By OLUWAGBENGA BANKOLE
Joseph Ayo Babalola University {JABU}, the first entrepreneurial university in Nigeria was established in obedience to divine instructions by the Christ Apostolic Church Worldwide in 2004, under the visionary leadership of its then President, Late Pastor (Dr.) E. H. L Olusheye. The current President of Christ Apostolic Church Worldwide, Pastor A O Akinosun as the Chairman of our Board of Trustees provides the school with overall direction, with invigorated and renewed spiritual and financial commitments to the University.
The institution first Chancellor in the personality of His Royal Majesty, Oba (Dr) Oladele Olashore (CON), until his demise in June 2012, laboured sedulously in various ways to positively advance the course of the University. The current Chancellor is the dynamic Professor Sola Fajana {FCIPM, FAMN, FIoE}. The principal officers include Prof AMA Imevbore (Pro-Chancellor) and Pastor C. S. Fasuyi (Vice-Chairman, Governing Council), as well as Barrister Wale Aderibigbe, the Registrar, and other members of management. They have tenaciously kept faith with the vision of the founding fathers.
These are the ten things you don’t know about JABU:
1.JABU started academic sessions in 2006 post-license, with the objective of providing educational services that would inculcate Godly values in its graduates, and provide them with functional skill-driven education aimed at producing job creators rather than job seekers.
2. This institution pioneered the trend for entrepreneurship education in Nigeria. The National Universities Commission (NUC) therefore had a pilot in the JABU initiative and thereafter prescribed mandatory general studies that include entrepreneurship in the various degree programmes in Nigerian universities.
3. Until recently, only JABU offers a first degree in entrepreneurship studies in Nigeria. Currently we have national accreditation in all our courses numbering a total of 36 at the bachelor’s level, and 18 at the Postgraduate level.
4. JABU programmes are in Agricultural Sciences, Humanities, Natural Sciences, Law, Environmental Sciences, the Social and Management Sciences, as well as the Postgraduate College.
5. JABU is driven by core values of integrity, honesty, teamwork, quality service and humanism. Their unique and critical selling point is the prospect of spiritual deliverance and rehabilitation of recalcitrant youths and the impartation of relevant theoretical concepts and practical skills using appropriate pedagogies.