NBA President Decries State of Nigeria’s Public Universities, Calls for Reform

President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN, has decried the present deplorable state of the Nigerian Public Universities, blaming it on a faulty Federal system.

Speaking in Lagos last week, at the fund raising Dinner for Dominic University Ibadan, Mahmoud said Public Universities are today a shadow of themselves, mostly due to inconsistent policies on education, and a dysfunctional Federal structure, adding that it requires “heavy investment” by the Government.

The event was organised to raise N1.2billion for its administrative building, N1.3billion for three 100-capacity hostels, N168million for a cafetaria, N465 million for its faculty building, N100 million for network of tarred roads, among several others.

The NBA President, recalled his university days when he ate a three-course meal free, studied in well-stocked libraries, and was taught by well-trained and highly motivated Teachers.

He called for reform, to give States and Local Governments more control over public education.

“The University experience, was dignified and conducive to learning and character formation. As a student, I could even afford to buy newspaper periodically. Not anymore. Nigerian Public Universities, are now a shadow of what they used to be.”

Mahmoud recalled that when he assumed office as Pro-Chancellor of the Kano University of Science and Technology, he visited the hostels and was shocked to find a “most undignified existence”, with 12 students living in a room meant for 3.

“The sanitary conditions were appalling, the entire corridors were littered with kerosene stoves and cooking pots, for preparing what would hardly pass as decent meals by the students.

“For most, life on campus is a dreadful experience,” he said, adding that the situation describes the state of Public Universities across the country.

“Education, it is argued, should be a purely State and probably Local Government affair. Undoubtedly, the Nigerian Federal system is convoluted, and in need of reform. Nigeria’s Federal system will benefit so much from decentralisation, and will assist in making public institutions more functional, more responsive and more efficient”, he said.

The NBA President, was of the view that funding was a major constraint, as Nigeria’s budgetary expenditure remains the lowest, compared to other African countries.

He said while Ghana and Botswana spend about 10 per cent of their GDP on education, Nigeria’s hovers around three to four percent.

Mahmoud noted that, there is enormous room for private sector investment in education, through publicprivate and private-private partnerships.

According to him, other interventions could be through partnerships, scholarships, grants and endowments, he concluded.

Former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, who is Dominican University’s Governing Council Chairman, said Nigeria’s education budget was one of the worst globally.

“The more educated a country is, the more the people grow and better the society. We have to invest in education, to better our country”, he said.

“We need to get people in Government, to invest money where we need investment, and that is in education.

"The world is moving away from ‘baggage economy to knowledge economy’, and we must move with it”, he said.

According to the former Governor, between 2010 and 2014, Nigeria’s budget on education was N1.8 trillion (about $11billion); in 2015/2016, it was N761billion (about $2.1billion).

“Over seven years, our budget for education was $13.2billion. South Africa’s budget for education in 2015 was $15.4bilion, and they’re 55 million while we’re 186 million. Egypt’s budget on education was $13billion, with a population of 95million.

“Our budget, is not up to one per cent of our GDP. It’s totally unacceptable. We need to do something, very aggressively. Nigeria does not see education as an investment, but as an expense”, he said.

The Chairman of the fun- draising dinner, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN, said, quality education is an expensive venture.

Ayorinde urged Nigerians, to assist the Dominican University, Ibadan, to meet up with the lofty standards that the University has set for itself.

“There is nothing wrong, with assisting institutions in the cadre of Dominican. The guests who saw the NBA President and other Lawyers, might think we are doing this because we are Lawyers, but it is because we can be a bit vocal, that is why you think we are many here, it’s just a few of us around to support the Catholic Church who have set up this University”, he said.

Chairman of the Dinner Planning Committee, Chief Anthony Idigbe, SAN, said he was involved in the fundraising project of Dominican University because he loved education, and wanted to do what he could to assist in helping a good institution.

“I think the Dominicans have some experience and tradition long before now, particularly abroad, providing tertiary education. So, I think they are quite ideal to support. There is a funding gap in education in this country, the Government cannot do everything, and the private sector, somehow, has to be involved to give support. But the idea of doing it for business or for profit, is not very exciting to me", the Senior Advocate said.