I wish to kill two birds with just one stone right this moment. Within the final two weeks I wrote two inconclusive items on “federal universities with out nationwide character” and “Why Uni-Abuja wants greater than firing VC”. And so I wish to spherical off the 2 associated items with out equivocations on the challenges because the Customer to the federal universities has decisively intervened, particularly by the one I’ve tagged our “federation college” (College of Abuja). I claimed right here then that the College of Abuja is simply too vital to be left to provincial irredentists who threatened to decrease its stature and standing as a federal and federation college. That’s the reason I haven’t been referring to it as Yakubu Gowon College because it has been renamed. This isn’t an Inside-Stuff’s disrespectful perspective to the amiable Basic, Yakubu Gowon, usually believed to be one of many final, (some say the final) of the genuine ones.
Let’s get rapidly to the brass tacks: There are some strategic classes the federal authorities ought to study from latest developments. First, there was a substantial amount of carelessness on the a part of regulators and quality-control arms of the federal ministry of schooling. What’s extra, from feedback and lamentation of insiders, the so-called college autonomy has been remarkably abused by Governing Councils and Managements of the general public universities. ASUU leaders and members on the receiving finish have grown weary whilst a number of the union leaders have resigned to destiny.
And right here is the factor, the authorities, certainly the Guests to the general public universities ought to word this: they should nip within the bud the reproach of rising ethnic disaster in Nigerian universities. Purpose? Because it has been written a number of instances, universities by their evolution, philosophy, essence and character, are common establishments established to supply options to issues that confront humanity. And so the brightest and one of the best in studying and character are at all times referred to as upon high run such citadels of studying the place primordial sentiments reminiscent of ethnicity and faith shouldn’t rear their ugly heads.
It’s subsequently unlucky that ethnicity, a fault line that has been a risk to our nationwide cohesion has change into manifest in Nigerian universities. Particularly, this enemy referred to as ethnicity is being unethically weaponised on appointments and even on influencing election outcomes into elective positions within the ivory towers. That is unhappy. The implication has been that advantage is sacrificed on the altar of mediocrity and ethnic antagonism is being heightened. What’s worse, as competency and meritocracy take the again seat, competent candidates from ethnic minorities hardly assume positions of management in right this moment’s universities.
So, as a substitute of being a spot to make use of one of the best brains for our nationwide growth, our tertiary establishments have gotten battlegrounds for ethnic jingoism, to the extent that the Educational Workers Union of Universities (ASUU) needed to warn towards the monster of ethic disaster in Nigerian universities. That is one other unhappy commentary on the state of upper schooling within the nation.
With out prejudice to a couple instances, the place an insignificant variety of uncovered students are combating ethnicity; positions, disciplinary actions and actions in Nigerian universities are sometimes ‘formed’ too by audacity of ethnicity. As such, in October 2019. ASUU’s warning and this reminder shouldn’t be discounted; slightly it needs to be taken significantly to type a compass for insurance policies on college governance – to keep away from enthroning mediocrity in our universities.
Let’s subsequently not get it twisted, the autonomy, which shouldn’t forestall high quality management and regulation has gone haywire and the obligation bearers, certainly the Guests to the general public universities seem to have failed the nation within the alternative of Chairmen/Professional-chancellors and members of the Governing Councils who’ve been answerable for alternative of most instances anyhow Vice Chancellors who don’t have any chests. As an example, let’s have a look at the troubled College of Abuja within the final 5 years. Who nominated the final Chairman of the Governing Council/Professional Chancellor who allegedly lowered customary for the speedy previous Vice Chancellor to come back in after disqualifying all different certified candidates of variety 5 years in the past? What was the color of variety within the membership of the speedy previous Governing Council earlier than the simply dissolved ones? The then Minister of Schooling assisted the presidency in compiling the record of members of the Governing Council, which assisted the administration in interviewing candidates for the Vice Chancellor, the Registrar, and the Bursar. What led to the coincidence that within the final dispensation of management and administration of the College of Abuja, the Chairman of the Governing Council, the Vice Chancellor, the Registrar and the Bursar all hail from a bit of the nation and of the identical religion. How did the speedy previous Vice Chancellor handle the autonomy the legislation offers him in selling his stooges? How did the authorities in Abuja enable the identical Vice Chancellor who hails from Ilorin Kwara state to nominate about 400 educational workers and about 250 of them hail from Ilorin, capital of his state of origin? How did the identical former Vice Chancellor promote, promote the daughter of the then Professional Chancellor with barely two years of professorial expertise as Deputy Vice Chancellor over and above different senior professors? How did it occur that the successor to Sani Maikudi (Katsina) AVM Saddiq Ismaila Kaita (rtd) additionally hail from Katsina? Why didn’t the authorities at all times have a look at the standing of the College of Abuja, as an example, whereas constituting members of the Governing Council and Administration?
