06:48
former President Olusegun Obasanjo
Incessant and protracted strikes are major factors militating against the development of the university system in Nigeria, former President Olusegun Obasanjo said on Monday in Lagos.
Obasanjo made the comments at the presentation of a book, From Excellence to Distinction: The University of Lagos on World’s Intellectual Map, written by Prof. Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe.
Obasanjo, who was the special guest of honour, noted that strikes by both students and university staff had affected the rapid growth and improved standard of academics in Nigerian universities over the past years.
He stressed the need for university administrators to be proactive in their quest to attain excellence by ensuring a stable academic calendar.
He said, “We, as a nation, have what it takes, both human and natural resources, to make our universities rank among the best in the world.
“In any institution, those who are at the helm of affairs must strive to do their work and administer without fear or favour.
“There must be discipline in the use of every thing at their disposal in order to achieve their set goals.”
He said every one must be prepared to improve the ratings of Nigerian universities in global ranking.
Obasanjo said, “After all, we now have a Nigerian who is amongst the 51 best in the world, in terms of economic standing.
“We must try to develop and encourage what we have for us to be able to achieve our collective goal as a nation.”
He noted that the country had succeeded in making the University of Lagos to be amongst the best 1,000 in the world, but that it could only get better.
Obasanjo commended the vision and contributions of Ibidapo-Obe, to the development of the university system.
While describing the messages in his book as “words on marble”, Obasanjo noted that some of the issues raised in the book were relevant to every sector of Nigeria’s economy.
“I remember how he fought hard to minimise strikes amongst students and staff in the university during his era as vice-chancellor,” he said.
In his remarks, acting Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof Rahman Bello, said the university was the first to be ranked as one of the best in the country during the tenure of the author as vice-chancellor.
He assured that the institution would build on what the author left behind.
Earlier in his welcome address, Ibidapo-Obe had said the book took him five and a half years to conclude.
He stressed the need to showcase the achievements of the university, which he said should move from its current excellent stage to that of distinction.
The reviewer of the book, Prof. Niyi Akinnaso, described the book as “well written, interesting and educative”.
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