Omniversity partners Guild of Public Affairs Analysts to advance practice-based education

Omniversity Imperial College LLC, Missouri, USA, and its Lagos, Nigeria campus has entered into a partnership with the Guild of Public Affairs Analysts of Nigeria (GPAAN) to promote practice-based education designed to redefine the learning landscape across Africa.

The partnership was birthed during a meeting with the institution’s President and Chairman, Board of Trustees, Tokunbo Akeredolu-Ale, a professor, and leaders of the Guild led by its President, Ayo Oyoze Baje.

Other leaders of GPAAN in attendance at the meeting include Cami Ezenwa, lecturer at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Ogba; Joseph Amaoru, treasurer; Stephen Aya, financial secretary, and Oyeniran Apata, Education editor with Daily Times.

In his remarks, Professor Akeredolu-Ale highlighted the institution’s mission to shift the focus of education from paper qualification to practical competence and real-world experience.

According to him, “We need legitimacy. We should practise what we preach. The man who stopped the war—was he a soldier? Professor Wole Soyinka has no Ph.D. Should we analyse a Ph.D. only by a thesis? Evaluation systems, assessment, and quality checks have to evolve.

“China, Rwanda, and France emphasize results and practicality over academic titles. If Bill Gates signs your certificate, ask yourself—who certified him?”

According to him, education must adapt to the realities of the Artificial Intelligence era, where outdated academic models are giving way to innovation-driven, experience-based learning.

“We cannot remain on the old paths. The dynamics of AI have rendered some educational approaches obsolete,” he stressed.

Responding to questions on the institution’s registration, Akeredolu-Ale traced Omniversity’s origins to Omnibus Global Academy established over a decade ago.

He disclosed that the Lagos registration was done about two years ago, while the Missouri, USA registration followed a year later.

“All our registrations went through rigorous inspections,” he explained.

“Omniversity was found worthy of all certifications and approvals, including that of the Lagos State Ministry of Tertiary Education,” he said.

He further explained that through its Distance Learning by Correspondence model, Omniversity offers approved Certificates, Diplomas, Postgraduate, Master’s, Postdoctoral, and Fellowship qualifications designed to enhance learners’ professional standing and income potential.

“These programmes are accredited, evaluated, validated, and awarded through recognised international bodies, making it possible for learners in Nigeria to earn Canadian, British, and U.S. qualifications without leaving the country,” he said.

He also said that as part of its continued drive for innovation, Omniversity was set to host the African Roundtable Workshop on Innovation between late November and early December 2025, bringing together thought leaders across academia, media, and industry.

Speaking on behalf of GPAAN, Cami Ezenwa lauded Professor Akeredolu-Ale’s “spontaneous defense of Omniversity’s revolutionary ideas” and described the institution’s practice-based model as “excellent, exemplary, and futuristic.”

Describing Omniversity as a “game-changer in Nigeria’s education spectrum” for its strong focus on practical experience and skill acquisition, Baje, GPAAN president, emphasized the timeliness and necessity of the partnership between the institution and GPAAN to promote and amplify its transformative educational vision.

He also commended the globally-renowned Professor of Artificial Intelligence–Powered Marketing Communications, Leadership, Organizational and Risk Management, urging him to “keep the flag flying higher” as Omniversity continues to bridge the gap between knowledge and practice in education across Africa and beyond.