FEAR
THE NEW NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES AND THE GATHERING WORRY
Toyin Adepoju
Why?
I am afraid about the possibility of failure for Bolaji Aluko in connection with his appointment as the first Vice-Chancellor of the new Nigerian Federal University at Otueke. This is one of the nine new universities whose legal status was created by the Federal government and billed to open in September this year.
I am particularly concerned about Aluko beceause of what he epitomises in connection with this initiative. He represents the possibility of making a difference for Nigeria using knowledge and skill gained from outside Nigeria. Many Nigerians are in exile beceause they are convinced they have little or no hope to develop themselves or make a difference within Nigeria.
Aluko is not the only one of the new Vice-Chancellors recruited from outside Nigeria, but he might be the most visible. He might be the most visible beceause of his consistent social commentary on Nigerian centred listserves over the years, complemented by his membership of a number of organisations linking diaspora Nigerians with the mother country.
Now, the fears that were voiced when these new universities were announced last year, the new Vice-Chancellors recruited this year and plans to begin operations in September this year were announced earlier in the year, seem to be achieving confirmation.
The President himself, on visiting the site of the proposed university in his native village, Otueke, is quoted as confirming that all work so far is being done by community initiative and that the government is yet to release funds-a Nigerian English way of describing funding disbursement- for the project.He is described as stating that issues of land acquisition and Environmental Impact Assessment need to be addressed. The President is quoted as stating that not all of these universities will start this year, as had been hoped.
I pause at this point to allow reflection on these statements. How one could start a university from scratch in less than a year was mysterious to many people, not minding the great challenges being faced by existing universities and the perennial challenge of funding.
Why are funds not yet allocated in August 2011 to universities meant to begin operations in September 2011?
Tony Eleumunor sums up these odd developments:
"Why would [the President] or anyone start a project that was not adequately planned, researched, cost and budgeted for? Why? Are we at war? And why the hurry in forcing the burden of several new universities on the nation at the same time? Is that how governments are run? Which development plan demanded it? And which other universities will follow them?"
None of this is news to many people.The script is being played out exactly as many people had expected. Valentine Ojo on Nigerian centred listserves and Ademola da Sylva on the USAAfrica Dialogue group, among others, spelt it out. Ademola da Sylva saw it as another white elephant project that would, at best, ensnare and dirty the formerly US based engineer and social critic being parachuted into a system hostile to its own best interests in the name of games played by a group of politicians.
Meanwhile, Bolaji Aluko mobilised resources from various quarters to commence plans, at the very least, for his stewardship and building of the one he is to head among the new institutions. He held meetings with the natives in Otueke and shared with the public on these fora the sheer wonderment of the ruler of Otueke about the community, one of the impoverished Niger Delta communities starved by rape from oil exploration as the centre of the country's central income earning resource, not only producing a President but also having a university. The community has put up a huge amount of money as their own contribution to this initiative.
What remains in my mind is the picture of the wife of the traditional ruler as she gazed on Aluko as he said goodbye to her husband and herself. It is difficult not to read the sheer longing and absolute desire in her face. The sense of the rising of a new day. The hope for emergence into an existence hitherto undreamt of.
For the sake of people like that woman alone, a decisive achievement needs to be salvaged from this dangerous beginning, whatever the Federal government does, whether or not they treat Alujko and the other Vice-Chancellors in the way Pius Adesanmi on Nigerian centred listserves describes the government as doing to Professor Olugbemiro Jegede, whom Pius describes as recruited by then President Obasanjo to start the Nigerian Open University but who was later treated almost as if such an understanding was never reached in the first place, or as gloated by Africa Today on those listserves, painting a most horrible picture of impending woes in terms of budgetary starvation and eventual soul crushing frustration for Aluko, in particular, and the other Vice- Chancellors.
For the sake of people like that woman, either a university or a tertiary institution of some sort has to be built in those communities where people's hopes have been raised.
They might start without pipe borne water. They might start without tarred roads. They might start without computerised libraries. They might start with only a library donated by an individual, even if those Vice-Chancellors have to use their own libraries as university libraries. They might start with only one teaching and office block. The staff might have to rent houses in town.
But they have to start.
People like that woman cannot be let down.
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