The recent widely-publicized renewed commitment of the Federal Government of Nigeria, to increased funding of university education in Nigeria, is a milestone in the history of educational management in Nigeria. The development coinciding as it were, with the 100 years of the country’s amalgamation, provides a unique opportunity for all patriotic and committed academicians and other intellectuals in Nigeria, to renew their own commitment to partnering with the governments and people of Nigeria, to combat the challenges of the nation and take the nation to a higher level in the nation’s quest for sustainable development. This is to be done through an appropriate deployment of specialized knowledge – a vital tool crucial to attaining sustainable development in the 21st century – a knowledge-based century. The paper is advocating that appropriate knowledge be deployed through a multi-disciplinary approach, to first of all, tackle the multifarious challenges of the country. Following the attainment of this crucial goal, knowledge can then be further deployed as appropriate, to take the country to the next level, in our quest for sustainable development. In going about the assignments, on which a clarion call is being made to Nigerian academicians, the environmental option, is being advocated. This is because its multifarious nature, will be most ideal not only to capture appropriately, all the diverse challenges of the country, but also all sectors of development, whose sustainability is dear to all well-meaning Nigerians and all lovers of Nigeria alike. The benefits of adopting the environmental approach to sustainable development, as well as the possible strategies that could be adopted, are spelt out, so also are the roles for the supervising agency of government for the universities
Keywords: Built Environment, Natural Environment, Political/Governmental Environment, Socio-Economic Environment, Spiritual Environment, Sustainable Development
