ENDORSEMENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FORTUNE, NIGERIA
By Prof. Ojo Emmanuel Ademola
A Visionary Institution for a New Nigerian Future
The emergence of the University of Fortune in Igbotako stands as one of the most compelling and visionary educational developments in contemporary Nigeria. Its establishment is far from a stroke of chance; it is the culmination of painstaking labour, strategic foresight, and the kind of arithmetic precision that only a mind disciplined by excellence can conceive. It bears the unmistakable imprint of its founder, Senator (Dr.) Ambassador‑Designate Jimoh Folorunso Ibrahim — a man whose global reputation is anchored in intellectual audacity, entrepreneurial mastery, and an unwavering devotion to the advancement of nationhood. His life’s work consistently demonstrates that greatness is not an aspiration but a disciplined architecture.
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Having spent decades at the forefront of cybersecurity, digital governance, and the evolving knowledge‑economy landscape across Africa and the wider world, I have learnt to distinguish between institutions that merely occupy space and those that are deliberately crafted to shape the future. The University of Fortune belongs firmly in the latter category. It is not an institution conceived to add to the numerical count of universities in Nigeria; it is an institution designed to redefine the very meaning of higher education, to recalibrate intellectual ambition, and to serve as a crucible for the next generation of thinkers, innovators, and nation‑builders.
Its vision is bold, its foundations are deliberate, and its promise is unmistakably transformative.
A University Built on Scale, Precision, and Purpose
The University of Fortune is conceived upon an expansive and carefully curated stretch of land in Igbotako, Ondo State — a location now destined to become one of the most intellectually significant sites in Nigeria’s educational history. Everything about this institution speaks of ambition on a scale rarely witnessed in private higher education. Its physical and academic aspirations mirror the standards associated with the world’s most prestigious Ivy League universities, yet it remains deeply rooted in the Nigerian soil that inspired its creation.
Verified reports highlight the sheer magnitude of its infrastructure: a 127‑metre Faculty of Law complex, celebrated as the longest of its kind in Nigeria; two hundred elegantly designed twin‑bedroom apartments for academic staff; and twelve purpose‑built hostel blocks to ensure student comfort and community life. These are not the casual constructions of an institution seeking to merely join the ranks. These are the deliberate, imposing, and future‑oriented structures of a university determined to lead.
This is not the architecture of mediocrity.
This is the architecture of destiny.
The Federal Government’s issuance of an operating licence on 30 April 2025 stands as a formal affirmation of the university’s readiness, credibility, and compliance with the highest regulatory expectations. It is a testament to the meticulous preparation and unwavering commitment that underpin the entire project.
With programmes set to commence in law, management studies, medical sciences, and other strategically selected disciplines essential for Nigeria’s developmental trajectory, the University of Fortune is positioned to become a premier centre of excellence. It is poised to nurture a generation of professionals, innovators, and leaders equipped to contribute meaningfully to national transformation and global competitiveness.
Why I Endorse the University of Fortune
The story of the University of Fortune cannot be told without recognising the extraordinary stature of its founder, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, whose life work is a testament to excellence in its most disciplined form. Senator Ibrahim is not a man associated with small visions or modest undertakings. He stands as a billionaire business magnate, a legislator of uncommon depth, and a scholar whose passion for academic distinction is both profound and unrestrained. His celebrated reputation as the “wizard of due process in taxation” and his expansive global footprint in business, governance, and intellectual enterprise place him in a rare category of nation‑builders. It is therefore no surprise that he is uniquely positioned to conceive and establish a world‑class university—one that reflects the breadth of his ambition and the precision of his mind.
The University of Fortune also emerges as a strategic response to Nigeria’s urgent knowledge‑economy imperative. As Africa’s first Professor of Cybersecurity and Information Technology Management, I am acutely aware that the nation’s future competitiveness will depend on institutions capable of producing thinkers, innovators, and ethical leaders who can navigate an increasingly complex global landscape. The University of Fortune is deliberately structured to serve as such a crucible—a place where intellectual rigour converges with visionary leadership, and where the next generation of transformative minds will be shaped.
Its location in the Ondo South Senatorial District further underscores its strategic significance. This is not merely a geographical choice; it is a deliberate intervention in regional development. The presence of a university of this magnitude promises to stimulate economic growth, attract global partnerships, and provide a beacon of hope for thousands of young Nigerians in search of quality education. It stands poised to become a catalyst for both regional upliftment and national transformation.
Moreover, the University of Fortune represents a refreshing model of private‑sector driven educational renaissance in Nigeria. At a time when the nation’s educational landscape is in dire need of institutions that are not driven by profit but by purpose, this university stands out as a bold and exemplary initiative. It is not an institution built for prestige or applause; it is an institution built for posterity. Its foundations are anchored in vision, its aspirations are noble, and its commitment to excellence is unmistakable.
A Prophetic and Intellectual Affirmation
In my capacity as a scholar, a national transformation advocate, and a Renewal–Pentecostal leader committed to generational mobilisation, I affirm without hesitation that the University of Fortune is both divinely timed and strategically positioned for this moment in Nigeria’s unfolding story. Its emergence is not merely an academic development; it is a providential intervention, arriving at a time when the nation urgently requires institutions capable of inspiring excellence, cultivating integrity, and shaping a new cadre of visionary leaders.
The University of Fortune carries within its foundations the unmistakable imprint of excellence. Every aspect of its conception and execution reflects a commitment to standards that transcend the ordinary. It stands as a testament to what is possible when vision, discipline, and purpose converge in a single project.
It is also an institution that embodies the future. Its architecture, its academic aspirations, and its philosophical underpinnings all point towards a new horizon for Nigerian higher education—one in which innovation, global competitiveness, and ethical leadership are not optional ideals but defining characteristics.
Above all, it is a university destined to shape leaders, innovators, and nation‑builders for generations to come. Its influence will not be confined to the boundaries of Ondo State or even Nigeria; it will radiate across Africa and into the global arena, producing men and women equipped to engage the complexities of the modern world with wisdom, courage, and transformative insight.
Conclusion
I offer my unequivocal and wholehearted endorsement of the University of Fortune, Igbotako, as a monumental and historic gift to Nigeria and to the African continent at large. This institution stands not merely as another addition to the nation’s academic landscape, but as a bold declaration of what is possible when vision, intellect, and disciplined execution converge. Its foundation is unshakeably strong, its vision is unmistakably clear, and its leadership is nothing short of exceptional.
The University of Fortune is destined to rise as a citadel of wisdom, innovation, and national rebirth. It carries within its very architecture the promise of a new educational order—one capable of shaping minds, transforming communities, and contributing profoundly to the renaissance of our nation. I assert with confidence that its impact will echo far beyond the boundaries of Ondo State, influencing the trajectory of higher education across Africa for generations to come.
Prof. Ademola Emmanuel Ojo is Africa’s First Professor of Cybersecurity and Information Technology Management; General Evangelist and Renewal–Pentecostal Thought Leader;S trategic Advisor on National Transformation and Generational Mobilisation.