Personality in Focus
Igbo Apprenticeship System and Omniversity’s Competency-based Evaluation
By Prof Tokunbo Akeredolu-Ale
The Igbo apprenticeship system stands as one of Africa’s most coherent indigenous models of professional formation, enterprise succession, and competency validation. Its logic is not academic credentialism but verified capability, ethical conduct, economic relevance, and social trust.
Apprenticeship within the Igbo system is governed by clearly understood norms: learning occurs through immersion, assessment is continuous and observational, recognition is earned through demonstrable mastery, and progression culminates in formal settlement that confers independent professional standing. These principles align directly, not symbolically but structurally, with the professional practice education, evaluation, and qualification architecture of Omniversity Imperial College.
Omniversity Imperial College Lagos Nigeria is positioned deliberately as a professional practice education, executive development, and competency validation institution. Its institutional logic mirrors the Igbo apprenticeship philosophy by operating exclusively within Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning, Competency Based Education, Structured Recognition, and ISO aligned governance frameworks. Just as the Igbo system does not rely on classroom examinations to determine readiness, Omniversity does not operate within Nigeria’s statutory university degree framework and does not award NUC regulated academic degrees. Its awards are explicitly professional, practice based, competency validated, and industry aligned, reflecting the same distinction the Igbo system has always maintained between learning and formal academic schooling.
In the Igbo apprenticeship model, the master practitioner functions as both mentor and assessor, continuously evaluating the apprentice’s technical competence, judgment, reliability, and ethical comportment.
Omniversity Imperial College institutionalizes this role through qualified assessors, professional panels, and evidence based evaluation processes. Assessment is grounded in portfolios, documented experience, applied projects, interviews, and competency mapping rather than abstract theory. This approach formalizes what has historically been informal but rigorous in Igbo commercial culture: the validation of real capability through sustained performance under supervision.
The settlement phase of the Igbo apprenticeship is the system’s ultimate validation mechanism. It represents recognition that the apprentice has achieved professional independence and is worthy of trust within the commercial ecosystem.
Omniversity’s *practice qualifications* perform an equivalent function within modern professional governance structures.
The *Bachelor of Practice* recognizes foundational competence and readiness for workforce participation.
The *Master of Practice* validates advanced applied mastery and leadership capability.
The *Doctor of Practice* confirms terminal professional authority grounded in industry impact and governance competence.
Each award is explicitly non academic, legally distinct from university degrees, and transparently positioned as a professional recognition of demonstrated capability.
This mirrors the Igbo principle that recognition follows proof, not aspiration.
The *Professor of Practice* designation at Omniversity further reflects indigenous recognition traditions.
In Igbo society, elders and master traders who have demonstrated sustained excellence, mentorship, and community impact are accorded elevated status and authority.
The *Professor of Practice* title similarly recognizes distinguished professionals with verifiable industry leadership and societal contribution. It is not an academic professorial rank and is not governed by statutory university rules. Instead, it aligns with global Professor of Practice norms that emphasize lived expertise, governance maturity, and professional legacy.
Regulatory clarity is a central strength of Omniversity Imperial College Lagos Nigeria’s framework and resonates with the Igbo system’s respect for defined roles and boundaries.
Under Nigerian law, universities are statutory degree awarding bodies, while professional institutes operate under corporate and professional governance.
Omniversity functions lawfully as a professional education provider, a practice qualification awarding institution, and a competency assessment body. It does not require NUC accreditation because it does not claim degree awarding university status. This clear separation mirrors the Igbo distinction between traditional trade mastery and formal Western education, each respected but not conflated.
Professional governance affiliations with bodies such as NITAD and CILRM further reinforce institutional legitimacy without misrepresenting academic authority. These affiliations support ethical standards, leadership development, and professional practice validation while explicitly not conferring academic accreditation. This governance model is consistent with the Igbo apprenticeship tradition, where legitimacy derives from peer recognition, guild like accountability, and reputation rather than state certification.
Omniversity’s integrated professional pathway reflects the structured progression embedded in the Igbo apprenticeship system. Advancement is sequential, competency driven, and evidence based. No level is honorary or automatic. Each stage demands verifiable performance, ethical alignment, and industry relevance. Certificates and transcripts carry explicit legends clarifying their professional, non academic nature, ensuring transparency for employers, partners, and regulators. This mirrors the Igbo emphasis on clear social signaling, where one’s status is understood through demonstrated role and function within the community.
