Chancellor, Southwestern University, Nigeria, Babatunde Odufuwa, has warned that Nigeria’s overreliance on academic certificates at the expense of practical skills has created deep-rooted challenges that now threaten the nation’s development.
Odufuwa stressed the need for educational institutions, policymakers and students to deliberately pursue a balance between academic excellence and skills acquisition to remain globally relevant in the increasingly competitive 21st-century job market.
He made this known at the combined 4th and 5th convocation ceremonies of the institution, held at the University Campus Square, Okun-Owa, in Odogbolu Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The chancellor lamented that while global employability now prioritises both skills and certifications, Nigeria continues to place disproportionate emphasis on certificates.
According to him, this imbalance has fostered a culture that rewards paper qualifications over competence, with grave consequences for national growth.
He said, “Today, we celebrate a significant milestone in the lives of our graduating students.
As we confer degrees upon them, we must underscore the importance of balancing academic excellence with skills acquisition, which has remained the focus of Southwestern University, Nigeria.”
“Nigeria’s obsession with certificates over skills has led to a plethora of problems, threatening our nation’s development. For years, we have prioritised academic achievements over practical skills, creating a culture where certificates are valued more than competence.”
He explained that this trend had encouraged examination malpractice and produced graduates inadequately prepared for the workforce.
“This culture has led to cheating in examinations, inadequate preparation for employment and, worse still, catastrophic consequences. We have witnessed building collapses, avoidable deaths in hospitals and even plane crashes, all attributed to certified but unskilled personnel,” he said.
Odufuwa attributed the problem partly to education policymakers who, he said, had consistently prioritised academic excellence over skills acquisition, a bias reflected in curricula across various levels of education.
He also blamed employers for reinforcing the problem by placing more value on certificates than demonstrable skills.
“This approach has encouraged students to embrace shortcuts and examination malpractice simply to obtain certificates for employment. Unfortunately, these certificates add little or no value to most holders and to the nation at large. At best, they reflect mediocrity and hinder Nigeria’s growth, particularly in this era of technological innovation, which is practical and skills-driven,” he added.
To reverse the trend, the chancellor called on policymakers to design education policies that deliberately integrate skills acquisition with academic learning.
He also urged employers to prioritise skills in recruitment and advised governments at the federal, state and local levels to collaborate in driving reforms that would produce a competent and globally competitive workforce.
Addressing the graduands, Odufuwa urged them not to rely solely on the certificates obtained from the university.
“Do not just hold on to the certificate and skills you have acquired at Southwestern University. Continue to acquire more skills and improve on them. This, I believe, is one sure way Nigeria will not be left behind in the ever-changing global village,” he said.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Amusa Adetunji, congratulated the graduands and charged them to be agents of positive change in society and worthy ambassadors of the institution.
Delivering the convocation lecture, a Professor of Literary Analysis, Theory and Text-Linguistics at the University of Ibadan, Nelson Fashina, said Nigeria possessed immense economic opportunities and resources capable of making the nation economically competitive and sustainable.
Speaking on the topic, ‘Harnessing Nigeria’s Economic Potential for Sustainable Development,’ Fashina said it was ironic that despite its abundant natural resources, Nigeria had struggled economically since its independence in 1960.
“It is a complex irony that despite vast natural economic resources, Nigeria’s economic growth index since independence has been a sordid history of stunted growth,” he said.
He advised that for Nigeria to effectively align with global sustainable development goals, its leadership must leverage national resources responsibly while protecting ecosystems, promoting renewable energy and ensuring inclusive growth.
At the convocation, 810 students were awarded Bachelor of Science degrees from the Faculties of Pure and Applied Sciences and Social and Management Sciences.
In addition, 23 graduands received Postgraduate Diplomas, while 32 were awarded Master of Science degrees from the School of Postgraduate Studies.
A financial expert, Abiodun Agbomabiwon, was also conferred with a Doctor of Science degree (honoris causa) in recognition of his contributions to national development.
The university further announced that the National Universities Commission had approved for the institution to commence a law programme in 2026.
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