On the 3rd November 2015 Landmark University as a community experienced a delight in a gathering of the intellectuals at the University Conference Hall, where the three- day ITOCA’s Training-of-Trainers Workshop kicked off. ITOCA (Information Training and Outreach Centre for Africa) is a capacity building organisation aimed at enhancing information and communications technology (ICT) skills for African librarians, information specialists, scientists, researchers and students in Sub-Sahara Africa.

In her welcome address, the Director Centre for Learning Resources, Mrs Felicia Yusuf while hinting the participants on the vision of the University and its collegiate system, noted that College Agricultural Sciences was the arrow head of all the Colleges while the Centre for Learning Resources was adjudged to be the hub around which all academic activities revolved. She lamented that the late realisation and placement of information as a factor of production was a major gap nation of the world have been trying to bridge. Land, labour, capital and even entrepreneur could not deliver optimally without adequate and relevant information. She, however, promised that the workshop was towards the emancipation of Africa from the shackles of ignominy that Africa as a continent was plagued with. This she described is in tandem with the vision of Landmark University which is to restore the dignity of the black race.

The country representative ITOCA, Mrs Olayinka Fatokin in her remarks said ITOCA is an organization based in Centurion, South Africa and has been partnering with International Organizations such as UN, FAO, WHO, Cornell University, Rockefeller Foundation and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation over the past 16 years. She also added that ITOCA was a partner in the Essential Electronic Agricultural Library (TEEAL) project which started in 1999 and founded by Cornell University. She commended the University for being a selected leader in the TEEAL’s project amongst other institutions in Nigeria. Highlighting the key aim of the training, she noted that the TEEAL training programme sought to increase the quality, effectiveness of research in Agricultural education and related biological related sciences, which would contribute towards improving food security in the sub Sahara Africa region. She appreciated the Management of the University whom she described as partners for qualitative academic research.

The Registrar, Dr. Daniel Rotimi who intimated the participants with the vision, mission and core values of the University said that “your coming to Landmark University accord you the opportunity to experience the best ambience the University offers. Welcome to the centre, where God reside.” He further noted that the name of the University means a reference point that sets standard for others to follow and has a motto of breaking new grounds which makes the University to continuously press forward for a rebirth.

In her goodwill message to the gathering, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Aize Obayan who eulogized the leadership qualities of the Chancellor, Dr. David Oyedepo said that God gave the Chancellor, who is a visionary and transformational leader the vision of the University to lead an agrarian revolution for the continent. She further described the participants as drivers of learning, who have gathered to learn, re-learn and un-learn. while emphasizing that the world of hyper connectivity has moved from good to best and not the less, she noted that ITOCA was highlighting key development issues through training and TEEAL would be a major contributor for the actualization of the University’s new frontiers in Agricultural revolution. She added that the University needed a new frontiers of learning to break the shakels of ignorance ravaging the African continent which is also a hindrance to its development. “Today the University is taking steps to breaking new grounds and we must be urgent in our approach in this part of the world because we cannot rest on our oars.” While declaring the programme opened on behalf of the Chancellor, she enjoined the participants to explore the best of nature the University environment presents.