Education
NAUB: MR PRESIDENT, WHO ARE THOSE PLANNING TO KILL THE ONLY FEDERAL UNIVERSITY THAT DOES NOT GO ON STRIKE? By Femi Oyewale
NAUB: MR PRESIDENT, WHO ARE THOSE PLANNING TO KILL THE ONLY FEDERAL UNIVERSITY THAT DOES NOT GO ON STRIKE? By Femi Oyewale
Sahara Weekly Reveals That Higher education in Nigeria, quite frankly, is facing immense challenges including but not limited to poor infrastructure, unrealistic academic calendars resulting in extra years against stipulated durations, lack of teaching equipment, social menace, poor funding, amongst others.
Interestingly, Nigerian Army University, Biu (NAUB) is quite unique from other federal universities in the sense that since inception, there has not been any issue of strike, cultism, protest, or anti-social conduct.
Rather, the university is reputed for its excellent condition of learning environment.
This was aptly covered by the Governor of Borno State, H.E Professor Babagana Umara Zulum through his deputy during the maiden edition of the convocation ceremony of NAUB on Saturday, October 28th, 2023 at the University’s main campus ( note not temporary campus within five years of existence) in Biu, Borno State.
The Borno State governor said he was physically present at the groundbreaking ceremony of the foundation laying stone of NAUB five years ago, and he is impressed by what he has seen adding that it must take military precision and focus to put in a full-fledged and functional university on a barren land in such a short period.
The Governor further thanked the Federal Government, the Nigerian Army, the traditional rulers, scholars and academics philanthropist, industrialists, associates and men and women of goodwill from within and outside Borno State for the selfless service of gradually re-modelling the future of Borno State in particular and Nigeria in general and for putting Borno State on the path of further greatness through the Nigerian Army university, Biu.
Why then do we plan to abort such a great independent institution of learning known as a barrier breaker and line crosser by merging it with NDA whose missions and visions are not in tandem with each other .
Why cut short the dreams of such noble ideas via politics?
Are there those who do not want a stable educational system in Nigeria?
Are there external forces or their agents at home trying to destroy a good foundation for a stable educational system in Nigeria?
Is NAUB in competition with the private universities?
Are there big shots who benefit from a chaotic educational system in Nigeria?
Are there some subterranean forces working within the system to achieve the Boko Haram objective that “education is sin”?
The words of Governor Zulum rings a wise bell when he said that Boko Haram insurgents have achieved their objectives if the university is scrapped.
“Therefore, we appeal to Mr. President to look into this issue so that the Army University Biu would remain a university… because of the importance of education in this part of the country, where Boko Haram is saying that education is forbidden. And I think that by allowing this Army university to be scrapped, they might have achieved one or two of their objectives,” he said.
The governor noted that, for over a decade, Borno State has been facing a serious crisis that has denied many children access to education.
“Therefore, this university is very important to not only the people of Borno State but our neighbouring states,” he said.
Look at the Western countries that started with military polytechnics that propelled revolution in military equipment development.
Many of these developed countries collaborated jointly through civil-military research.
The Swedish Defence University established like NAUB is Sweden’s leading resource in, and first choice for, education, training and research in the management of crisis, war and periods of tension in the leadership of both civil and military agencies. The Swedish Defence University is an accredited institution for academic education for military and civilian students and researchers where different experiences, approaches, and traditions come together. It has become a hub for both national and international students.
It might shock you to know that American Military University (AMU) and American Public University (APU). APUS is wholly owned by American Public Education, Inc., a publicly traded private-sector corporation that offers associates, bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees, in addition to dual degrees, certificate programs and learning tracks.
During my NYSC, I served in the Nigerian Army School of Education (NASE), Ilorin, which is a renowned military institution focused on providing high-quality education and training for Nigerian Army personnel and civilians. So why the proposed merger of NAUB?
Interestingly, the Nigerian Army University Biu provides such a platform for the Nigerian military towards technological innovation, research, and development in varied fields for national defence and security breakthroughs like many modern nations. In fact, instead of downgrading the Nigerian Army University, many more Army universities should be established in Nigeria. That is the way out for a caricature type of educational system that has failed to have stability over the years.
Who is not interested in seeing that a federal university graduates its students within the regular course time frame?
