The Honourable Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Nyerhovwo Tonukari, has called for a deliberate partnership between government and tertiary institutions to drive practicable models for social change and development.
Delivering his Keynote Address at the Delta State International Festival for Peace and Development (DITAFEST) 2026 held at the Amphitheatre, Mariam Babangida Leisure Park, Asaba on August 20, 2026, with the theme “Festival for Peace and Development,” Prof. Tonukari said peace and sustainable development must be built on knowledge, innovation and productive institutions, stressing that universities must move beyond the traditional “town and gown” ceremonial relationship to become active partners in solving societal problems.
Prof. Tonukari charged Delta State-owned institutions to identify their areas of comparative advantage and scale them into centres of excellence, citing Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba with its agricultural heritage as a potential hub for agro-technology and food value chains, and Southern Delta University, Ozoro as a driver for a Delta Silicon Valley in software, AI and renewable energy.
He noted that while Federal Government interventions like TETFund and NELFUND — which has disbursed over N303.9 billion to 1.63 million beneficiaries as of July 2026 — have transformed tertiary education under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, less than 20% of Delta students are applying for NELFUND despite statewide sensitization directed by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori. He urged lecturers to shift from publish-or-perish research to product-driven innovation that can produce solar systems, drugs from medicinal plants, animal feeds and industrial chemicals locally.
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