Nigeria's education loan authority should extend its programme to postgraduate students who cannot access grants, a prominent engineering professor argued in Lagos on Thursday.
John Adesiji Olorunmaiye of the University of Ilorin made the call during a valedictory lecture honouring Professor Omotayo Fakinlede's retirement from the University of Lagos.
In his guest lecture on advancing engineering education, Olorunmaiye stressed the financial struggles postgraduate students face. He said expanding NELFUND's reach would ease their burden considerably.
"If the student loan is extended to postgraduate students in engineering, even without grants, they can take loans and concentrate fully on their work," he noted.
Loan repayment wouldn't be a problem, Olorunmaiye added confidently. Most postgraduate engineering students eventually become lecturers in Nigerian universities, making them easy to track.
"You won't have to search far for them," he said. "Many will end up teaching across the nation's universities."
Fakinlede, a computational mechanics professor, revealed his retirement plans focus on a different challenge. He intends to train artisans across Nigeria in practical skills.
Poor geometric understanding among artisans limits product quality, he explained. This gap prevents them from manufacturing durable goods like functional furniture.
"I can see that illiteracy at the artisan level is what makes us have tables with shelves that cannot come out," Fakinlede told reporters.
His new initiative will work directly with artisans to raise their technical knowledge. He's developing a sustainable business model to ensure long-term success.
"It's not about money—we have plenty of people willing to work," he said. "We just need to get the model right."
Reflecting on his academic career at both universities, Fakinlede expressed confidence in the next generation. He believes those remaining are well-prepared to build on what he started.
Implementing systemic improvements remains challenging for institutions, he acknowledged. Some beneficial changes take time to show results.
"It's not that these things cannot work, but they don't work immediately," Fakinlede noted. "Sometimes people avoid hard work because results aren't instant."
Both universities now have staff committed to his ideas and pursuing meaningful progress, he said. Their efforts demonstrate the vision is spreading.
Improving one's own system represents genuine self-love, according to the retiring professor. Growth happens when this influence expands to others who share the commitment.
"If you keep destroying where you are standing, you will fall eventually," he warned. His message underscored the importance of institutional stewardship for long-term stability.
