VICTOR C. ARIOLE argues that the Open distance learning will help million of youths to receive university education
According to the Vice Chancellor of University of Lagos (UNILAG) Professor Folasade Ogunsola, Open Distance Learning (ODL), known in Unilag as Distance Learning Institute (DLI) now re-positioned by its Director, Professor Risikat Oladoyin Dauda, awards the same degree without discrimination of value as awarded to Unilag conventional and regular students. For her, with 89 million youths in between the ages of 15 and 30 years in Nigeria seeking to be “future ready” in the way they do things so as to remain relevant, the use of technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) must factor-in philosophical intents to neutralize algorithm biases – input African biases also – so as to assure outcomes that contribute to building the society Africans need, and is adaptable to changes.
In the same arena, Nurudeen Alao Auditorium, on the 25th August, 2026, the 5th International Colloquium of DLI – expanding learning opportunities – Professor Yemi Osinbajo, former Vice President of Nigeria, expressed his support for the new contents of Unilag DLI. According to Osinbajo, with 236 million Nigerians come 2036, and three million youths applying to access university education, DLI will no longer be an alternative but could be the main means of educating the youths. What is more, technology is to be used to do that and it must not be seen as the main purpose of education. The main purpose of education is human development not technology development, hence technology must be used to think out how three million youths could be tutored and developed to serve humanity. It is a great responsibility for DLI and must be matched with appropriate technology and stable power supply. Professor Dauda sees it as the great challenge facing her DLI, and that expected additional technical courses to borrow Ghanaian experience need great tools.