A transparent deliverable to the present authorities in Nigeria is that there was a failure of governance and due diligence within the constituting Governing Council membership. The College of Abuja is simply an instance of penalties of carelessness and failure of governance on the a part of the Federal Ministry of Schooling within the administration of tertiary schooling.
Whereas reacting to the final week’s article right here on the argument that the Customer to the College of Abuja ought to transcend firing a Vice chancellor of a state college despatched this to me:‘…President Tinubu did properly by his intervention. However he and his staff are additionally a part of the issue to start out with, as a basic a part of the issue of the College of Abuja is the Council. The federal government must cease making the College Council appointments a job for the boys – people appointed merely on a political foundation and with no character, no information of the college system, and little interest in any developmental agenda. All they need is to come back and acquire sitting allowances and pressurise the college management for all types of pecuniary beneficial properties even within the face of harsh financial realities.
One of many inconsiderate dimensions of the federal government appointment of the Council Chairman is the appointment of a present workers of one other college to come back and be the Professional-chancellor of one other college as is the case of OAU. It has occurred twice within the historical past of OAU within the final couple of years. So, the Professional-chancellor of OAU would want to take the permission of his personal VC (Osun State College) to be away to chair the assembly of the Council of one other college the place he supercedes the VC of that college.
So, the Authorities must be extra severe and deliberate in choosing the Chairman of College Council and, certainly, all different Authorities representatives on a college Council…A part of the issue of admission is Nigerian large males and large girls who would use all connections to push VCs into terribly tight corners and don’t care a hoot concerning the College’s predicament of restricted areas and insufficient services…’That ought to conclude the entire matter about how to not represent membership of the Governing Councils of public universities. The college system is simply too vital to be subjected to the shenanigan and peccadillos of partisan politicians.
In a bit titled, “The place is Tinubu’s Authorities of Nationwide Competence” right here on Sunday June 9, 2024, I recalled that whereas nonetheless basking within the glory of realising a lifetime ambition in March 2023 as president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu had then assured Nigerians that his administration wouldn’t solely be a authorities of nationwide unity but in addition of nationwide competence.
Let’s recall that particularly, there was a press release to that impact on March 16, 2023. In that outstanding message, there was a glimmer of “hope of a greater tomorrow” Ngugi says, “is the one consolation you can provide to a weeping baby”. As I used to be saying right here, in what seems to be like Buhari’s “I-Belong-to-no-body” well-known speech on inauguration day on Might 29, 2015, the president-elect then promised to assemble competent women and men and younger folks from throughout the nation to construct a safer, extra affluent and simply Nigeria. The assertion titled: “Nigeria: On the cusp of renewed hope” unveiled what Nigerians ought to anticipate beneath his watch. Enunciating his dedication to an financial system of double-digit GDP progress, higher meals safety and a strengthened manufacturing base, the President-elect stated his administration would pursue an lively digital financial system the place younger folks would have ample house to meet their desires and aspirations. With the elections over, he confused the necessity to shun partisanship and be a part of palms with him to construct the Nigeria of our dream. Whereas assuring the folks of his readiness to serve, the previous Lagos Governor stated, ‘I’ve set my course and thoughts on the management of this nation. Now we have vital work to do and I’m dedicated to getting that work accomplished for the good thing about all of the folks, whether or not or not they voted for me and even voted in any respect. This isn’t the time for continued acrimony and partisan recrimination. These unfavourable issues can incite robust passions, however they don’t seem to be the pathway to a greater nation. Solely unity and nationwide dedication can serve that function…’
This isn’t a time to place the positive speech of the president-elect then to check. It’s only a time to remind him as President that for him to meet that promise of working a authorities of not simply of nationwide unity but in addition a nationwide competence, he has to start the method of selling meritocracy inside the context of federal character. He ought to take curiosity in who will get what from now. Solely good timber he deliberately crops now can produce good fruits of nationwide competence. What’s extra, he shouldn’t enable his ministers and different president’s males to be imposing mediocrities on establishments together with and particularly the Universities’ Governing Council. He must strengthen and use the human useful resource and expertise within the presidential paperwork comprising the workplace of the Secretary to the Authorities of the Federation, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and workplace of the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Fee in his alternative of women and men for public service and the college system.