Honorary distinctions at Omniversity Imperial College further parallel traditional Igbo recognition practices. In Igbo society, exceptional contributors to commerce, leadership, education, and community development are publicly honored based on merit, impact, and character. Omniversity’s honorary framework follows the same logic, awarding recognition strictly on demonstrated societal, educational, business, organizational, and leadership impact. These conferments are not earned through coursework and do not substitute for professional practice qualifications, reinforcing the integrity of both earned and honorary recognition.
In synthesizing indigenous African practice with globally intelligible professional frameworks, Omniversity Imperial College does not imitate tradition but formalizes it. The Igbo apprenticeship system provides historical proof that competency based, practice driven education produces resilient professionals and sustainable economic ecosystems. Omniversity Imperial College translates this proven logic into a structured, legally compliant, and internationally legible model of professional evaluation and recognition. In doing so, it affirms that Africa’s indigenous knowledge systems are not inferior precursors to modern education but foundational architectures upon which credible contemporary professional institutions can be built.
Professor Tokunbo Akeredolu-Ale PhD is the President Chairman BOT GC Omniversity Imperial College Missouri USA and Lagos Nigeria
By NOMA
The Nigerian Online Media Alliance (NOMA) has celebrated Mr. Olakunle Aderinokun on his 55th birthday, describing him as a distinguished strategic communications expert and media professional whose nearly three-decade career continues to shape Nigeria’s communications and business landscape.
In a statement by Theresa Moses, Chairperson, NOMA highlighted Aderinokun’s current role as Head, Media and Public Relations at Access Holdings Plc, where he leads group-wide media strategy, executive communications, crisis management, and corporate reputation positioning across local and international markets.
The Alliance noted that his ability to align corporate narratives with business strategy, stakeholder expectations, and regulatory realities has strengthened institutional credibility and public trust.
Aderinokun’s career reflects a unique blend of journalism, financial services, and corporate leadership. He spent 24 years at THISDAY Newspapers, rising to the position of Group Business Editor and Associate Editor, where he played a significant role in shaping Nigeria’s business journalism ecosystem. He later served as Editor, Business at ARISE News Channel, further consolidating his reputation for editorial excellence and impactful storytelling.
Throughout his journalism career, he covered critical sectors including banking, capital markets, energy, aviation, and macroeconomics, engaging directly with top policymakers, regulators, and corporate leaders. His extensive international exposure includes participation in global platforms such as the IMF-World Bank Meetings, African Development Bank Meetings, TICAD in Japan, the Nigeria-China Business Forum, Africa Oil Week in Cape Town, and Vaasa Energy Week in Finland.
Beyond journalism, Aderinokun brings strong financial and investment expertise, having worked with United Bank for Africa (UBA) and Wall Street Trust Company (now WSTC Financial Services), where he handled equity analysis, market research, and investment advisory. This foundation, NOMA noted, has enabled him to effectively bridge financial performance with strategic communication outcomes.
An entrepreneur, he founded Pure Synergy Ltd in 2013, a firm focused on reputation management and strategic communications, and later served as CEO of Excite Enterprise Ltd, an online business solutions platform.
In the public sector space, Aderinokun served as Media Adviser to Senator Tokunbo Abiru in 2020, where he led media strategy and publicity for the Lagos East Senatorial campaign, contributing to its successful outcome.
Academically, he holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics (Pure and Applied) from the University of Ilorin and an MBA from the University of Lagos, complemented by executive education at Lagos Business School and professional training with the World Bank Institute, NIPR, and Standard Bank Group, South Africa. He also holds multiple professional certifications across public relations, banking, marketing, and digital communications.
NOMA described him as a quintessential, multifaceted professional whose career embodies excellence, innovation, and leadership.
“Olakunle Aderinokun represents the very best of strategic communication and media practice in Nigeria. His journey is not only inspiring but also instructive for the next generation of professionals navigating the evolving media and corporate landscape,” the statement read.
As he marks his 55th birthday, NOMA commended his enduring contributions and wished him continued success, good health, and greater accomplishments in the years ahead.
The Executive Secretary/CEO of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), Dr. Ayodele Ogunsan, has congratulated the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, on the occasion of his birthday, commending his visionary leadership and reform-driven approach to policing in Nigeria.
