Ooni of Ife, NOUN Move to Establish Community Study Centre in Ile-Ife

The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) and the Palace of the Ooni of Ife are working to establish a Community Study Centre in Ile-Ife, Osun State, to expand access to higher education and bring the university’s programmes closer to the people.

A delegation from the Ooni of Ife's palace led by Dr. Sooko Kemade Elugbaju, conveyed the monarch’s interest to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Uduma Oji Uduma, during a courtesy visit to NOUN Headquarters in Abuja on Monday, November 9, 2026.

Dr. Elugbaju said the four local government areas that make up the Ife community are enthusiastic about the project and ready to support it.

He added that the Ooni had been engaging with the Chairman of NOUN’s Governing Council and the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) on the initiative.

According to Dr. Elugbaju, the Ooni has already provided a piece of land for the proposed centre.

Responding, Prof. Uduma welcomed the delegation and expressed appreciation for the Ooni’s interest, but clarified that NOUN does not build community study centres.

He explained that communities are expected to build and equip suitable facilities, after which the university will inspect them to determine whether they meet its minimum operational requirements.

“Once a community builds and equips a study centre and invites us, we will come and assess it. If it meets our minimum requirements, we will take it over and operate it. If it does not, we will advise that further work be done,” he said.

Prof. Uduma disclosed that NOUN has already dispatched an inspection team to assess the proposed site in Ile-Ife, following communication from the Governing Council Chairman about the Ooni’s interest.

He noted that NOUN currently operates 132 study centres across the country, stressing that the university’s mandate is to remove geographical and other barriers to higher education.

He further clarified that a large expanse of land was not necessary for the project, noting that the proposed centre did not require as much as 20 hectares.

The Vice-Chancellor reiterated NOUN’s readiness to collaborate with the palace and the Ife community, describing the university and the traditional institution as partners in progress in the effort to widen access to quality higher education.