The Ogun State Government has formally transferred ownership of the Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun, to the Federal Government, marking a major restructuring of tertiary education administration in Nigeria.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) formalising the takeover was signed by Governor Dapo Abiodun on behalf of the Ogun State Government and the Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmed, representing the Federal Government.
The signing was witnessed by key university and government officials, including the Pro-Chancellor, Prof. Rahamon Bello; Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adekunle Adeogun; and the Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu.
Governor Abiodun described the development as a “historic transition” while speaking at the institution’s 17th convocation ceremony, noting that the transfer aligns with long-term national education priorities and sustainability considerations.
Tracing the institution’s evolution, the governor recalled that TASUED began in 1978 as the Ogun State College of Education, established to award the National Certificate in Education (NCE).
In its early years, it was affiliated with the University of Ibadan for Bachelor of Education programmes, and later with Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, for Bachelor of Technology degrees and the Postgraduate Diploma in Education.
He explained that the transition to a specialised university was driven by a critical national need to strengthen pedagogy, particularly the quality and depth of teacher preparation for foundational education, an area he said conventional universities often underemphasised.
According to Abiodun, TASUED was deliberately structured to integrate vocational skills and entrepreneurial training into its curriculum, ensuring graduates are equipped with practical competencies alongside academic knowledge.
“Equally compelling was the need to establish a national resource centre for Colleges and Institutes of Education, dedicated to improving teaching quality and learning outcomes across the country,” the governor said.
He added that the university adopted a collegiate system comparable to faculty structures in conventional universities and, following guidance from the National Universities Commission during the 2005/2006 academic session, expanded to four colleges, 18 departments, 38 academic options, and a student population of about 3,800.
“Today, this great university stands as a compelling symbol of vision, growth, and academic excellence,” Abiodun said, noting that TASUED now operates six colleges with 63 undergraduate programmes, 46 master’s programmes, and 42 doctoral programmes.
At the ceremony, Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, who was honoured with a doctoral degree in Childhood Education, said the recognition would further motivate her advocacy for improved access to quality education for children and youths.
Represented by the wife of the Vice President, Nana Shettima, the First Lady urged graduating students to be worthy ambassadors of both the institution and the country.
She also announced a ₦50 million endowment for the best graduating female student in the Department of Childhood Education, to be disbursed over 10 years.
Earlier, Acting Vice-Chancellor Prof. Adekunle Adeogun disclosed that the 17th convocation produced 4,717 graduands. Of the total, 40 earned First Class honours, 1,466 graduated with Second Class Upper Division, 2,768 with Second Class Lower Division, 492 with Third Class, and 19 with Pass degrees. The university also produced 384 postgraduate graduates.
The overall best graduating student, Edward Awofala, who recorded a CGPA of 4.92, received ₦1.5 million from the First Lady and an additional ₦2 million from Governor Abiodun.