A former Rector, Yaba College of Technology and Secretary General, Commonwealth Association of Technical Universities and Polytechnics in Africa, Dr. Olubunmi Felix Olukayode Owoso, is dead.
The erudite scholar passed on after a brief illness at the age of 71.
Owoso was Rector of YABATECH from December 2001 to December 2009.
He was responsible for the overall administration and management of Nigeria’s premier tertiary educational institution, a period that witnessed highly significant academic and administrative reforms, as well as a substantial development of infrastructural facilities.
These included the establishment of Centre for Entrepreneurship Development, Internal Quality Assurance Unit; Centre for Applied Research and Technology Innovation; a new satellite campus of the college in Epe, Lagos State for Agriculture programmes; and a skills development centre, among many other successfully implemented projects.
The zeal for industry-higher education collaboration, during his tenure, led to the admission of Yaba College of Technology as the first educational institution corporate member of both the Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Commerce and the Nigerian Association of Small Medium Enterprises.
The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion in Nigeria also designated the College as an Intellectual Property Technology Transfer Office to promote interaction and strengthen linkages between educational/research institutions and industries.
The astute Food Technologist, in his stay at CAPA as Secretary General was responsible for the overall management of the CAPA and various project initiatives, as well as the implementation of activities that promoted partnerships and capacity building in TVET, entrepreneurship, applied research and innovation towards the production of skilled technical manpower for employment, job creation and industrial development in the 20 member African countries.
Owoso promoted competency-based education and training and harmonisation of skills qualification frameworks and occupational standards among member countries and regions to enhance transfer of quality skills across borders, benchmarking of curriculum and teaching facilities in CAPA member institutions
Owoso ensured publication of Conference Proceedings and CAPA Scientific Journal in TVET, with the outcomes of the deliberations at the international conferences and workshops are regularly published in the respective Conference Proceedings.
He engendered the preparation of CAPA 2018 – 2023 Strategic Plan – envisioning the transformation of CAPA from its erstwhile colonial heritage into a broadly continental TVET organisation that is resolutely committed to making CAPA the flagship for a vigorous campaign and facilitator for an intensive skills development to propel a rapid industrialisation and economic development in African countries towards the achievement of Africa Development Agenda 2063.
Until his demise, Owoso was a training and management consultant/development expert on Technology Innovation and Enterprise/industrial Development.
The exquisite administrator bagged his Ph.D in Management Science from Ladoke Akintola University, with two Masters Degrees in Development Studies and Food Technology from South Bank University, London and University of Reading, London, United Kingdom.
He had his Bachelor of Science Honours in Agriculture from the foremost University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
The former Secretary General of CAPA was a certified professional, fellows of Nigeria Institute of Management, Academy of Entrepreneurial Studies and Nigeria Institute of Food Science and Technology.
He was in 2012 decorated by the President of Nigeria with a the National Productivity Order of Merit for outstanding contributions to human resource development in Nigeria.
Owoso’s burial rites will commence on July 15, 2020 with a Service of Songs at FourSquare Church, Yabatech Area.
Also, a valedictory service in his honour by the Academic Board of YABATECH will hold same day.
Commendation service will hold on July 16, at Foursquare Church, Ajah, Lagos, while interment holds at Vaults and Gardens, Ikoyi, Lagos.
This is to be streamed live via: www.olubunmiowoso.org.
He was survived by wife, Dr. Jokotade Owoso, children and grandchildren.
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