In his birthday remarks, Dr. Ogunsan described the IGP as a “distinguished officer whose career has consistently reflected professionalism, courage, and a deep commitment to public safety.”
He noted that since assuming office as the 23rd Inspector-General of Police early this Year 2026, Disu has demonstrated a clear resolve to reposition the Nigeria Police Force towards greater efficiency and public trust.
Dr. Ogunsan particularly praised the IGP’s emphasis on intelligence-led policing, a strategy aimed at enhancing proactive crime detection and prevention, as well as his push for the integration of digital tools and forensic capabilities into police operations. These reforms, he said, signal a shift towards modern, accountable, and citizen-focused policing.
He further highlighted Disu’s decisive steps to strengthen the state policing agenda and officers’ welfare. He praised him for the effective policing model through the restructuring and reduction of tactical units, a move designed to address concerns over excesses while redeploying personnel to police divisions for improved community-level security.
The LSSTF boss also acknowledged the IGP’s consistent advocacy for discipline, integrity, and professionalism within the Force, noting that such values are critical to restoring public confidence and enhancing institutional credibility.
Reflecting on his track record, Dr. Ogunsan recalled Disu’s impactful leadership roles across key commands, including the Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory Commands, where he contributed significantly to crime control and intelligence-driven operations.
His tenure as the Commander of the Rapid Response Squad in Lagos is a testament to his operational excellence and urban crime management.
Ogunsan wished the IGP good health, wisdom, and continued success in his efforts to build a more secure Nigeria. “On this special occasion, we celebrate not only a remarkable leader but a reformer whose vision continues to inspire confidence in the security architecture of our nation,” Ogunsan said.
Terrorists in northeast Nigeria killed a brigadier general in an assault on a military base, a local government chairman told AFP on Thursday, the second killing of a high-ranking officer in five months.
Africa’s most populous country has been fighting a terrorist insurgency for 17 years, since Boko Haram’s 2009 uprising, which has seen the emergence of powerful splinter groups, including Islamic State West Africa Province.
In an overnight attack, unidentified terrorists killed at least 18 soldiers and torched vehicles at a base in Benisheikh, about 75 kilometres from Borno state capital Maiduguri, an intelligence source told AFP.
“Unfortunately, the brigade commander, Brigadier General O.O. Braimah, lost his life,” Kaga Local Government Chairman Zannah Lawan Ajimi told AFP in a phone interview.
Two intelligence sources confirmed Braimah’s death to AFP.
His death follows the killing of Brigadier General Musa Uba by ISWAP in November. He was the highest-ranking military official to die in the long-running conflict since 2021.
“They overran the brigade,” one of the intelligence sources said, giving the death toll as “at least” 18.
The second intelligence source said that “the terrorists killed several troops” and “burnt vehicles and buildings before they withdrew,” without giving a toll.
The army and Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
– Rising terrorist violence –
Researchers have warned of an uptick of violence since 2025.
Borno capital Maiduguri has seen two suicide bombings since December — the type of bloody, urban attacks reminiscent of the insurgency’s peak a decade ago.
On Wednesday, the US State Department said in a notice it was authorising “non-emergency US government employees” to leave Abuja “due to the deteriorating security situation”.
While the insurgency is concentrated in the northeastern countryside, terrorists from Nigeria and the neighbouring Sahel have made inroads western Nigeria, where organised crime gangs known as “bandits” have been raiding villages and extorting farmers and artisanal miners for years.
Gunmen killed at least 90 people across several remote villages in northwest Nigeria this week, according to an AFP tally of tolls given by local and humanitarian sources.
Among the attacks was an assault in Kebbi state that police blamed a local terrorist group known as Mahmuda, which is affiliated with Al-Qaeda.
Kebbi sits on Nigeria’s border with Benin and Niger and since 2025 has been targeted by a rising number of terrorist attacks.
Conflict monitor ACLED says there has been a surge in violence in the area carried out by militants affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.
In nearby Kwara state, in October, fighters from the Al-Qaeda-affiliated JNIM claimed an attack after years of researchers warning that the terrorist conflict ravaging the Sahel risked spreading south towards coastal West African states.
In December, the United States, with Nigerian assistance, bombed northwest Sokoto state, targeting Islamic State Sahel Province fighters usually found in neighbouring Niger, along with Mali and Burkina Faso.
AFP
