Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, will unveil the ₦10 billion President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Centre of Excellence in Intercultural Dialogue and Youth Empowerment on June 8.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Simeon Bamire, disclosed this on Monday during a press conference held to announce activities marking the institution’s 65th anniversary. He described the centre as a platform for research, dialogue, leadership development, innovation and youth empowerment.

Bamire said the centre will feature prominently at the grand finale of the celebration, where the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, will deliver the anniversary lecture titled, “65 Years of Excellence: OAU and the Future of Nigerian Higher Education.”

“One of the major highlights of this anniversary celebration will be the official launch of the ₦10 billion President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Intercultural Dialogue and Youth Empowerment Centre, a landmark project designed to promote leadership development, intercultural understanding, youth empowerment, and national integration,” Bamire said.

The project was facilitated through the support of the National Information Technology Development Agency and the Office of the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu. Prof. Bamire described it as a transformative initiative expected to strengthen innovation, digital entrepreneurship, leadership training and skills development among young Nigerians.

Before the official unveiling, a pre launch event will be held, during which the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, will deliver a lecture titled “Driving National Development Through Research and Innovation.”

The 65th anniversary is themed “Sixty Five Years of Excellence: Honouring the Past, Engineering the Future” and will showcase the university’s achievements in teaching, research, innovation and community service since its establishment.

Bamire said there will be exhibitions highlighting OAU’s research and innovations, sporting events, cultural displays, alumni engagements, interfaith services and community outreach programmes. He commended alumni for their support, noting that their interventions and cooperation with staff and management have significantly contributed to the university’s steady growth.

Founded in 1961 as the University of Ife, the institution emerged from the visionary leadership of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and other founding fathers who believed education should be accessible, functional, transformative and capable of liberating the human mind.

Academic activities commenced in October 1962 with five pioneering faculties: Agriculture, Arts, Law, Science, and Economics and Social Studies. From 244 students and about 80 academic, administrative and technical staff at the start, the university now has two Colleges, sixteen Faculties, five Institutes and Centres, and over 4,000 staff members.