to uphold ethical standards, ensure due process, and provide strong leadership, noting that effective mentorship is essential to the survival and growth of the university system.
In his welcome address, the Dean of the Faculty of Life Sciences, Prof. Rotimi Arise, said character plays a central role in achieving sustainable academic excellence, noting that true success in the 21st century must be anchored on integrity, mentorship, and responsible leadership.
Prof. Arise observed that while the academic environment often prioritises measurable outputs such as research publications, citations, and scholarly breakthroughs, these achievements must be firmly rooted in strong moral character to ensure lasting impact and credibility.
The event was attended by several dignitaries from far and near.
