Education
FG’s ‘undertakers of privatization’ ready to take over public universities – ASUU alleges
The Ibadan Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has alerted the public that the Federal Government “undertakers of privatization” are ready to take over public universities from the reach of the children of the masses.
The Union in a release by its Zonal Coordinator, Professor Oyebamiji Oyegoke stated last Tuesday that unless Nigerians join ASUU to struggle and deliver public-funded universities to the children of the masses agents of privatization of public universities have concluded plans to deny the children of the common man access to qualitative education and make them serve their children learning in foreign universities.
“What is unveiling before us is deceit, and readiness to bring University education to its kneel after which the undertakers of privatization will take over; no wonder, the increasing number of private universities and polytechnic against the depreciating and fastly decaying number of same in public institutions.”
According to the Ibadan Zone of ASUU, the demands of the union are not self-serving but altruistic saying “As a body of intellectuals, our Union demands for repositioning our universities for greater efficiency in national development and technological advancement; massive and sustained funding for our universities; a reversal of apparent decay in the University System; and, enhanced and competitive remuneration for overworked academic staff in Nigerian Universities. Nigerians should join ASUU to ask the Federal Government of Nigeria to tow the path of honour by respecting the agreement it freely entered with our Union”
The ASUU Boss maintained that President Muhammadu Buhari is leaving a legacy of a tragic epigram on our education in Nigeria.
“It is a sad commentary that a government which was brought into power by a popular mandate of the teaming Nigerian masses has turned full cycle against a key agent of development like the education sector. We are pained as a Union to observe this government, which is on its way out, keeps a date with history as it struggles to scribble a tragic epigram on our education sector. What a legacy to leave.”
While saying the Ibadan zone joined the leadership of the union to reject what it called disrespectful and demeaning award of money and jettisoning collective bargaining in arriving at what the federal government presented to the Union saying the Union of intellectual will not be caged.
“The main issue, involved in the current ASUU travails is about living up to responsibility or the abdication of it. If the government is not a continuum, ASUU as a body of intellectuals would not have been insisting on re-negotiating and implementing an agreement reached and signed with it in 2009 by the Federal Government of Nigeria. An agreement reached with FGN whose re-negotiation ought to have commenced in 2012, did not take off until 2017 under Mr Wale Babalakin (SAN) who was challenged majorly by ASUU for recommending that students in Nigerian Universities should pay up to a million Naira per session as tuition fee. The recommendations of the Munzali Jubril Committee’s of 2020 were equally rejected by FGN. This Committee was replaced lately by Nimi Briggs’s Committee in March 2022. For crying out loud, FGN has its mind made up ab initio. All ASUU’s patriotic yearnings to reposition public universities, whether Federal or state to serve as agents of developmental transformation do not cut any ice with FGN. A fundamental question to ask is: were Emeritus Professors Munzali Jibril and Nimi Brigg’s committees not set up by FGN? Let us take the first committee. Prof. Munzali’s Committee was inaugurated in December 2020 by Mallam Adamu Adamu on behalf of FGN who declared during the Committee’s inauguration this statement, “Government is determined to, within available resources, provide the requisite environment, infrastructure as well as improve the conditions of service for all categories of staff in Nigerian universities.”
This statement is an admission of some of the objectives which the ASUU Re-negotiated Agreement set out to achieve. Such referencing is an affirmation of ASUU’s principled position in reforming the Nigerian University system. It is important to note that a committee that was composed of eminent Pro-chancellors of State and Federal Universities; advisers like Executive Secretaries of NUC, TETfund and Chairman, Committee of Vice-Chancellor of Nigerian Universities; and observers, coming from representatives of Federal Ministries like Labour and Productivity, Finance and Budget Planning, Justice, Salaries, Income and Wages, etc; any government which discountenances the findings of such robust assemblage will at best be described as deceptive and unpatriotic. To set up another committee, within a space of a little above two years headed by another Emeritus Professor, Nimi Briggs, is not only duplicitous but a portrayal of the lack of seriousness which typifies all levels of governance in Nigeria. That, the recommendations of Nimi Briggs’s Committee were set aside could only mean a deterministic mind of abuse of power and lack of concern for the future of the University System in Nigeria. If all that ASUU got for stagnating on the same salary for more than thirteen years was a mere 35% (N60,000) salary increase for its Professors and another 23.5% (N30,000) for Senior Lecturers and below, the question arises of what the equivalent workers in public service earn as compared to the miserly offer by the Government.”
The Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ayede (FEDPA), Oyo State, Dr. Taofeek Abdul-Hameed, has been honoured with the Leadership Excellence and Education Icon Award in recognition of his contributions to the education sector and national development.
The award was presented by Bollyjoe Media Communications Ltd, a media and communications firm based in Abuja, the nation’s capital on Wednesday.
Presenting the award, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the firm, Joseph Uzuakpundu Bollyjoe, said Abdul-Hameed was recognised for his selfless service and transformative leadership within Nigeria’s polytechnic education system.
He noted that under the Rector’s stewardship, the Federal Polytechnic, Ayede, had witnessed strategic reforms aimed at strengthening academic standards and promoting institutional stability.
According to him, the Rector’s policies have repositioned the institution for sustainable growth and aligned its technical education programmes with global best practices.
Since assuming office, the Rector has prioritised infrastructural development, administrative discipline and innovation-driven governance, earning commendations from stakeholders.
Reacting to the honour, Abdul-Hameed, described the award as a motivation to further deepen reforms and consolidate on existing achievements.
“This recognition is not just personal; it reflects the dedication of our management, staff and students who share the vision of building a globally competitive institution,” the Rector said.
He added that the polytechnic would remain committed to excellence, integrity and continuous development in line with national educational aspirations.
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday described the Federal Polytechnic Ayede as the best-performing among federal polytechnics established in 2021, commending its infrastructural expansion and academic stability as the institution graduated 325 students at its maiden convocation ceremony.
Tinubu, who is the Visitor to the institution, was represented by the Director, Polytechnics and Allied Institutions, Dr. Usman Ejeh. He said the polytechnic’s achievements within five years were “remarkable and strategic,” adding that its growth aligns with the Federal Government’s reform agenda for technical and vocational education.
“The Federal Polytechnic Ayede has distinguished itself among its peers established in 2021. Its commitment to infrastructure, skills acquisition, and academic stability clearly positions it as a model institution,” he said.
The President noted that his administration had introduced key reforms, including the students’ loan scheme under the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, curriculum modernisation, infrastructural renewal, and digital skills expansion to reposition the education sector.
“We are determined to build institutions that will produce innovators, entrepreneurs, and solution providers for our economy,” he added, urging the management to consolidate on existing gains.
Earlier, the Rector, Dr. Taofeek Abdul-Hameed, described the combined convocation for the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 academic sessions as a defining milestone in the institution’s history.
“We gather here today to officially present to the world the first set of graduates produced by the Federal Polytechnic Ayede. This indeed calls for celebration,” he said.
The rector expressed appreciation to Tinubu for policies aimed at strengthening technical education and acknowledged the support of regulatory and funding agencies, including the National Board for Technical Education and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, for accreditation and infrastructural interventions that accelerated the institution’s development.
He disclosed that 138 students graduated in the 2023/2024 session and 187 in the 2024/2025 session, bringing the total number of graduands to 325.
According to him, Miss Taiwo Ibukunoluwa Arinola of Science Laboratory Technology and Mr. Olapese Quadri Ayofe of Agricultural Technology emerged as the overall best graduating students for their respective sessions with a cumulative grade point average of 3.96.
Beyond the award of National Diploma certificates, Abdul-Hameed said each graduand obtained at least two additional vocational certifications through the Centre for Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development.
“Our graduates are not just job seekers but employers of labour. We have deliberately equipped them with relevant entrepreneurial and technical competencies,” he said, adding that 68 major projects had been executed across the temporary and permanent sites through TETFund interventions, Federal Government appropriations, and donor support.
