"The University is Not a Political Ground" – Prof. Idris Amali Advocates for Academic Neutrality

Professor Idris O. Amali, a former Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Lafia (FULafia), has issued a stern warning against the growing politicisation of Nigerian tertiary institutions, urging them to remain strictly dedicated to scholarship and research.

Speaking at a book presentation held in honour of the outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Professor Shehu Abdul Rahman, Professor Amali emphasised that the sanctity of higher education must be protected from external political influences.

The event, held at the MIS Hall on the Permanent Site Campus, served as a platform for Professor Amali to address the core values of the university system. He noted that for an institution to thrive, it must maintain a neutral stance and focus on its primary mandate of teaching and human development.

“The University is not a political ground,” Amali stated, calling on academic and non-teaching staff, as well as the student body, to resist the urge to turn the campus into a platform for partisan activities.

The book presentation celebrated the five-year tenure of Professor Abdul Rahman, whose leadership has been described as transformative for the university’s visibility. Professor Amali lauded the outgoing Vice-Chancellor for his "selfless service to humanity" and urged the incoming administration and the university community to uphold the standards of excellence set during his time.

The ceremony was attended by a host of dignitaries, academics, and students who praised Professor Abdul Rahman’s contributions to infrastructure and academic stability.

This call for neutrality comes at a time when university leadership transitions are increasingly in the spotlight, highlighting the need for stable, non-partisan governance in the Nigerian education sector.