A professor of Food Science and Technology, Ladoke Akintola University (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Nigeria, Isaac Adebayo Adeyemi, has identified carrying out a critical analysis of the current operations in both the public and private institutions and evaluating the merits and demerits of each of the operations within each system as the key to repositioning the educational in Nigeria.
Professor Adeyemi, who is also the chairman, Governing Council, The Polytechnic Ibadan, Oyo state stated this last week Thursday while delivering his valedictory lecture, entitled: “The Ivory Tower: Town and Gown in Contemporary Nigeria,� which was the second in the series of valedictory lectures in the university.
 Speaking further, he said: “From the results of the analysis, it would be feasible to fashion out the way forward at bringing afloat the sinking ship of quality education in the country.�
While he highlighted the historical and emerging trends in town and gown relationships and the tremendous benefits it had brought to universities, particularly in the advanced countries, he emphasised the place of evaluating the town and gown relationship within the Nigerian context and identifying the missing gaps that needed to be addressed in repositioning Nigerian tertiary institutions for global competitiveness.
The principles and ideas of town and gown, he observed had been entrenched in the Nigerian university system as reflected in various forms, adding that “the university organs, academic units, and students bodies, directly and indirectly, have been playing significant roles in bridging the gap between the town and gown.�
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This he also noted had enabled such bodies to sell the university, faculty, department or unit to the community and the outside world, which tend to strengthen town and gown relationships.
The former, national president of the Nigeria Institutes of Food Science and Technology (NIFEST), reminiscing said serving in this capacity gave him the opportunity to build an excellent town and gown relationship, which he had always found useful in fixing his students for industrial attachments as components of their learning.
Professor Adeyemi, who was also the first deputy vice-chancellor of LAUTECH therefore challenged the management of the institution to take a retrospective look at the university and come up with strategic plan at rebuilding its structures, saying “in doing this  we have to come down from the ivory tower, carry out  internal surgeries and thereafter launder the institutionâ€
s image.�
“The university must come up with principles and application that would restore confidence in town and gown relationships. This no doubt would enhance improved levels of funding by the owner states and other relevant stakeholders,� he said.
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Don advocates effective town and gown relationship
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