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VC Prof. JELEEL OJUADE Tells City People
Have you heard about Ojaja University before? That is the university many young people are opting for right now. It is a university owned by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi.
It is a University which is located at Eyenkorin; Ilorin. It is a 7 year old University that is currently admitting students into its NUC accredited programs, across 5 faculties: Administration, Arts, Computing, Sciences and Social Sciences. Formerly called Crown Hill University, it is a university that has moderate, competitive and affordable fees package (tuition & accommodation between N448,100 and N497,000 per session.
Ojaja University, formerly CrownHill University, was licensed by the National Universities Commission (NUC) to commence academic activities leading to the award of degrees in Nigeria in the year 2016.
It commenced operations in that same year with the admission and matriculation of the pioneer set.
Ownership changed hands in 2022 when the Chancellor, Ooni of Ife, Kabiyesi, Arole Oodua, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi CFR, Ojaja II bought over the University.
Subsequently, the name was changed to Ojaja University with approval from the National Universities Commission (NUC).
The University, currently runs 13 fully accredited courses across five faculties: Administration; Arts; Computing; Sciences and Social Sciences.
The courses and degrees are as follows: B.Sc. Accounting, B.Sc. Banking and Finance, B.Sc. Business Administration, B.Sc. Computer Science, B.Sc. Biology, B.Sc. Biochemistry, B.Sc. Mathematics, B.Sc. Microbiology, B.Sc. Physics, B.Sc. Economics, B.Sc. Mass Communication, B.A. History and Strategic Studies, B.A. English Language.
Already plans are in place to have six additionally faculties and subsequently translate into a multi – Campus University spread across the country.
Prof. Jeleel Ojuade told City People that the goal is to make Ojaja University one of the very best and most reputable one. So, far so good. All glory be to God and we need to thank His Imperial Majesty, the Ooni of Ife for all the things he has been doing for the youths, particularly about the University. The University was licenced by the National Universities Commission (NUC) in 2016. It was then known as Crown University and located at Eyenkorin, about 10 minutes away from the International Airport in Ilorin, on the way to Ogbomosho.
Since inception, Kabiyesi, the Ooni of Ife has been their Chancellor and activities have been going on there. But, somehow, it became imperative for him to go in another direction concerining the affairs of the University sometime in August 2022. There were little problems, management problems among others.
Kabiyeesi came to their rescue. The University was getting to the 6th year and they were unable to have accreditation execise, particularly on all the programmes. Kabiyeesi is so passionate about the youths. He felt it will be a detriment to the youth. So he took it upon himself to save the University. He went into discussion with me and a few others in the situation that led to the buying over of the University.
The very first thing he said we should do is to see how we can get all the programmes accredited, about 13 programmes. Fortunately, he backrolled everything. He rescued the situation. We were able to get to the National Universities Commission.
We wrote for accreditation execise. The team came for all the programmes. And we were fortunate, by January we got a positive result in January 2023. The result came out, the programmes were fully accredited, and that was the beginning of another dimension. So, we started asking ourselves the question how do we move on. That was like the breakthrough.
The students were happy. The parents were happy. So, it led to rebranding and we had to change the name of the University to Ojaja University. You know Kabiyeesi is the Ojaja the 2nd. He is so fond of the name.
Then, we started talking to the NUC on the way forward. We met with JAMB, so that they can start giving us students.
We met with the NYSC, because the 1st two sets were about going, but they couldn’t go.
Because of the accreditation they can now be mobilised for NYSC.
As I am talking to you, they are giving them the I.D. Cards and statements of results for those going for NYSC in a few days time, 12th of July. So, Kabiyeesi really saved the situation.
He is an example of someone who God has penned down to perform some roles in life.
He told me he has been dreaming of owning a University and he never knew it will be so short in time. That was how we started.
The stage at which we are now is to get students on board because what we met on ground because of the bad situation led to a decline rate of students on Campus.
We met 116 students as against about 153 staff. You can see the ratio. So, what we are trying to do now is to try to balance the situation and get more people to know about the University. I believe the University has a future. We have about 13 programmes and we have applied to the NUC. We had 2 faculties and we have applied for another 6 faculties. And they have granted us in principles based on our application that we should have Ojaja University (Ile-Ife Campus).
Who is Jeleel Olasunkanmi Ojuade? He is a Professor of Performance and Cultural Studies with particular emphasis in Dance Studies and Practice. He holds a Ph.D in Performance Studies (Dance) from the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. His other qualifications include LL.B (Hons) in Common Law and LL.M with emphasis in Copyright Laws from the University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria. He was called into the Nigerian Bar in 2009. Additionally, he has Masters in Business Administration from the University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria. He is into active practice, propagation, and sustenance of Nigerian Dance Culture.
Jeleel started his dance career with his father’s troupe, Ojuade and his Dance Group at a tender age four (4) in the early 1970s, where he featured in local, state, national and international performances and competitions. A culture that he has been able to sustain for over four decades. He belongs to a number of National and International Organizations. He was a member (the youngest) of the Nigerian troupe (The National Theatre of Nigeria) that represented Nigeria at the XII Commonwealth Games and Warana Festival in Brisbane, Australia (1982) and in a performance tour of the Federal Republic of South Korea in 1983. He participated in the International Summer School at the Department of Theatre Studies, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany (2007). He was a guest lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (2010); the Walter Rodney Lecture Series at the Boston University, Boston, MA (2010) and the African and African American Department, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA in 2012 where he delivered a lecture on Music and Dance in Africa.
He has attended and presented academic papers at Local, National and International conferences where his works have been published with particular emphasis on Yoruba Bata and Dundun. He was the President, Association of Dance Scholars and Practitioners of Nigeria (ADPSON). He was an Assistant Director at the Centre for International Education (CIE) and the Director, Advancement Centre (The Vice-Chancellor’s Office), University of Ilorin, Nigeria.
He has also facilitated partnership, collaborations and relationships between individuals, organization, and countries with the University of Ilorin, Nigeria.
Professor Jeleel Ojuade teaches Dance and Theatre related courses in the Performing Arts Department, Faculty of Arts, University of Ilorin. He was, until his appointment as Vice – Chancellor, Ojaja University (formerly CrownHill University (CHU)) on Sabbatical at the Department of Performing Arts and Film Production, Faculty of Humanities, Management and Social Sciences, Kwara State University, Malete – Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria, where he was also the Director, Advancement Centre as well as the Head, Performing Arts and Film Production department.
See audio visuals of Jeleel Ojuade on:
https://youtu.be/S4MhT_b3zUs Ojuade Bata Dance; Jeleel Ojuade Dundun Dance
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