Omole Decries State Of Nigerian Varsities

Pro-chancellor and chairman of the Governing Council, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Professor Ayodeji Omole, has lamented the state of the Nigerian University, saying it is under siege and currently “Working in the shadows of death.”

He stated that the university system had been captured and held hostage by many government policies, especially since the advent of the so-called ‘Civil rule’.

The former chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), who made these assertions while delivering the 561 inaugural lecture of the University of Ibadan, entitled “Working in the shadows of death,” stated that unless something urgent is done to stop government attacks on Nigeria’s educational system, the system will die faster than anticipated.

“More than ever before, the Nigeria University system is under siege and therefore ‘Working in the shadows of death. If nothing drastic is done to stop the various attacks from the government and its agencies, the system will die faster than anticipated.

“The University system is captured and has been held hostage by many government policies, especially since the advent of the so-called ‘civil rule’”.

He took a swipe at various civilian administrations who he said foisted anti-intellectual policies on the education system in the country.

According to him, “Treasury Single Account (TSA) and Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS). IPPIS is a mismatch with the university work structure.

“It is incompatible with the academic calendar and a clear violation of the University Act. Therefore, it is illegal. Only in Nigeria is the database of scholars surrendered to foreign agencies in the name of cutting costs.

“The effects of this threaten the very existence of the University system in Nigeria today because it is now impossible for universities to recruit even cleaners.

“The proposed imposition of Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standard (CCMAS) by the National Universities Commission (NUC) is another policy that will kill Nigerian Universities faster than expected”.

While expressing sadness that the University of Ibadan Senate also caved in from its stance on the CCMAS introduction, Omole lamented that the rigid standardisation would limit universities’ ability to innovate and design programmes to meet societal needs because local content and flavour are ignored.