Don Bemoans Low Capacity of Nigerian Varsities Despite Proliferation

James Sowole in Abeokuta

A researcher in Higher Education Management, Professor Mustapha Arikewuyo, has described low the gap between the high number of universities in Nigeria and their low carrying capacity as inappropriate and non-commensurate.

Arikewuyo, a professor in the Institute of Education, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, expressed findings, while delivering the 110th Inaugural Lecture of the university.

The lecture, which attracted the academic communities both from within and outside the OOU, traditional rulers, religious organisations and other stakeholders, was held at the Otunba Gbenga Daniel Multipurpose Hall of the institution and was presided by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Ayodeji Agboola.

The lecture was entitled “From One to Two Hundred and Sixty-two: Navigating the Sustainability Question in the Proliferation of Universities in Nigeria”.

While expressing worry on the wide gap between their abilities and the number of institutions and other issues relating to the university system, the don wondered if the nation had not reached the point where it should be asking whether it “is a curse or a blessing.”

Arikewuyo expressed the worry that if the trend was not checked, it would hurt both the quality and quantity of their products as evidenced in the past NEEDS Assessment of public universities in Nigeria.

He explained that the data from the assessment revealed among other things, inadequate teaching and learning facilities, obsolete labs and workshops, no cutting-edge research facilities and no laboratory, workshop or library ranked among the top 1,000 in the world about a decade ago.

He said the concern becomes necessary considering that as of February this year, a Bill proposing additional 47 universities for the country had scaled second reading in the House of Representatives, stressing that if it’s eventually signed into law, it means each state of the federation would have one more federal university when states such as Osun, Kaduna, Katsina and Borno already have two universities each.

Quoting data from Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Arikewuyo said even with the 52 federal universities, 63 states and 147 private varsities respectively in the country as of December 2023, he lamented that they have not been able to admit up to 40 per cent of the admission seekers.

He stressed that rather than establishing additional universities, the carrying capacity of the existing ones could be expanded, such that they would be able to admit the entire quota allocated to them by JAMB.

He blamed the military for the proliferation through policy somersault and creation of more states with the attendant creation of more universities.

He mentioned General Abdulsalami Abubakar as one that opened the floodgate in the twilight of his administration when he granted licences for three private universities – Igbinedion University Okada, Backcock University Ilisan and Madona University.

According to him, when the military eventually retreated in 1999, individuals and politicians in government took cues from them and began to establish universities, even for outright “political considerations.”

His words: “If as at today, all the Universities cannot admit the Quota allocated to them, is there a justification for the proliferation of universities in Nigeria?

“Perhaps there is also the need to check the proliferation of universities, especially in the area of quality.

“Experience has shown that quality may be affected if the number of universities is not checked.

“The provision of adequate human resources has been a major challenge in the Nigerian University system. The private Universities are mostly affected.”