PROF. NEBO JUSTIFIES EMERGENCE OF NEW, EXCEPTIONALLY UNIQUE VARSITIES

(Alex Uzoigwe)

Prof. Chinedu Nebo, former Vice Chancellor, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, a one-time Minister of Power, irked with what he described as “incredible assault on university education in Nigeria”, has explained the rationale for new and exceptionally unique universities in the country.
Although the professor conceded the fact of the “inadequate number of universities in Nigeria”, he did not hide his indignation over what he said had been playing up in universities in Nigeria.
Prof. Nebo who is now the Vice Chancellor of the University on the Niger, Umunya, Anambra State, bared his mind on Nigerian university education in a speech he made during the annual Homage of the Diocese on the Niger held at the All Saints’ Cathedral, Onitsha, recently.

Recounting with disgust, the checkered experience of university education in Nigeria in recent years, Prof. Nebo said, “For many years now, most of us who have been in academics, have witnessed the incredible assault on the education system in Nigeria because of strikes all over the place; whether it is Federal University or State University.
“There has been an upsurge of discontent among those who are lecturing, teaching or serving there”, he added.
Still explaining the cause of his anger over public universities, he said, “You sent somebody to go and study the Liberal Arts and Management Sciences in public universities where there are 200 students, 300 students and 400 students in a class, and at the end of the day, the students cannot grab a single tenet of what they have been exposed to, because nobody cares about them”.

Consequently, regretting the number of universities in Nigeria against the backdrop of the apparent rising number of students, in the country, the professor said, “We do know that the number of universities in Nigeria today (you may think they are large enough, they are not). There is no way that the number of universities we have in Nigeria today can serve the entire country”.
He therefore expressed joy, as a welcome development, the eventual establishment of the University on the Niger, saying that it emerged at the nick of time.
“I cannot thank God enough for the vision that God gave to our beloved Bishop, the Rt Rev Dr Owen Nwokolo and his wife, Dr Nonyelum Nwokolo (Mama Niger) who has also been a strong force driving the establishment of the University on the Niger.
“University on the Niger is established as a unique university. And it is the very reason we are employing and deploying what we can call best practices in university education. We are not taking anything by chance.
The university knows that unless we produce graduates that are nationally relevant and globally competitive we will not achieve our dream. And because God is the author of knowledge, wisdom and understanding, and the Church is the body of Christ, having established this university, we have a passion for it to be number one in this country.

“This is because we believe that God has given us the best mind, the best intellect, the best acumen and the best talent to be the best in anything we do. And we want our students to become part of that spirit of excellence.
“We can assure you that the education your children are getting at the University on the Niger is superior to what you can find anywhere. It is not inferior to any university at all!
“We will do our best so that when they come in, they come in, raw, they go through the system and when they leave, they leave as excellent finished products. That is what we want to do, that is our commitment to you”, Prof. Nebo vowed.

                 --- 30 ---