The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has formally inaugurated its School of Postgraduate Studies building situated at the university’s headquarters in Abuja and was dedicated to a former Vice-Chancellor of the University, Emeritus Professor Olugbemiro Jegede.
The gesture, said the NOUN Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olufemi Peters, was in recognition of Prof. Jegede’s pioneering leadership and enduring contributions to the growth of Open and Distance Learning (ODL) in Nigeria.
The event, which took place on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, was graced by an array of distinguished personalities, including principal officers of the university, directors of various directorates, deans of faculties, senior academic and administrative staff, as well as friends and community leaders of the celebrant.
The inauguration formed part of a series of activities lined up to mark the end-of-tenure of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olufemi Peters, whose 5-year administration, which ends on February 11, 2026, has recorded significant development within the university.
Delivering the opening address, Prof. Peters described the occasion as both symbolic and historic.
He paid glowing tribute to Emeritus Professor Jegede, recalling that his personnel file number at NOUN remains 0001, a testament to his status as the university’s foundational Vice-Chancellor.
He traced the history of the institution to its first establishment in 1983, noting that it was later shut down before being restored under the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2003.
According to the Vice-Chancellor, following the university’s restoration, President Obasanjo turned to Professor Jegede to lead the reborn institution at a time marked by uncertainty and logistical challenges.