The projects, he said, include a main administrative building, ICT centre, health centre, engineering workshops, and improved power infrastructure, while the institution also recorded over 64 research projects and nine TETFund-supported fabrication innovations. He also reaffirmed the polytechnic’s resolve to relocate fully to its permanent site in Ayede, Ogo-Oluwa Local Government Area, and appealed for improved access roads and hostel accommodation.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Governing Council, Hon. Yakubu Dati, described the ceremony as a celebration of vision and collective commitment, urging government, corporate organisations, and well-meaning Nigerians to support the institution with critical infrastructure, particularly road networks and student hostels, through direct intervention or Public-Private Partnership arrangements. He commended the Federal Government, the Oyo State Government, and the host community for sustaining a peaceful environment, and appreciated the Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service, who was also the guest lecturer, Dr. Zacch Adedeji, for supporting the construction of an access road to the institution.
Fellowship awards were conferred on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; the Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service, Dr Zacch Adedeji; and Dr Abubakar Isa.
The event attracted traditional rulers, including the Soun of Ogbomosoland, Oba Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye; the Timi of Ede, Oba Adesola Munirudeen Lawal; and the Aresa of Iresapupa, Oba Moses Olayiwola Ajiboye, as well as Senators Ayo Adeseun, Abdulfatai Buhari, prominent Ogbomoso leaders, rectors of sister polytechnics, scholars, and other dignitaries.
Education
Oyo: Speaker Abbas, NRS Chair, Adedeji to Attend Ayede Polytechnic’s Maiden Convocation as 325 Set to Graduate
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Tajudeen Abbas, and the Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), Dr. Zacch Adelabu Adedeji, will on Thursday grace the maiden combined convocation ceremony of the Federal Polytechnic, Ayede, Oyo State, where no fewer than 325 students will be awarded National Diploma certificates.
The Pioneer Rector of the Polytechnic, Dr. Taofeek Abdul-Hameed, disclosed this on Monday during a pre-convocation press conference at the institution’s Permanent Site in Ayede, describing the event as “a defining milestone” in the history of the young federal institution.
“This is the first convocation of the Federal Polytechnic, Ayede, since its establishment on January 19, 2021, and it marks our transition from take-off to consolidation,” the Rector said.
Abdul-Hameed said the speaker would chair the convocation lecture, while the NRS boss, Adedeji would deliver the lecture titled, ‘The Role of Technology in Implementing Nigeria’s New Tax Laws: Challenges and Prospects’, noting that the calibre of invited dignitaries reflected the institution’s rising national profile.
“The presence of the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service underscores the growing relevance of the Polytechnic in national development discourse,” he said.
According to the Rector, the combined convocation covers the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 academic sessions and will span six days, featuring a novelty football match, convocation lecture, award of National Diploma certificates, and the conferment of fellowship honours.
He disclosed that 138 students completed their programmes in the 2023/2024 academic session, while 187 students graduated in the 2024/2025 session, bringing the total number of graduands to 325.
On academic expansion, Abdul-Hameed said the Polytechnic commenced academic activities in 2023 with four National Diploma programmes but has grown to run 13 fully accredited ND programmes across five schools.
“We currently operate across the Schools of Engineering, Environmental Technology, Management Sciences, Science and Technology, and Agricultural Technology, all with full NBTE accreditation,” he stated.
The Rector attributed the institution’s rapid growth to sustained support from the Federal Government under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, alongside interventions from the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Board for Technical Education, and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund.
“These interventions have strengthened our capacity in programme accreditation, staff development, and infrastructure delivery,” he said.
Abdul-Hameed further revealed that the Polytechnic had executed 68 major infrastructural, ICT, and utility projects across its Permanent and Temporary campuses, adding that work was ongoing on the access road linking the Permanent Site from Idi-Araba.
“While we have made significant progress, we still require support in access roads, student hostels, power supply, water facilities, and digital infrastructure to sustain our growth,” the Rector appealed.
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