Kola Daisi and Koladaisi University

Chief Kola Daisi is widely recognized as a leading industrialist of his time. The Chief has been a prosperous entrepreneur for decades. As a philanthropist, he built a university to impact the lives and communities of those who value education. He has repeatedly talked about how his humble origins fueled his passion for education.

From the beginning, Chief Kola Daisi’s entrepreneurial journey has been characterized by innovation and a focus on objectives. This methodology proved useful in the founding of his eight-year-old university. As a businessman and experienced industrialist, he is well aware of the challenges of the 21st century. Therefore, the purpose of establishing his school extends beyond formal education and also includes developing relevant entrepreneurial skills applicable in the modern world.
Over the years, the school has trained academics who are academically competent and adept problem solvers, equipped to foster innovation and drive economic progress.
Chief Kola Daisi, a prominent traditional ruler in Ibadanland, presents an innovative and distinctive approach as Chancellor of Koladaisi University.

His understanding of the importance of education in empowering individuals and their communities has made him a formidable influence in Ibadan and across the country. Basorun Kola Daisi has built an enduring legacy that has significantly fostered a supportive atmosphere for the growth and progress of the institution. Leveraging his status as a leading lawyer and business magnate, his institution will secure partnerships with leading organizations.

The Chief’s entrepreneurial journey began in the 1970s when he entered the textile sector. Daisi Textile Mills was a prosperous manufacturing enterprise known for producing high-quality fabrics. Daisi Textile Mills subsequently evolved into the Daisi Group, a conglomerate with significant investments in several industrial areas, including agriculture and real estate. The group’s growth and success was attributed to Chief Daisi’s business acumen and strategic methodology.

Basorun Kola Daisi was known and appreciated for his achievements in business and his successful career as a lawyer. While studying Economics and Law at the University of London, he emerged as a successful legal expert at a remarkably young age. By the age of 28, Chief Daisi had won numerous notable legal victories that earned him wealth and esteem. He then joined the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) where he served for almost a decade and rose to the position of Chief Executive. He also served as Executive Director of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA). He also co-founded the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce, where he was its first Executive Director.

Chief Daisi’s evolution from a prominent legal juggernaut to a prosperous business magnate began with his involvement with the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry. His involvement with LCCI consolidated his knowledge of the intricacies of business, enabling a seamless journey. Furthermore, he immediately contributed to society when he achieved significant business success. Chief Daisi established the Kola Daisi Foundation (KDF) to advance public welfare, focusing on community health, education and poverty alleviation. KDF has provided healthcare to many people, especially in rural areas with limited access to modern medicines and healthcare facilities. In addition, the foundation has enabled countless dealers and entrepreneurs to strengthen their businesses.

A learned leader with a heart for learning, the foundation has fulfilled the aspirations of countless underprivileged Nigerian youths seeking education, thus establishing his private institution. Koladaisi University has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Highbury College, Portsmouth, to create a skills development centre, reaffirming Chief Daisi’s commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship. Due to the recent demise of the Nigerian tertiary education system, Chief Daisi chose to expose his students to the level of education he received abroad.

Being value-oriented and purposeful has consistently been an integral part of the university’s missions. During the meeting of the school, the Vice Chancellor once urged the graduates to become problem solvers as the world is constantly changing and problems arise on a daily basis, especially in Africa where the institution is located. He emphasized that the problems we face as humans are manufactured and therefore can be solved by those who created them. This serves as a resounding call to both students of Koladaisi University and Nigerians to show resolve and courage as these issues require a concerted effort towards resolution.

Chief Daisi is also recognized for his inventiveness, strategic business acumen and his advocacy for educational excellence. He appreciates the importance of quality education and infrastructure. He explores the critical importance of exceptional graduates in tackling the country’s escalating problems. He believes that educated individuals are essential for generating ideas that lead to economic solutions and development. He emphasizes the need to invest in education to promote a prosperous and thriving nation.

Koladaisi University has also made an impact through its online degree programs. The distance learning program opens the door to online or virtual schools for those from lower socio-economic backgrounds. With this innovation, virtual learning has been a boon for students at Koladaisi University. Students can create a balance between their academic, work and other obligations because they do not have to be on a physical campus. Furthermore, individuals who live in faraway places or lead hectic lives have more freedom in distance learning because they do not have to be on a physical campus.

Shortly after the university was established, Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, the then Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), commended Koladaisi University for its remarkable achievements during the first year of its existence. The professor opined that the institution has overcome significant challenges and is ready to attract excellent staff and students to achieve its objective. He also commended the atmosphere of the institution and specifically commended the leadership of the university while emphasizing the need for a collective effort to sustain their commendable progress towards realizing the goal of becoming a globally recognized institution retain.

I must thank Chief Daisi for discussing his vision for the university with me at his sprawling complex, in the company of Professors Osuntogun and Jide Owoeye. On December 7, I will see the university itself and be part of their emerging stories.

PS: This is a four-part series composed in Accra on the occasion of the 4th Convocation Ceremony of Koladaisi University, December 1 to 7, 2024.

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