Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Lead City varsity in the eye of the storm

I was just at the website of Lead City University as part of research I am doing on the current wahala it finds itself. Part of my interest was piqued by Professor Toyin Falola's comments. I may have a lot to say later but I must say that the website loudly advertises why it ought not to be a "university" or whatever it calls itself. You log on to the website and you come face to face with a shrill, error-ridden, inchoate communique supposedly written by educated folks in the 21st century. It is as if a half-educated scribe woke up with a bad hangover and anger management issues and issued a "communique." Respect is earned not simply legislated. Please read below; when did we become this mediocre? Ibadan houses some of the finest writers on earth; the below is unacceptable. The character is writing as if he/she is on Twitter. And who are these praise-worshipping "professors"?   It gets worse; every other link on this website is either broken or under construction. An elementary trick with website hosting is do not put it up unless you are serious. Na wa. What is my own inside sef? My pikin nor dey there! A pox on all their wretched houses.   - Ikhide     Public Information

Misinformation on Lead City University This is to inform  all stakeholders of Lead City University Ibadan that the operational license of the university which was granted by the Federal Executive Council remain intact as the FEC which is the only authority that can grant or suspend such has not and is not in the process of suspending the licence as being peddled in the media. The university has full accreditation of the NUC in all its  courses  and would not be due for re-accreditation until 2014 as clearly stated in NUC website summary accreditation report for 2009/2010 page 73. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Please be informed that the news of d purported suspension of the University's Operational Licence by the NUC should be ignored as there is no basis 4 it. This has become an annual event that should not be. All stakeholders are therefore advised to keep calm. The Management is on top of d situation. Be rest assured that the University is not in Violation of any approved regulation & has d required infrastructures & facilities 4 all its accredited programmes. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Endorsements I am impressed by the dedication and diligence with which the project is being implemented. Wish the university God's continued blessings. Prof. Akin L. Mabogunje   This is the only private university out of the lot that is promoted and sponsored by the academics    themselves and with an in-house Quality Control/Assurance Unit. I'm very impressed with what I have seen so far.  In fact with all these, I can go to sleep, believing that quality of programmes is assured. Prof. Placid Njoku Director, Quality Assurance, NUC October 2005.   A member of the inspection team to the Law Faculty. The Faculty has done very well within few years of its establishment. The achievement is very impressive. Barrister Victor U. Onuoha National Universities Commission   As a member of the inspection team to the Law Faculty, I feel that the University has done a lot of work towards assisting the Law Faculty. There is room for improvement to get to the "promised land". Barrister(Mrs) F.A  Amene Council for Legal Education   I have monitored the growth of this great academic enterprises, I'm again impressed with the excellence that clearly pervades the atmosphere, the industry, the dedication and the eagerness to succeed. A great and excellent effort. Dr. Yemi Farounbi   Impressed, may God bless you mightily as you have decided to bless the community with your talent resources. O Mac Emakpore Director, Monitoring National Broadcasting Commission, Abuja.   A well established and indeed a pride to the educational system of Nigeria. I am proud to be a parent here. I know God will continue to bless and prosper the University. Are(Mrs)B.A mnim. JP Federal Ministry of Education Higher Education Division, Abuja.

 

 

- Ikhide

 

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From: Toyin Falola <toyinfalola@austin.utexas.edu>
To: dialogue <USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com>; ya <yorubaaffairs@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Friday, July 20, 2012 2:43 PM
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Lead City varsity in the eye of the storm

http://www.punchng.com/opinion/lead-city-varsity-in-the-eye-of-the-storm/Lead City varsity in the eye of the storm

JULY 11, 2012 BY WASIU OLANREWAJU-SMART

Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Prof. Julius Okojie
| credits:

The inclusion of Lead City University among the seven institutions whose licences were suspended appears to me as stabbing the law in the heart. The enlistment negates the principle of rule of law and calls for the attention of the Attorney-General of the Federation and promoters of rule of law in Nigeria.

Lead City University was licensed by the Federal Government in 2005 and is currently in its eighth session. The Ibadan-based institution appears to have always found itself on the black book of the National Universities Commission because of the attitude of Prof. Julius Okojie, which Justice Jonathan Shakarho of the Federal High Court, Ibadan in his judgment of July 26, 2011, described as a "constructive malice".

The Nigerian education system has suddenly become a house divided against itself, giving room for people to use government powers to fight their private enemies under the pretence of sanitising the system. Even though the NUC does not have the right under the law to suspend or withdraw a university licence, its powers are restricted to only academic programmes, ADVISORY and CONSULTATIVE roles.

