Professor of Educational Management, Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Education, Lagos State University, Ojo, Prof. Olusola David Aina has said that for nation-building, there is the need for a change of attitude of citizens through service delivery provided by all levels of education, including universities.
He explained that it is imperative that until Nigerians resolve to agree to live as one people and one nation quality leadership and effective management of the Nigerian nation will remain a dream.
He says this has made the project of nation-building a mirage.
He stated this while delivering the 82nd inaugural lecture of the university, entitled: Management and Leadership in the University: Dilemma or Titillation to Nation Building on Tuesday 18th January 2022.
According to him, until Nigerians can rise in unison against a failing leadership in government irrespective of its tribal disposition, building a virile nation may remain a daydream.
“Also, the curriculum in Nigerian schools should be made relevant to the history of Nigeria as a country to teach Nigerian pupils and students the values of authentic leadership and effective, efficient management of human and non-human resources.”
He however said that the present state of the education sector in Nigeria can be regarded as not good enough to enhance national development as there are lots of inherent problems plaguing the education sector.
“The major problem facing the education sector can be summarized to be because of the lazy and ineffective policies of the government in the sector,” he stated.
Prof. Aina also added that educational systems are structured to suit the needs of the people, with the government playing a major role by providing the required resources, man, material, and funds.
“But it is so glaring that most educational reforms in Nigeria have not been so successful due to specific factors, prominent among which is policy flip-flops by the managers of the sector.
Listing his recommendations, Prof Aina said there is the need for adequate provision of funds for research and publications to enable lecturers to improve their teaching and leadership capacity and meet global technological needs and challenges.
“These activities should be adequately monitored, supervised, and evaluated to ensure a strong commitment to academic excellence and minimize wastage in the system.
“Management of Universities in Nigeria should make efforts to internationalize their activities through collaborative linkages in research, and staff and student exchange programmes,” he said.
He also recommended that University-industry linkages should be consciously strengthened by the research and development units in Nigeria universities’ academic programmes and research efforts should be open to joint scrutiny and review to ensure relevance and to attract support and patenting for nation-building.
“Staff in universities should de-emphasize their self-perception as experts requiring no further training and reengineering, even in a fast technologically changing world.”
Prof Aina also said that the higher education curriculum should be constantly reviewed and re-ordered to ensure that the course contents meet the needs of students and the demands of the 21st-century society for products of the university system.
For good governance, the lecturer stated that existing traditional structures of governance through the council, the Senate, and Faculties should continue to be sustained.
“However, there is the need for a well-designed participatory institutional framework through collaborative goal setting among the various levels and hierarchy of governance to achieve integration, higher productivity, and sustainability of the system.
Finally, the inaugural lecturer believes that the construction of an inclusive, democratic and developed nation dedicated to the interests and wellbeing of the people can be possible in Nigeria if appropriate university leadership and management policies devoid of selfish interest are applied to all sectors of the Nigerian economy.
-Brandvisibility
