Monarch, Leaders, Residents Unite as NOUN Opens Study Centre in Fiditi

There was jubilation on Saturday in Fiditi Town, Oyo State, as residents, traditional rulers and eminent dignitaries gathered to inaugurate the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) Study Centre in the community.

The historic commissioning was led by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) of NOUN, Prof. Olufemi Peters, who also facilitated the approval and operating licence for the centre, a development widely described as a major breakthrough in expanding access to higher education in the area.

The event attracted the OniFiditi of Fiditi, His Royal Majesty Oba Sakirulai Oyewole Oyelere, alongside scholars, public figures and community leaders from different parts of the country.

Among dignitaries present were Prof. Shehu Usman Adamu; Coordinator of the Fiditi Study Centre, Prof. John Ademola Oluokun; Director, Centre for Human Resources Development, Kaduna, Prof. Umar Aminu; Chairman, BOYEF, Engr. Lateef Busari; Senator Dr. Bode Olajumoke; National President, FIGSOSA, Engr. Tade Ipadeola; and Project Executive of the NOUN Fiditi Study Centre, Ayobami Olubiyi, as well as members of the project committee and top NOUN officials from Abuja.

Welcoming guests to the occasion, Oba Oyelere expressed gratitude to God and appreciation to the people of Fiditi for their unity and support, describing the inauguration as a defining moment in the town’s history.

“This historic commissioning marks not just the birth of an institution, but the dawn of new opportunities for our people,” the monarch said, while paying special tribute to Senator Dr. Bode Olajumoke for his unwavering commitment towards making the project a reality.

The monarch urged indigenes of Fiditi, Oyo Central Senatorial District and Oyo State at large to take advantage of the new institution by enrolling once admissions commence, stressing that education remains the foundation of sustainable development.

Also speaking, Chairman of the Fiditi Study Centre Committee, Prof. John Ademola Oluokun, described the establishment of the centre as a partial fulfilment of the community’s long-standing desire for a higher institution.

He acknowledged key donors and contributors to the project, including Unity Bank, which renovated the science building; the late Chief Pekun Adesokan, who renovated the computer building; Alhaji Dr. Ademola Alli, who sponsored kiosk construction; as well as Alhaji Aare Omiteru, Bishop S. Adegbite, Dr. Bode Olajumoke, Engr. Olufemi Babalola Jogor and Rear Admiral Babatunde Egbedina, among others.

In his remarks, Project Executive, Ayobami Olubiyi, traced the journey of the study centre to September 2023, noting that the process was marked by resilience, collaboration and faith.

He disclosed that the centre is expected to admit its first set of students in the third quarter of 2026, a milestone he said would usher in a new era of academic growth and opportunity for the community.

Also speaking, Senator Dr. Bode Olajumoke, founder of the Bode Olajumoke Youth Empowerment Foundation and an alumnus of Fiditi Grammar School, thanked Prof. Peters for approving the centre and congratulated the people of Fiditi on the achievement.

He urged residents to maximise the presence of the institution by upgrading their academic qualifications and empowering themselves through education.