Utomi Charges For Value-Driven Varsity System

By Marufh Bello - 11.10.2008

ProfFESSOR Pat Utomi, at a symposium titled “University Life and the Grandeur of Ordinary Life: 80 years of Opus Dei” recently held in Ibadan, said that value-driven varsity system is necessary for human progress.

According to Professor Utomi, in a university, emphasis is placed on freedom, which is a product of the intrinsic dignity of the human person and fundamental to its existence, so as to explore possibilities in the environment for the purpose of human progress; stressing that this is achievable when efforts are value-driven as theoretical teaching alone cannot have much meaning.

“The very essence of the idea of a university is to help achieve this essence of human progress. The business of transmission of human progress has put us into the situation of heading pegs.

Part of the challenges of the Nigerian universities is whether the products of their institutions have really been found worthy in character and learning,” Utomi stated.

Quoting St. Josemaria Escriva, founder of Opus Dei, Utomi, in his speech, described the essence of a university as playing a primary role in contributing to human progress; since the problems facing mankind are multiple and complex, namely, spiritual, cultural, social, financial, among others, university education must cover these aspects.