Posted: 16 Aug 2010 01:53 PM PDT
Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, South West Nigeria, has said that his heart bleeds profusely whenever lecturers in the nation’s tertiary institutions embark on industrial action, saying it was the future of the youths that was being mortgaged.
The governor spoke when members of the University of Benin Alumni Association (Worldwide Council) visited him in his office at the weekend and he did not hide his feelings when he said that there were now dark clouds in the nation’s universities because the institutions which provided opportunities for the children of all classes were being endangered.
“My heart bleeds when I hear stories of lecturers going on strike and universities being closed down because it sends an ominous signal for the future about our nation. The universities served as a leveller where children of the drivers, ministers and peasants mixed freely and became lifelong friends irrespective of backgrounds.
“We are now stratifying society along class lines with only children of the rich being able to go to private universities. It creates very ominous signs ahead for us. We cannot build a united nation if we stratify along class lines,” he said.
The governor was certain that the state would not rest on its oars until it positions the state-owned university, Lagos State University (LASU), to become an institution of excellence which would compete with any private university.
Fashola, however, called on Nigerian universities to re-examine and reposition themselves towards reproducing the quality of education that the present set of leaders received so that they could attract patronage from every level of the society.
The governor explained that through this, the present crop of leaders could give back the kind of opportunities they got while schooling, adding that although, there were tough decisions to be made, government would find the courage to take them.
Noting that all his educational trainings and accomplishment took place in Nigeria, Fashola posited that if they could all be achieved in Nigeria, it meant the nation could produce more of better leaders than him.
“The nation should go back to the basics and to some of the things that have been left undone. Let us go back to selflessness and patriotism as well as critical roles universities can play in the life of a nation.
“The debates that usually lead to the emergence of great leaders in all countries which Nigeria seeks to emulate, always come from the universities; Nigerian varsities must get involved in the process of electing leaders at all levels,” he stated.
According to him, universities can also become think tank for government by ensuring that issues that challenge the leaders can be resolved through conscious efforts of the universities.
“You can set term papers, research papers, project papers for young students who would become the solution warehouse for issues about power generation, extraction of crude oil, redevelopment of sports institutions and so on. The data from such students who write the term papers can be collated into aid memos for those in government,” he added.
Fashola said further that it was now time to offer curriculum changes in what the nation was offering in the last 30 to 40 years, saying the nation’s institutions needed to offer more courses in transport management because of the prevalent problem of public transportation across the country.
“Our roads are broken up, our rail is not working. These are the courses I believe Nigerian universities should be offering to the public for the new generation to provide the needed knowledge, otherwise, Nigeria will continue to import that knowledge.
“We cannot generate our own power yet, how many universities are offering courses in power generation? We are unable to extract and refine our crude without foreign inputs. How many Nigerian universities are offering courses in those areas?” he asked.
President, Worldwide Council of the University of Benin Alumni Association, Chief Richard Ahonaruogho, said Lagos State has undergone tremendous transformation under the leadership of Fashola, adding that when the governor first assumed office, few people gave him the chance of making any headway.
He said Fashola had become an epitome of the spirit of the University of Benin products which was that of excellence
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