Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has called for a fundamental overhaul of Nigeria’s education system, urging schools to focus on producing problem-solvers and innovators rather than graduates armed only with certificates.

Speaking on Thursday while delivering the 55th Convocation Lecture of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Mbah said education must become the driving force for restoring human dignity through experiential learning, innovation and inclusive prosperity.

Delivering the lecture titled, “Restoring the Dignity of Man: Enugu’s Quantum Leap in Human Development and Inclusive Prosperity Through Experiential Learning,” the governor described UNN’s motto as a timeless mission whose relevance has become even greater in the era of artificial intelligence, biotechnology and the knowledge economy.

He argued that true development should be measured by citizens’ ability to transform knowledge into productivity and shared prosperity rather than by physical infrastructure alone.

“True dignity exists when people possess not merely the freedom to aspire, but the capability to transform aspiration into achievement, potential into productivity, and possibility into shared prosperity,” he said.

Mbah said Enugu’s education reforms were inspired by the Igbo apprenticeship system, which, according to him, embodies learning by doing, mentorship, trust, discipline and entrepreneurship.

“Our purpose is not to romanticise the past, but to apply its deepest principle to the future. This is why we embraced experiential learning—not as a foreign educational idea, but as a modern expression of our knowledge tradition and a twenty-first-century development imperative,” he said.

The governor explained that through experiential learning, the state seeks to democratise opportunities by ensuring that access to quality education, technology, healthcare, infrastructure, mentorship, capital and connectivity is no longer determined by birthplace, income or social status.

He disclosed that the Centre for Experiential Learning and Innovation (CELI), Enugu, is driving reforms in curriculum development, teacher training, research, digital literacy, technical education and industry partnerships to bridge what he described as the “activation gap” between knowledge and opportunity.

Mbah said his administration’s vision of growing Enugu’s economy from about $4.4 billion to $30 billion is anchored on human capital development rather than conventional infrastructure projects alone.

He noted that about one-thirds of the state’s annual budget has consistently been allocated to education, leading to the construction of 268 Smart Green Schools across the state’s 260 political wards, equipped with smart classrooms, laboratories, digital libraries, innovation studios, clinics, smart farms, solar power and internet connectivity.

According to him, over 23,000 teachers have undergone digital literacy training, while the state has approved the recruitment of 4,698 teachers to strengthen the Smart Green School initiative.

The governor added that students in the state’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges were already receiving practical industry training in ICT, mechatronics, aquaponics, precision welding, fashion and design through partnerships with industries, including the Enugu Haier Factory.

He also announced plans to establish three specialised universities dedicated to Artificial Intelligence and Technology, Education and Technology, and Agriculture, Agro-industrialisation and Technology, while new degree programmes in Automation, Artificial Intelligence and Mechatronics have already been introduced at ESUT and IMT.

To demonstrate the impact of experiential learning, Mbah narrated the story of Arinze Edeoga, a pupil of a Smart Green School in rural Owo community, who recently taught digital literacy to pupils in Enugu metropolis.

“A village child became a teacher of urban peers. In Arinze, you see restored confidence, democratized opportunity and a child once defined by geography becoming a creator of knowledge rather than merely a consumer of it. You see the dignity of man,” he said.

Mbah, however, said education reforms alone would not guarantee prosperity unless supported by investments in healthcare, electricity, roads, aviation, tourism and technology, stressing that Enugu’s development strategy integrates all sectors into a single human development architecture.

He cited projects such as the 300-bed Enugu International Hospital, the transport terminals, Enugu Air, the expansion of primary healthcare centre, the Enugu Command tourism infrastructure, and the proposed 660-megawatt power plant, as interconnected investments designed to unlock productivity, attract investment and improve citizens’ quality of life.

Mbah concluded by urging governments, universities, communities and the private sector to reject what he described as the “poverty of imagination,” insisting that the future belongs to societies willing to invest boldly in human capability.

“Let us measure leadership by the capabilities it develops in others, education by the lives learners become able to shape, and development by the dignity and opportunity it extends to every citizen,” he said.

Meanwhile, in their various remarks, the Vice Chancellor of UNN, Prof. Simon Ortuanya and Chairman of the event and former Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo commended Mbah’s milestones in human capital development.

They noted that Mbah had, in three years, made a resounding impact in development across all sectors.

The event was attended by notable dignitaries, including the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai; Deputy Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Ezenta Ezeani; Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Udeh and Catholic Bishop of Nsukka Diocese, Most Rev Godfrey Igwebuike Onah and Senator Ikeje Asogwa.

The Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), CP Ahmed Sanusi, has urged residents, particularly youths, to resist attempts by police officers to search their mobile phones during stop-and-search operations.

Sanusi said such searches violate a directive issued by the Inspector-General of Police, stressing that officers are not permitted to randomly search the phones of members of the public.

The commissioner made the remarks during a press conference shared by News Central Television on Tuesday.

He explained that although mobile phones could be used as evidence in criminal investigations, they should only be examined after a suspect has been lawfully arrested and taken to a police station.

According to him, officers are not authorised to stop people on the road and demand access to their phones merely on suspicion that they may be involved in internet fraud or other criminal activities.

Sanusi urged residents confronted by officers demanding to search their phones to seek assistance by contacting the police emergency line or nearby police officers.

He reaffirmed the FCT Police Command’s commitment to enforcing the Inspector-General’s directive, warning that officers found violating the order would face disciplinary action.

He said the command would continue to take action against officers who abuse their authority or engage in extortion under the guise of conducting stop-and-search operations.

An Enugu Air aircraft on Thursday veered off the runway after landing at the Benin Airport in Edo State, with all 67 passengers and five crew members escaping unhurt.

The airline, in a statement, confirmed that the incident involved an Embraer E170 aircraft with registration number 5N-ENR, which landed at about 1:57 p.m. UTC before experiencing what it described as a runway incursion.

According to the airline, all passengers and crew members were safely evacuated from the aircraft without injuries, while the aircraft has since been secured.

The carrier said the relevant aviation authorities had been notified in line with established safety procedures, adding that investigations into the incident had commenced.

“We wish to inform the public that one of our aircraft operating into Benin experienced a runway incursion after landing today. We confirm that all passengers and crew have safely disembarked and there were no injuries or casualties,” the statement read.

The airline noted that an assessment of the aircraft and the circumstances surrounding the occurrence was ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.

It also warned that the development could lead to temporary adjustments to some flight schedules, assuring affected passengers that they would be contacted directly and provided with the necessary support.

Enugu Air reiterated that the safety of its passengers, crew and operations remained its highest priority and pledged to keep the public updated through its official communication channels.