*Says his administration inherited economy struggling to stay afloat across all sectors
*That Nigeria’s economy was near comatose, but has been salvaged from bankruptcy
*Reveals that since 2023, FG has fashioned out ways of injecting funds into various sectors
*Stresses that tertiary institutions remain largest beneficiaries of allocations to education sector
By Ade Adeloye, Ibadan
President Bola Tinubu on Monday in Ibadan lamented that his administration inherited an economy that was struggling to stay afloat across all sectors, but had managed to salvage the country from imminent bankruptcy.
President Tinubu who was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Suwaiba Ahmad, as a Visitor to the University of Ibadan during its 76th Foundation Day Anniversary, held at the International Conference Centre, Ibadan, emphasized that his administration “inherited an economy that was struggling to stay afloat across all sectors. We have however managed to salvage the country from imminent bankruptcy. Since inception in 2023, this administration has been fashioning out ways of injecting funds into the education sector”.
Describing the UI as having assumed the status of ‘Big Brother’ to other universities, Tinubu stressed that “tertiary institutions have remained the largest beneficiaries of allocations to the education sector, through increased funding of the Tertiary Education Trust Funds (TETFUND), and Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
To him, “NELFUND is a student loan scheme designed for eligible students across tertiary institutions to access interest-free loans. This initiative is to facilitate financial access to higher education and empower Nigerian students to pursue their academic aspirations. We are not there yet, but please note that this development is not a destination but a journey”.
Tinubu therefore charged management of Nigerian universities “to reassess themselves in the light of national and global expectations. Any University that does not make worthwhile contributions to the positive transformation of its country and the global community has failed to live up to the reason for its existence”.
The Sultan of Sokoto in his address appealed to the government “to do more in the provision of adequate and proper funding of tertiary institutions. We are not unaware of the dwindling state of economies of nations, world over. However, we are optimistic that prioritizing education will raise the standard of the output of our institutions and thereby some of the ills bedeviling our society”.
He urged parents, students, youths and all, to show understanding with management in trying to explore ways to compliment the efforts of the government. “This is significant in ensuring that our standards are not compromised”, he said.
Chief Bisi Akande considered the connection between education and agriculture, noting however that “Nigerian peasants, representing some 80% of the population, still use the farming tools consisting of the hoes and cutlasses which were fashioned in the shapes now variable prevalent in our different cultures since the global spread of iron roughly between the eight and fifth centuries before Christ.
“Any wonder, then, that the Nigerian youths are not enthusiastic in undertaking the drudgery of using such archaic farm implements? And any wonder, therefore, that our people are now hungry and starving? And where are the impacts of the Nigerian educational systems, up to the University level, in all these deficits in the types of Nigerian farmers’ affordable tools and in the production innovations in agriculture that now make the farmers’ poverty ridden and the citizenry hungry?”
“The multiplier effects would result in the innovative fabrications of modern farming implements, in the illustration of practical demonstrations of the essence of academic institutions in using sciences, technologies and management techniques for the promotion of plenteous nutritional agricultural yields and in the attractiveness of business investments in profitable agro-allied industries among the generality of our society”.
While listing some challenges being faced by the University, among which are: “power supply, Internet connectivity, maintenance of aging buildings and infrastructure”, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Adebowale appealed to President Tinubu “for special priority attention to be given to the University of Ibadan in the form of dedicated reconstruction and rehabilitation funds, as well as, an increased allocation spread over time”.