Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has lamented that Nigerians have yet to enjoy the benefits and dividends of democracy after 25 years of civilian administration.
ASUU’s chairman, University of Ibadan, Professor Ayo Akinwole, stated this in a press release to mark the June 12 Democracy Day celebration in the paper titled “Twenty-Five Years of Democratic Era in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic: The Experience of the University System.” He called on both the federal and state governments to equip public universities across the country to solve Nigeria’s problems.
He lamented the public university system’s continued suffering under successive democratic leaderships.
He said Nigeria needs adequately empowered universities to address its challenges, adding that the universities should stand shoulder-to-shoulder with their peers elsewhere in the world.
He urged the president and state governors to equip the existing federal and state universities with solutions to the country’s problems.
“The basic social amenities enjoyed by the citizens of other advanced democracies are still elusive and far-fetched in Nigeria.
“There is still epileptic power supply, inadequate and dysfunctional health care system, dilapidated road networks, dysfunctional educational system occasioned by poor funding and neglect by the government, and the ruling class.
“Similarly, the twin principles of liberty and equality on which modern democracy is founded are relatively absent in the Nigerian democracy.
“The absence of liberty can be exemplified in the incessant molestation of the citizenry by the ruling class and their agents.
“What Nigeria needs are universities that are adequately empowered to address the challenges confronting Nigeria and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with their peers elsewhere in the world.’’
The academics pointed out that during the lifetime of the last legislative session, a joint committee of ASUU and NUC submitted a draft bill to the National Assembly on this matter, saying “However, that bill did not see the light of the day. The fallout from that is the reckless manner by which both the federal and state governments have continued to create universities without preparations for their funding.”
ASUU added that, “Nigeria boasts of over 170 universities comprising 79 that are owned by individuals and private organizations while 43 and 48 belong to the federal and state governments, respectively.
“However, about 95 per cent of the students are still found in public universities, which underscores the imperative of prioritising the federal and state universities in Nigeria.”
