Politicians float varsities as govt neglect public institutions

More private universities are being established by politicians as public institutions rot due to poor funding, decaying infrastructure and lack of adequate government attention, Saturday PUNCH can report.

Investigations revealed that while some established the universities, some, including public officers, serve as board of trustees or governing council members.

Data from the National Universities Commission revealed that Nigeria currently has 147 licensed private universities, a chunk of which was approved by the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. This was amid the rot in public institutions as evident in infrastructural deficit, incessant industrial actions, poor funding, and manpower shortage, among others.

Meanwhile, in 2022 when many federal and state-owned universities were closed for months due to the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, the Buhari administration licensed over 30 private universities, a move experts in the industry criticised. Also, barely a month to the May 29 handover, the Buhari administration approved 37 private universities.

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Apart from politicians, Saturday PUNCH reports that faith-based organisations rank among groups establishing private universities in the country.

For instance, former President Olusegun Obasanjo is the founder of Bells University, Ota, Ogun State. The institution has on its board a former governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Dakwambo, and a former senator who represented Ogun Central, Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello.

A former vice president and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 general elections, Atiku Abubakar, is the founder of American University of Nigeria, Yola in Adamawa State.

Also, a former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa, is the founder of the newly licensed Amaj University, Kwali, Abuja. A former governor of Cross River, Donald Duke, is also the founder of Duke Medical University, Calabar.

Further investigations revealed that a former governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson, is the founder of Hensard University, Bayelsa State. A former governor of Imo State and former senator who represented Imo West in the ninth Senate, Rochas Okorocha, is the founder of Eastern Palms University, Imo State.

Also, a former governor of Rivers State, Dr Peter Odili, is the founder of PAMO University of Medical Sciences in Rivers State. The institution also has on its board a former military Head of State, General Abdulsalam Abubakar, and a former senator who represented Katsina South, Abu Ibrahim.

Similarly, a former senator and vice presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election, Datti Baba-Ahmed, is the founder of Abuja-based Baze University, while a former federal commissioner of information and elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, is the founder of Edwin Clark University in Delta State.

In 2022, the senator representing Delta North, Ned Nwoko, obtained a license for his University of Sports.

Beyond those who set up their universities, some others serve on the boards of some of the private universities.

For example, the first lady and former senator representing Lagos West, Remi Tinubu, is a member of the Board of Trustees of Kings University, Osun State. As of Thursday, she was listed as a member of the board.

Also, the governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), was as of Thursday listed as a member, Board of Trustees of Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State.

In the same vein, the Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the senator representing Imo West, Osita Izunaso, are in the governing council of Abuja-based Nile University. Similarly, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Sam Ohuabunwa, is the Chairman of Council, Gregory University, Uturu, Abia State.

Kaduna-based Greenfield University also has on its board a member of the eighth House of Representatives, Muhammed Usman.

The Director of Programmes, Reform Education, Nigeria, Ayodamola Oluwatoyin, in an interview with Saturday PUNCH blamed the proliferation of private institutions mainly on the poor state of public institutions in Nigeria.

He stated, “When you go to some public institutions and you see their sorry state, you are tempted to seek better options in private institutions. Compared to institutions abroad, they seem cheaper. Also, the issue of strikes can never be overemphasised. In a situation where public institutions are shut down for months, individuals have to seek better alternatives; private institutions.

“Another issue is that of space in public institutions. There are some highly competitive courses with low quotas in public institutions. Look at medicine, law and the likes. People want to study these courses and instead of struggling to be accepted in a public institution, they can easily find a way to get into a private institution. This does not mean we don’t have private institutions that are highly competitive and have high standards.”

ASUU had over time condemned the proliferation of private universities by the political class.

The union chairman at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Anambra State, Okey Aniebo, accused the government of “deliberately and consciously” destroying public universities to promote private institutions owned by the political class.

Aniebo stated, “They have been deliberately stifling and killing the public universities in order to promote private universities, mostly owned by the political class.”

Meanwhile, the chairman ASUU, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State, Prof Gbolahan Bolarin, wants the government to revitalise public institutions for the good of all citizens.