Must programmes of all federal universities be easily disrupted. A course of 4 or 5 years ends up taking over 6 to 7 years to complete. The worst part is that many universities end up in a crash programme to be able to cover up for the lost times. The terrible damage to these universities’ products is the very low standard of graduates.
Who wants the Nigerian educational system to collapse completely? These are rhetorical questions the amiable president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and all stakeholders should ask those proposing the merger to answer us publicly, else should let the matter die forever in the abyss of hasty decision.
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Edukate Africa holds summit to tackle funding barrier in education
By Ifeoma Ikem
Edukate Africa, an edu-fintech platform is set to host the Disrupt Education Summit Africa (Disrupt ED) aimed at tackling funding barriers, skills gaps and curriculum mismatch in Nigeria’s education system.
The Director of Edukate Africa, Francis Omorojie who disclosed this to newsmen explained that the initiative was driven by the high rate of school dropouts linked largely to financial constraints, particularly at the higher institution
Omorojie said the summit scheduled for January 29 at the University of Lagos will bring together government officials, universities, financial institutions, private sector players and philanthropies to rethink education financing and prepare young Nigerians for the realities of today’s digital workforce.
He said that more than 50 percent of students who drop out of higher institutions do so because they cannot afford tuition and related costs, a situation he described as a major contributor to unemployment, brain drain and irregular migration.
“Africa’s youthful population could either become an economic advantage or a liability, depending on how well education and talent development are managed.
“Education is a fundamental need, but financial exclusion has continued to shut out many promising young people. When students drop out, it feeds unemployment and social instability.
“Our mission is to build innovative and sustainable financial models that keep young Africans in school and help them become productive,” he said.
He noted that Edukate Africa is deploying blended financing solutions that include tuition guarantees, technology driven scholarship platforms, gig and remote work opportunities for students, and partnerships with universities and philanthropies to establish endowment and alumni funds.
He said that the platform pays tuition directly to institutions after verifying students’ admission and academic records, ensuring transparency and accountability for donors.
“The summit would focus on aligning education with the fast changing nature of work, driven by digital transformation, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies as any university curricula are lagging behind workplace realities, leaving graduates ill prepared for employment.
“There is a clear disconnect between what students are taught and what employers need. This summit will create a roundtable where government, academia and the private sector can agree on the skills required for today’s economy and how to integrate them into learning.
“It will also examine education financing models, including how banks and financial institutions can design student friendly funding products, and how existing initiatives such as the Nigeria Education Loan Fund can be strengthened and scaled.’’
Omorojie added that Edukate Africa would use the summit to launch the CommUniversity Endowment Fund, a community led investment fund designed to generate sustainable returns that will be used to sponsor vulnerable students and support young entrepreneurs.
Unlike traditional grant models, he said the fund would invest in revenue generating businesses, with dividends channeled into education support and seed funding for student led startups.
He said the initiative would also promote innovation through activities such as Pitch My Dissertation, Africathon and inter university debates, encouraging students to turn academic research into commercial solutions and job creating ventures.
According to him, over 1,000 students and recent graduates are expected at the summit, with a partners’ pavilion providing employers and organisations direct access to top talent.
He added that Edukate Africa has already supported students in Nigeria, the United Kingdom and Uganda to complete their education, in some cases with relatively small amounts that made the difference between graduation and dropping out.
He said that the ultimate goal is to move beyond access to education and ensure that young people graduate with relevant skills, funding support and pathways into employment or entrepreneurship, thereby contributing meaningfully to Nigeria’s economic development.
Also speaking, Tosin Adebisi, Co-Founder of Edukate Africa said the Disrupt ED Summit was designed as a disruptive and transformative convergence that would move beyond familiar conversations to practical collaboration.
Adebisi said the summit was built around a new framework called Communiversity, which seeks to integrate universities, policymakers, industry, the third sector and students into a single ecosystem.
“Rather than everyone working in silos, Communiversity brings together policymakers, universities, industry and civil society, with students at the centre, to address access to education, the future of work and Africa’s competitiveness.
“Communiversity model would leverage alumni networks, high net worth individuals and diaspora support to unlock sustainable funding for universities.
“The summit is being organised in partnership with the University of Lagos and the University of Birmingham, with support from the Federal Ministry of Education.’’
