Varsities Talk: Bringing back university life to the North-East (2)

“When sorrows come, they come not in single spells, but in battalions.” — William Shakespeare, 1564-1616

BY and large, they are turning out graduates who could not possibly be employed by the Organised Private Sector or multi-nationals and who can only find employment within their own states.

That was until recently. Today, even the sub-standard education offered to university students has come to a halt in many places – especially Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States. The only exception to the rule is the American University in Nigeria, AUN, Yola – which provides world class education in a secure environment. No other university comes close and that has led to the closure of many of them. The few faculty members they had left a long time ago, or, are getting ready to leave.

The depletion of teaching staff has closed many faculties. Worse still, those who left might never return – at least not as long as there is a war on in the zone. Even the end of hostilities might not bring an end to the collapse of the university system in the zone.

Many members of non-academic staff are also fleeing for their lives for the same reason the students and lecturers have been abandoning their institutions. It is better to be safe than sorry. One of the most important consequences of this is the halt to intake of new students.

While everybody had focused attention on the Chibok Girls, and quite rightly, nobody is concerned about the absence of university students from the campuses of the North-East zone. Yet, these are the institutions which are supposed to train the leaders of tomorrow – not only for the North-East but for Nigeria as well.

Call it benign neglect or what you will; but we are leaving our most vulnerable states to be devastated by Boko Haram. This collateral damage is going on daily and it is not being addressed.

Unfortunately, there is no respite in sight. With the preparations for the 2015 elections in full swing, there is a total absence of governance everywhere. The North-East is not an exception. Governors, State House of Assembly members, Commissioners, Ministers as well as leaders in all spheres of life have abandoned the universities to their own fates – with any luck, until next year June.

That, however, is the major tragedy. Rot in educational institutions don’t wait until the officials in charge are ready to address and reverse them. On the contrary, they follow the principle of “a stitch in time saves nine.”

Deficiencies which are not corrected today will get worse by 2015 and will need more funds to restore the status quo. Nothing can be more difficult for states which are the poorest of the poor.

A modest suggestion – Ad hoc administrators
I met a lecturer from one of the affected universities last week and while bemoaning the absence of governance and its impact on their university, made the suggestion that the state government should establish an ad hoc committee of administrators consisting of people not involved in politics to run the university until next year. I think it makes sense.

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