By Michael Ofulue, Osogbo
Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, and the Ogunsua of Modakeke, Oba Joseph Olubiyi, on Friday performed the foundation-laying ceremony of Curators University, Modakeke, the first tertiary institution in Africa dedicated to Artificial Intelligence.
The proposed university will offer specialised programmes in Artificial Intelligence (Machine Learning Specialisation), Computer Hardware Engineering, Data Analytics and Database Administration, Arbitration and Conflict Resolution, as well as 3D Printing and Polymer Science.
Speaking at the event, Governor Adeleke, represented by the Commissioner for Information, Mr Dipo Eluwole, said the initiative aligns with the state government’s agenda to strengthen the education sector.
“The establishment of a university here in Modakeke is a milestone achievement, which aligns with our drive to boost the educational sector. While congratulating you once again, I charge you to ensure that the proposed university becomes one of the best in Nigeria — both academically and culturally,” Adeleke said.
Founder of Curators University, Mr Olusola Amusan, underscored the role of Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in advancing tertiary education and promoting national development.
According to him, “We expect that there are structures we can build through public-private partnerships. For the university, there are education endowment funds, there are Federal Government funds, and in the area of loans, specifically, we believe that to get cutting-edge education, there’s a cost attached, and sometimes it could be premium.
“Our goal is to support the community and all our students through such partnerships — whether private or government — to ensure they can access the education we are providing here.”
Earlier, the Chairman of the Curators University Groundbreaking Planning Committee, Mr Abimbola Amusan, said the vision is to transform the site into a global academic and innovation hub that will empower youths, create jobs and drive economic growth for generations.
In his remarks, Oba Olubiyi urged sons and daughters of Modakeke in the diaspora to emulate the initiative of the university founder by giving back to their community.