The dignitaries that would grace the occasion include, Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa; the Provost and Vice Principal of the University of Birmingham, Professor Nick, the Chief Operating Officer of Semicolon Africa, Ms Ashley Immanuel; and the Chief Executive Officer of Sterling One Foundation, Mrs Olapeju Ibikwe
FCAIB is set to launch degree programmes in partnership with FUNAAB
IBADAN, OYO STATE, NIGERIA – In a groundbreaking move, the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) has given the green light for the introduction of two innovative degree programmes at the Federal College of Agriculture, Ibadan (FCAIB), set to kick off in the 2025/2026 academic session.
According to an official release e-signed and made available to the media by Mrs. Wilson Oyekemi, Head of the Public Relations Unit of the institution, the newly approved programmes are B.Sc. (Home Science and Management) and B.Agric. (Agricultural Science).
As stated, the next academic session will witness the official commencement of both degree programmes, which constitutes a major breakthrough in the College’s academic development.
Established in 1921, the Federal College of Agriculture, Ibadan (FCAIB), originally known as the School of Agriculture, proudly stands as Nigeria’s and West Africa’s first agricultural institution, with a long and storied history.
The College’s roots trace further back to 1899, when Moor Plantation, Ibadan was established as a model farm to promote rubber cultivation and general agricultural improvement.
By 1905, the station evolved into an experimental research centre, focusing primarily on cotton production and other key agricultural studies.
The formal establishment of the School of Agriculture in 1921 marked the beginning of structured agricultural education in Nigeria.
Following the regionalization of education in 1954, the school relocated to its present site – where it has since grown into a formidable centre of agricultural learning and innovation.
Over the past century, the Federal College of Agriculture, Ibadan, has consistently upheld its mission of contributing to Nigeria’s agricultural development through qualitative education, skills acquisition, and the production of middle-level manpower for the agricultural sector.
The institution remains committed to empowering students with practical, hands-on skills and modern knowledge tailored to meet the evolving needs of agribusiness and food production in the 21st century.
Becoming Nigeria’s Premier Agricultural Institution, FCAIB envisions becoming the foremost agricultural education institution in Nigeria’s tertiary education system – a vision strengthened by its continued academic expansion and infastructural growth.
With over 100 years of continuous service, the Federal College of Agriculture, Ibadan has built a strong reputation as a leader in agricultural education, training, and research across the subregion.
The College currently offers a wide range of National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes across several disciplines, including:
National Diploma Programmes:
– Agricultural and Bio-Environmental Engineering Technology
– Agricultural Technology
– Home and Rural Economics
– Horticultural Technology
– Cooperative Economics and Management
– Science Laboratory Technology (SLT)
– Computer Science
– Food Technology
– Office Management Technology
– Library and information Science
– Multimedia Technology
– Organic Agricultural Technology
Higher National Diploma Programmes:
– Agricultural and Bio-Environmental Engineering Technology (Farm Power/Post-Harvest Technology/Soil & Water options)
– Agricultural Extension and Management
– Animal Production Technology
– Crop Production Technology
– Horticultural Technology
– Agribusiness Management
– Pest Management Technology
– Science Laboratory Technology (Microbiology Option)
These programmes are designed to blend theory with practical field experience, ensuring graduates are job-ready and self-reliant in the agricultural sector.
Beyond academic instruction, FCAIB maintains a strong emphasis on research and development, particularly in areas that directly impact food production and sustainable agricultural practices.
Recent infrastructural developments at the institution included the establishment of a Meteorological Centre, a Garri Processing Plant and an Oil Palm Processing Unit, all aimed at enhancing research, student training, and community impact.
The 9th and current Provost who doubled as the 28th Head of the 105 year-old Federal College of Agriculture, Ibadan, Prof. Jonathan Jeremiah Atungwu, a distinguished Nigerian academic Professor of Plant Nematology and an expert in Organic Agriculture and Biopesticides development with
research focus on non-chemical crop protection options, remained a focused and visionary leader.
He is Certified locally and internationally with enviable credentials, some of which include but not limited to:
– Over 100 publications in reputable outlets
– Expertise in Organic Agriculture and Biopesticides development.
– A team player with demonstrated leadership skills and experience in various capacities: Past Dean (COLPLANT) in FUNAAB and LASU, President of several professional societies.
– Membership and leadership in international and local organizations, such as ISOFAR, ISPP, NSPP, NISOP, ADAN and many more.
Prof. Atungwu is a renowned mentor for the upcoming agricultural scientists, teachers, agropreneurs, and youths.
He is happily married, and blessed with pleasant, hardworking, and disciplined children.
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