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Hallmark varsity to open in October

The proprietor of Vivian Fowler Memorial College for girls, in Ikeja, Lagos, Chief Lelia Fowler, has added university education to portfolio with the birth of the Hallmark University located in Ijebu Itele, Ogun State.

The institution, run by the Vivian Fowler Trust Foundation, will receive its pioneer students in October.
At a briefing in Lagos, Mrs Fowler said her experience in founding and funding schools in the last 30 years would be brought to bear at Hallmark University.

She said: “Hallmark University’s mission is to pursue excellence. I started off as a lawyer. I practised for 30 years. I was motivated into education by the poor standards then. I started off by providing remedial education to assist those that couldn’t get admission and wanted to go abroad. The second initiative was the Fowler’s school for girls – because I love Nigerian kids. The average Nigerian kid will excel if put in the right environment. There is dire need for education. I started the university to give them the enabling environment. We want home-grown children,” she said.

Mrs Fowler added that she did not go into university education to make money but to contribute her quota to nation building.
She promised that the fees would be affordable compared to the quality of education the institution would offer.

“You are getting the best education for the best cost, ” she added.

The varsity’s Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT), Most Rev Adebayo Akinde said they would introduce a work and study scheme to assist indigent students.

Contrary to the thoughts that private universities are too many, the former Computer Engineering professor said Nigeria needs even more.

“Let no one be worried about more varsities. We need between 300 and 400 universities. So, they are not yet enough,” he said.

Most Rev Akinde, the Archbishop, Lagos Mainland, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, said it was a shame that some students leave Nigeria to study in small neigbouring countries such as Ghana. He recalled the good old days in the 60s and 70s of education ”before things went haywire”.

“Our educational system is in trouble. We are not reading. We need retraining. There is need for modification of our curriculum to boost the quality of education,” he said.

Pro Chancellor/Chairman, Governing Council of Hallmark University, Prof Wale Omole, said as its motto In Porsitiari Ad excelentio (In Pursuit of excellence) indicates that the institution will be a citadel of excellence which will “provide holistic education, intellectual skills, advocacy and social responsibility”.

Omole, a former vice chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), said Hallmark University will kick off with the following faculties: Natural and Applied Sciences, Management and Social Sciences in its first phase.

In the subsequent phases, Engineering, environmental Technology, Agriculture and Natural Resources will be added.

(The Nation)

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