Retiring UI Professor Calls for Urgent Reforms to Rescue Nigerian Universities

Professor Idowu Peter Farai, a retiring expert in Radiation and Health Physics at the University of Ibadan (UI), has called for immediate action to address the financial and operational challenges plaguing the Nigerian university system. His remarks were delivered during a Valedictory Lecture titled "The University I Met, and the One I am Exiting."

In his lecture, Prof. Farai highlighted the severe funding deficiencies that he believes are at the core of the issues facing Nigerian universities. “University education is enormously capital intensive, and stakeholders need to review the real facts and figures on what is required to run a 21st-century university,” he said. He pointed out the disparity in performance between universities operating on a budget of 23 billion Naira annually versus those with budgets exceeding one trillion Naira.

Prof. Farai criticized the current focus on only salaries and wages, suggesting that a more comprehensive funding strategy is needed. “The practice of government solely concentrating on salaries while neglecting other critical operational costs must be addressed,” he urged.

He also challenged the notion that university education should be free, arguing that such an expectation is unrealistic. “Universities cannot deliver on their mandates if they are free,” he stated, advising the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to move away from populist positions on fee structures and work collaboratively with the government on a practical funding strategy.

Additionally, Prof. Farai called for greater investment in entrepreneurial ventures within universities to boost internally generated revenue. He advocated for improved financial autonomy for universities and urged all stakeholders—students, parents, the government, and university administrators—to recognize the substantial capital needed to operate modern educational institutions.

Professor Farai, who began his career at UI as a Graduate Assistant in 1982 and was promoted to professor in 2006, is known for his pioneering research on radon gas and his advocacy for the safe use of atomic energy. He concluded his lecture by stressing the importance of embracing and investing in modern educational practices to secure the future of Nigerian universities.