Ace Broadcaster and the Group Controller, Current and Public Affairs, TVC Communications Ltd, Mr. Babajide Kolade-Otitoju has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sign the bill abolishing the the dichotomy between holders of Higher National Diploma (HND) and Bachelor Degree, decrying
the undervalued of practical skills in Nigeria, particularly persistent skills gap among the country’s growing youth population
He also stressed the need for government to increase funding for polytechnics nationwide to produce more graduates with practical skills
Kolade-Otitoju was speaking at a public lecture which has its themed "Technical Education and National Development: The Place of AI, Its Credibility, Trust, and Transparency," held at Yaba College of Technology, Yusuf Grillo Auditorium, in honour of Dr. Omobayo Taofeek Raheem, past Director of the Centre for Information, Communication and Public Relations (CICPR) and former Deputy Rector of the college.
Kolade-Otitoju who was represented by the Managing Editor and Chief Executive Officer, Premium Eagle Media, Mr. Dotun Oladipupo, delivering his paper registered his displeasure over too much emphasis on paper certificate at expense of practical skills or abilities of individuals in the country
His words ,“In Nigeria, practical skills are undervalued. We must begin to shift from paper qualifications to practical competencies,”. “Technical education offers a viable alternative, equipping youths with the hands-on expertise, the economy desperately needed;” .
Kolade-Otitoju underscored how internships, industry partnerships, and applied learning can close the unemployment gap while igniting innovation in sectors ranging from engineering to digital media.
Delivering the welcome address, the Rector, Yaba College of Technology, Dr Engr Ibraheem Abdul described the lecture as both a tribute and a strategic forum.
“We are gathered to celebrate a man of repute and, at the same time, reflect on a subject that is of immense importance to national development,” he said.
“The future of education, especially technical education is inseparably linked to technology, and most notably, artificial intelligence,"he stated
The rector said that beyond policy and pedagogy, the event served to honour Dr. Omobayo Raheem for his years of service to the college and his leadership of CICPR.
“This event is a reaffirmation of our commitment to excellence,” as “Dr. Raheem leaves a legacy of principled leadership and unwavering dedication.”
He described him as a mentor, visionary, and bridge-builder whose tenure strengthened the institution’s communication strategy and academic visibility.
Chairman of the lecture and Rector, Federal Polytechnic, IIaro, Dr. Mukail Akinde, argued that technical education must evolve to include emerging technologies.
“Artificial Intelligence has become one of the most revolutionary forces in modern development and its integration into technical education enhances training quality and prepares students for high-demand roles in automation, data science, and robotics," he stated
Dr. Akinde stressed that the ethical deployment of AI must be rooted in credibility, trust, and transparency but however cautioned against the unchecked spread of AI tools lacking the values.
Akinde called for interdisciplinary collaboration among developers, educators, and policymakers and elaborated on real-world use cases from intelligent tutoring systems and AI-powered coding assistants to virtual labs and automated assessment tools demonstrating AI’s power to personalize learning and boost student performance in technical fields.
He warned that without ethical safeguards, the technology could deepen inequalities or propagate bias
“Is not whether we use AI but how responsibly we do so," he stated
Pix:I-r: The Chairman of Lecture and Rector, Federal Polytechnic Ilaro, Dr. Mukail Akinde, presenting the Plaque Award of a well delivered lecture to the Guest Speaker's representative, Mr. Dotun Oladipo in the admiration of the Rector, Yaba College of Technology, Dr Engr Ibraheem Abdul (r) and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) South West Zonal Director, Elder Ayo Aroge (l) at a Public Lecture in honour of Dr. Omobayo Raheem who retired from the service of Yabatech, held at the Yusuf Grillo Auditorium
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