By Ayodele Abere
. Prof Popoola and Prof Olanipekun
University and research systems in Nigeria currently parade a lot of personnel who are more of rent seekers than producers.
This was stated by a Professor of Forest Economics and Sustainable Development, Professor Labode Popoola of the Department of Social and Environmental Forestry, University of Ibadan, while delivering the 27th Convocation Lecture of the Ekiti State University,Ado-Ekiti.
The event which was held at the main auditorium of the University had the topic “The University System In Nigeria And The Sustainability Question”.
The Professor of international repute noted that they add little or no value to the system, yet, they have to be paid. Adding that evidence over the years has shown that many of them are in the forefront of agitations and disruptions in the system.
Professor Popoola further stated that the scourge of lack of accountability and pervasive corruption that used to be viewed from a distance by academia is now becoming the norm in the university system in Nigeria.
“While it may be difficult to pinpoint the causes of academic corruption, one quick connection is the link between university, that is, the gown and the town”.
The Professor opined that for universities to be sustainable, corruption will have to be reduced to the barest minimum, if it cannot be completely eradicated.
“I have wondered within myself why a Vice – chancellor, or any officer entrusted with public till should abuse the privilege. It is most ungodly! Universities should be seen as the bastion of resource use efficiency, as we can never have enough to satisfy the increasing demands of the system.
The guest lecturer pointed out that the university today has become all comers’ affairs, where intellectualism does not seem to thrive . “Gradually, our universities are becoming more famous for the numbers of closures than the numbers of inventions and solutions initiatives that we proffer.
“In the five years of my Vice – Chancellorship at Osun State University, we attracted philanthropy worth about Fifty Billion Naira. Continuous flow of such philanthropy engenders sustainability”.
Professor Labode Popoola however said, that a pathway to Sustainability is for a university to be known for something unique as he said that, traditionally, universities are supposed to be separated and insulated from the society to enable them focus on their core mandate and to serve as solutions providers for the society.
Presentation of gift items to the guest lecturer by the university management
“Today, many Nigerian universities are not insulated from bad governance, corruption and fiscal indiscipline, bad politics, lack of focus and of vision. To be sustainable, universities will need to have well articulated vision, get stakeholders to buy into the vision”. Professor Popoola affirmed.
The Vice – Chancellor, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Professor Edward Olanipekun, commended his colleague for a well delivered lecture and buttressed the fact that universities across the world supposed to be a knowledge incubator.