This fact was substantiated by a competent court of law in the case of suspension of CETEP City University licence in 2006, when the court judgment reads, "It's trite law that a power to function is derived from the act creating it. It is clear that the Respondent (NUC) in all its statute empowerment lacks the power to suspend, even if it's a regulatory authority. It therefore means that it acted ultra vires its powers and its decision is liable to be quashed" – in CETEP v. NUC in SUIT No: FHC/AB/M/489/06 (Interestingly, till date, NUC has yet to appeal the court decision).

Crucially, the public deserves to know that Section 4 of the National Universities Commission Act Cap N81 states that the functions of the commission shall be to –

a)   ADVISE (emphasis mine) the President and the Governors of the states, through the Minister, on the creation of new universities and other degree-granting institutions in Nigeria;

b)  Prepare, after CONSULTATION (emphasis mine) with all the state governments, the universities, the Nation Manpower Board and such other bodies as it considers appropriate, periodic master plans for the balanced and co-ordinated development of all universities in Nigeria and such plans shall include:-

I. The general programmes to be pursued by the universities, in order to ensure that they are fully adequate to meet national need and objectives;

II.    Recommendations for the establishment and location of new universities as and when considered necessary, and in accordance with the commission's approved guidelines;

III.        Recommendations for the establishment of new academic units in existing universities or the approval or disapproval of proposals to establish such academic units.

Within the purview of the existing laws, NUC advises the President on the creation of new universities, based on the application of an implementation committee of the proposed private university and report of the Screening Committee of Private Universities, which equips the NUC on advising the Federal Executive Council through the Minister of Education on the viability of approving the licence of a private university. It is expected that following the rule of law, the commission would adhere to Section 4 (b) of NUC Act which makes consultation with the universities necessary.

On a very clear note, suspension or withdrawal of a university licence should follow the route of the law which gave birth to it as contained in Section 4 (a) of the NUC Act. On receipt of such advice, the President would have equally sought for the legal advice of the Attorney-General of the Federation who would have informed him about the legal implications of suspending the licence of an institution which has a valid court judgment which the NUC itself is currently challenging at the Appeal Court except if, such purported suspension is on another reason.

Section 10 (1) of the Education (National Minimum Standards and Establishment of Institution) Act gives the NUC power to lay down minimum standards for all universities and to accredit their degree and other academic awards. The two Acts i.e. NUC and Education (NMSEI) Acts do not in my view give the commission power to do otherwise.

This is one out of the many reasons why the NUC Act needs to be amended to cater for the public-private-partnership which government subscribed to in 1999. Inasmuch as, I would not canvass for private universities to underrate the efforts of the NUC at building a standard-driven university system, I think the commission should also begin to see private universities as partners not rivals.

Curiously, if truly the suspension order of the NUC comes without malice and frivolity, the forensic audit to be carried out after the announcement of the suspension should have come earlier and likewise, such an audit report would have formed a formidable basis for suspending the licence; learning from the case of the University of Abuja where a NEED Assessment report revealed the loopholes and provided a genuine basis for suspending the affected programmes Not UNIABUJA's licence.

If the audit had come earlier, the NUC should by now be advising that, for instance, your computer lab requires more 100 personal computers; or you need to employ more Ph.D holders in your Economics department, among other scenarios. This ought to have been the case rather than the one-size fits-all reasons highlighted in the NUC advertorial which failed to clearly state the exact shortcomings of each institutions grouped together in their advert.

Noteworthy, the seven institutions grouped together do not share the same academic rankings, same academic structure, same vision, and same resources. The NUC should not wrongly influence public perception with such inchoate assemblage.

As far as we realise that Lead City University is not above correction, the NUC should also avoid treading the path of a contemnor; it should let the public know where Lead City, like other universities, got it wrong outside the Law programme whose matter remains subjudice.

My poser for the NUC thus includes:

•Shouldn't a forensic audit on the affected universities come before the suspension order as in the case of UNIABUJA where a NEED Assessment was carried out before suspending the programmes not UNIABUJA's licence?

If yes

•Does Lead City deserve not to know its shortcoming(s) for prompt remedial action before the suspension order?

•Is each of the suspension grounds highlighted in the NUC advertorial applicable to all the private universities listed?

•Which law gave the NUC the powers to suspend the licence of a university without evidence of notice from the President who is the head of the Federal Executive Council which granted the licence?

•Shouldn't there be a platform for the Quality Control Unit of the NUC and that of universities to meet from time-to-time?

•Olanrewaju-Smart, wrote in from House of Representatives Committee on Education, Abuja.

via wasiusmart@gmail.com

Toyin Falola
Department of History
The University of Texas at Austin
104 Inner Campus Drive
Austin, TX 78712-0220
USA
512 475 7224
512 475 7222 (fax)
http://www.toyinfalola.com/
www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa
http://groups.google.com/group/yorubaaffairs
http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue

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