President Muhammadu Buhari has criticised Nigerian universities for its ‘slowness’ in research, discoveries and inventions several years after independence. The president, in a statement he sent at the fourth convocation ceremony of the Federal University (FUDMA), Dutsinma, Katsina state, said it is saddening that Nigerian universities isn’t strong in research and discoveries, The Sun reports.
The president said that: “It is not heart-warming that in our over 58 years of independence, Nigerian universities are slow in discoveries and inventions.” The president also challenged all Nigerian universities “to come out of their shells to conduct researches that will attract industries to patronise the universities in order to enhance and improve their capacities to produce and diversify their products.” Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that Professor Abiodun Ogunyemi, the president of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and an emeritus professor from Nnamdi Azikiwe University (Unizik), Awka, Anambra state, Prof. Ikenna Oynyido, have described some universities as just false impression of real universities.
The professors said mediocrity has taken over the nation’s university system with many who have no business being in the system. The duo, who spoke at a valedictory lecture and book presentation by Prof. Ikenna Oynyido, at Unizik, said university education has fallen greatly compared to what obtainable in 60s, and 70s. Prof. Oynyido, while delivering his lecture on “The anti-thesis of a rolling stone that gathered moss”, said university education had so degenerated, that many professors could do no serious academic works. Oynyido, who is a former vice chancellor of University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia state, said most universities in the country existed as caricatures.
