Dr. Tunji Olowolafe Proposes Research Strategies at OAU

During the 65th anniversary celebration of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Dr. Tunji Olowolafe, Founder of the Tunji Olowolafe Foundation, presented three strategies aimed at promoting research excellence and innovation in postgraduate studies. He urged Nigerian universities to broaden access to research, advocating for earlier and more flexible entry points.

Dr. Olowolafe suggested that OAU should establish its Staff Schools as benchmarks for Africa, focusing on science, technology, and artificial intelligence. He highlighted the success of the Gbemisola Olowolafe Memorial Community Secondary School in Are-Ekiti, which opened in September 2025.

His second strategy emphasized the need for researchers to rigorously test societal beliefs, using the example of Tu Youyou, who developed the malaria treatment artemisinin from traditional remedies. The third strategy called for research to be applied directly to the economy, advocating for university promotion structures that reward patents and commercial products.

Dr. Olowolafe stressed that research is only complete when it positively impacts lives.