Kola Daisi And KolaDaisi University

By Toyin Falola

Chief Kola Daisi is widely recognized as a prominent industrialist of his era. The Chief has been a prosperous entrepreneur for decades. As a philanthropist, he constructed a university to influence the lives and communities of those who value education. He has repeatedly narrated how his modest origins ignited his passion for education.

From the outset, Chief Kola Daisi’s entrepreneurial path has been characterized by innovation and a focus on objectives. This methodology proved beneficial in the founding of his eight-year-old University. As a businessman and experienced industrialist, he is keenly aware of the challenges of the 21st century, which is why the purpose of establishing his school extends beyond formal education to include the cultivation of pertinent entrepreneurial skills applicable in the modern world. Throughout the years, the school has cultivated academics who are academically proficient and adept problem-solvers equipped to foster innovation and stimulate economic progress.

Chief Kola Daisi, a prominent traditional ruler in Ibadanland, presents an innovative and distinctive approach as the Chancellor of Koladaisi University. His comprehension of the importance of education in empowering individuals and their communities has established him as a formidable influence in Ibadan and throughout the nation. Basorun Kola Daisi has established a durable legacy that has significantly fostered a supportive atmosphere for the institution’s growth and advancement. Leveraging his stature as a prominent lawyer and business magnate, his institution will secure collaborations with leading organizations.

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

Basorun Kola Daisi was renowned and esteemed 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. At 28, Chief Daisi had achieved numerous notable legal victories that garnered him wealth and esteem. Subsequently, he was employed by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), where he served for almost ten years and ascended to the position of Chief Executive. Additionally, he served as the Executive Director of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA). Also, he co-founded the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce, where he served as its inaugural Executive Director.

The evolution of Chief Daisi from a prominent legal juggernaut to a prosperous business magnate commenced with his involvement in the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry. His involvement with LCCI consolidated his knowledge of the intricacies of business, facilitating a seamless journey. Moreover, he promptly contributed to society upon achieving significant business success. Chief Daisi established the Kola Daisi Foundation (KDF) to enhance public welfare, concentrating on community health, education, and poverty reduction. KDF has provided healthcare to many individuals, particularly in rural regions with limited access to modern medication and healthcare facilities. The foundation has also enabled numerous dealers and entrepreneurs to enhance their enterprises.

As a learned chief with a fervor for learning, the foundation has fulfilled the aspirations of numerous underprivileged Nigerian youths seeking education, thus establishing his private institution. Koladaisi University has formalized a Memorandum of Understanding with Highbury College, Portsmouth, to create a skill development center, reaffirming Chief Daisi’s commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship. Due to the recent decline of the Nigerian tertiary education system, Chief Daisi opted to expose his students to the caliber of education he had abroad.

Being value-oriented and goal-driven has consistently been integral to the University’s missions. At the school’s convocation, the Vice Chancellor once urged the graduates to become problem-solvers, as the world is consistently altering and issues arise daily, particularly in Africa, where the institution is located. He emphasized that the problems we encounter as humans are manufactured and, thus, can be resolved by those who devised them. This serves as a clarion call for both Koladaisi University students and Nigerians to exhibit determination and bravery, as these difficulties necessitate a unified effort for resolution.

Chief Daisi is also recognized for his inventiveness, strategic business acumen, and advocacy for excellent education. He values the importance of quality education and infrastructure. He examines the vital importance of exceptional graduates in addressing the nation’s escalating difficulties. He believes that educated individuals are essential for generating ideas leading to economic solutions and development. He emphasizes the need to invest in education to foster 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 individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. With this innovation, virtual learning has been a boon to students at Koladaisi University. Students can create an equilibrium between their academics, employment, and other obligations since they do not have to be present on a physical campus. Additionally, individuals residing in far places or with hectic lives have more freedom with distance learning since it does not need them to be on a physical campus.

Soon after the University was established, Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, the then Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), applauded Koladaisi University for its remarkable accomplishments during its inaugural year of operation. The professor opined that the institution has surmounted significant challenges and is poised to attract excellent staff and students to fulfill its objective. He also praised the institution’s atmosphere and specifically commended the leadership of the University while emphasizing the necessity for a collective effort to maintain their commendable advancement towards realizing the objective of becoming a globally recognized institution.

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

P.S.: This is a four-part series composed in Accra to mark the 4^th Convocation Ceremony of Koladaisi University, Dec. 1^st  to 7^th, 2024.