ETFund Executive Secretary, Echono to deliver OAU’s 65th anniversary lecture

The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has been invited to deliver the 65th Anniversary Lecture of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife.

The invitation was conveyed in a letter dated March 16, 2026, and signed by the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Adebayo Simeon Bamire.

According to the letter, the lecture, titled “Driving National Development Through Research and Innovation,” is scheduled to take place on June 3, 2026, at Oduduwa Hall as part of activities marking the institution’s 65th anniversary celebration.

The anniversary is themed “Legacy of Excellence – Future of Impact.”

Prof. Bamire stated that the choice of the TETFund Executive Secretary was informed by his leadership and contributions to research funding and innovation in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.

As part of the celebration, the university will also formally launch the ₦10 billion Bola Ahmed Tinubu Centre for Intercultural Dialogue and Youth Empowerment, a project aimed at promoting intercultural understanding, youth development, and national cohesion.

The Vice-Chancellor further disclosed that the university plans to confer on the TETFund Executive Secretary the Award of Excellence in Transformational Leadership for Research and Innovation in recognition of his contributions to advancing research and innovation across Nigerian higher institutions.

The university noted that the lecture is expected to inspire students, academics, policymakers, and other stakeholders on the role of research and innovation in driving national development.

Prof. Bamire expressed confidence that the TETFund Executive Secretary’s participation would further strengthen the collective commitment to advancing research, innovation, and sustainable development in Nigeria.