University administrators have been charged to brace up and improve their capacity, particularly in the area of Information Communication Technology (ICT), in order to be ready for the challenges of the future universities. A former Registrar of Ekiti State University, Dr. Omojola Awosusi, gave this charge last Tuesday (February 16, 2016) while delivering the first Annual Registry Lecture Series of the University of Ilorin, entitled "The University of the Future: Challenges and Prospects for the University Administrator". Dr. Awosusi, who is also a former Chairman of the Association of Registrars of Nigerian Universities (ARNU), pointed out that for administrators to function in the University of the future, there is the need for training and re-training on the technology that would drive the system in which they work. He noted that one area in which administrators need training is on how to overcome resistance to change.

According to Dr. Awosusi, "The challenges facing administrators of the now and which will create panic if not embarrassment for them in the University of the future, include rapidity of innovation in ICT, emergence of new jobs, stability of tenure, training, performance management, outsourcing, customer restlessness, innovations in events management to mention a few." He stressed that the administrators, who are deficient in the use of basic ICT tools such as Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint, would be shocked by the University of the future, submitting that universities may not have room for secretaries in the nearest future. The Guest Speaker opined that there are great prospects in the University of the future for administrators who could hone their attitudinal, technical and communication skills, stressing that those who would work on their attitude would rule the future.

"Attitude to the customers of our universities and the stakeholders will determine our relevance in the days to come", Dr. Awosusi said, adding that "those with great positive attitude to work and to the system will reap the rewards of hard work directly or indirectly". While recalling that writing and university education started from Africa, Dr Awosusi cautioned the old generation universities in Nigeria against complacency as he predicted that the new generation private universities will overtake them in the next 20 years if the current trend continues. The Guest Speaker also noted that while old generation universities in Nigeria live in a world of self-satisfaction, the private universities are investing in training and retraining of all their staff on minute details of everyday life in the University system.

He also observed that many African universities with fewer resources are doing better than Nigerian universities because they are investing more in their education system and therefore appealed to the Nigerian government to increase its funding of the Nigeria universities in order for them to compete favourably with their contemporaries across the globe. He frowned at the system in the universities that believes in the worth of academic qualification/publications and experience calculated in terms of chronological age rather than in terms of "knowing how to do it", which, he said, is the focus of the industry and the focus of the future. Dr. Awosusi recommended that the 360 approach should be put to use for the promotion of administrators in the universities, explaining that the approach allows super-ordinates, customers, peers, subordinates to assess and determine administrator's suitability for promotion. Earlier in his opening address, the Chairman of the occasion and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali (OON), enjoined all members of the University staff to take advantage of the opportunities for training and re-training provided by the University administration to develop themselves and the system.

In the address, entitled "Deliver the Goods", Prof. Ambali, who was with all the other Principal Officers of the University, stated that the lecture topic is a wake-up call to the University's administrators to realise the imperative of embracing change. He called on the staff of the University to work together to deliver the goods of higher learning that would make Nigeria better. According to the Vice-Chancellor, "Without administrators on whose neck the progress and development of the University rests, nothing concrete can be achieved". He said, "If we do right things and we do things right, we shall overcome the challenges, lift our university system to a higher pedestal and deliver the goods of higher learning to humanity".

Welcoming guests to the programme, the Registrar of the University of Ilorin, who is also the Chief Host, Mr. Emmanuel Dada Obafemi, explained that the annual Registry Lecture "marks the successful culmination of a long dream" and thanked the Vice-Chancellor who, he said, gave the encouragement and financial backing to host the programme. Mr. Obafemi explained that the objective of the lecture is to serve as a forum for the exchange of ideas on current trends in the administration of higher education institutions.

The Registrar stated that the last one year in the University of Ilorin witnessed unprecedented advancement in staff training and human capital development as a large number of staff in the University attended various conferences, seminars and workshops. Mr. Obafemi described the administrator as the custodian of the University rules, regulations, precedents, traditions, ethics and culture, adding that he provides direction and guides management and group activities and actions so that the objectives of the University are attained.

According to the Registrar, the administrator is expected to possess cutting-edge competencies to interpret regulations and advise management properly in the day-to-day running of the University to be able to achieve success. He said, "Unless the administrator is knowledgeable, well versed in his job and skilled in problem-solving, he cannot offer any useful advice". Mr. Obafemi said that administrators who want to remain relevant in their job must embrace change, concluding that "there is no longer place to hide as the society is continually on the drive to excellence and only the administrators who are open and receptive to new ideas will come out triumphant and unscathed". In her goodwill message, a former Registrar of the University of Ibadan, Chief (Mrs.) Mojisola Ladipo, said she was elated to see that the Registry of the Nigerian universities has come of age.

The renowned administrator charged the Registry staff in Nigerian universities to improve on their service delivery and be part of the glorious education landscape that awaits Nigeria. Among the Registrars of some universities in attendance were, Mr. M. S. Ayeerien, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko; Dr. Daniel A. Rotimi, Landmark University, Omu Aran; Dr. Kehinde A. Adekeye, Nigerian Turkish Nile University, Abuja; Mr. Omololu Adegbenro, Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State; and Mr. Mathew Odunlade Ayoola, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta