society
inside a Growing Revolt Over Nigerias Unity Schools: Why Humphrey Nwafor Is Marching
inside a Growing Revolt Over Nigerias Unity Schools: Why Humphrey Nwafor Is Marching
By : Murphy Ajibade Alabi
On Saturday, May 9, 2026, the usually fluid rhythm of Lagos, Abuja and Kano will make room for something more deliberate: an awareness walk and rally led by alumni of Nigerians famed Unity Schools. One of those alumni is Humphrey Nwafor, President of the Lagos Chapter of the Federal Government College Kano Old Students Association (FGCKOSA), a man whose calm delivery masks a deeply structured critique of government policy.
When we met, Nwafor was neither incendiary nor sentimental. He was precise almost surgical in how he framed the issue.
This is not a protest against reform, he began. It is a protest against how reform is being executed.
The Fault Line: Reform vs. Asset Stripping
For years, multilateral institutions such as the World Bank have advocated for a shift in how public institutions particularly schools are managed in developing economies. The argument is straightforward: government ownership often breeds inefficiency, while private sector participation introduces discipline, capital, and accountability.
Nwafor does not reject this premise. In fact, he embraces it.
I agree that these schools need a new funding and management model, he told me. That conversation is long overdue.
But his agreement ends where current policy begins.
What is happening now is not reform. It is asset stripping disguised as Public-Private Partnership.
His contention is that the ongoing PPP concessions involving Unity Schools some of which include land swaps and commercial developmentsfail a basic economic test: they do not eliminate governments financial burden. Instead, they reduce the asset base of the schools while leaving funding obligations largely intact.
That is not sustainability. That is liquidation, he said flatly.
A Question of Value
Unity Schoolsfederal secondary institutions established to foster national integrationare not just educational facilities. Many sit on expansive parcels of land, some in increasingly valuable urban corridors. Several are over 50 years old and have produced generations of Nigerias elite across sectors.
Nwafor sees this not as a liability, but as an under-leveraged asset.
These schools have alumni networks embedded in global corporations, multinationals, and financial institutions. You are talking about individuals and organizations with the capacity for structured, long-term investment through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and philanthropic vehicles.
He leaned forward slightly.
Why sell land when you havent even activated your most obvious capital pool?
The Numbers Behind the Argument
To illustrate his point, Nwafor pointed to Nigerias banking sector, which has posted record profits in recent years. While he did not cite a specific figure during our conversation, industry reports indicate that the combined profits of major Nigerian banks in 2025 run into trillions of naira.
His proposal is mathematically simple:
If just 0.5% of banking sector profits were systematically channeled into Unity Schools, the funding gap would effectively disappear.
The implication is stark: the problem may not be a lack of resources, but a failure of coordination.
USOSA: The Alternative Model
At the core of Nwafors argument is an institution many outside the Unity School ecosystem may not fully appreciate: the Unity Schools Old Students Association (USOSA), an umbrella body representing alumni across these federal schools.
USOSA was built on a very clear idea, he explained. That government does not have to fund these schools indefinitely. There is a credible alternativestructured alumni-led management.
This model, he argues, is a truer expression of Public-Private Partnership than what is currently being implemented.
You hand over operational responsibility to a body that has emotional, historical, and reputational equity in the schools. Government becomes the regulator. Alumni bring funding, governance, and a competitive mindset.
That last point is critical.
When schools are run by their alumni, performance becomes personal. Every school wants to outperform the other. That is how you drive excellence.
The Process Problem
Beyond policy disagreements, what appears to animate Nwafor most is the processor lack thereof. According to him, the Federal Ministry of Education constituted a committee in June 2025 to develop PPP guidelines for Unity Schools. Yet, USOSAarguably the most relevant stakeholderwas excluded.
They did not invite us. They did not consult us. They did not even share the final guidelines.
What followed, he says, was even more troubling.
They proceeded to sign 18 PPP concession deals for 18 schoolswithout public notice, without stakeholder engagement, without asking a basic question: is there a better alternative?
The frustration here is not rhetorical; it is procedural. In governance terms, the absence of transparency and stakeholder inclusion undermines both legitimacy and long-term viability. Even formal correspondence from alumni bodies underscores this concern, citing lack of transparency, stakeholder exclusion, and deviation from established PPP guidelines as central objections.
Nwafors summary is blunt: Who works like that?
Why He Is Marching
For Nwafor, Saturdays march is not symbolicit is strategic.
This is an awareness walk. We are trying to force a national conversation.
He is particularly focused on reaching one audience: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
My greatest hope is that the President hears usnot as critics, but as stakeholders offering a better solution.
His appeal is framed less as opposition and more as course correction.
If the true objective is to reduce the financial burden on government and improve these schools, then we are presenting a model that does bothwithout destroying value.
The Stakes
At stake is more than land or policy. It is the future governance model of a network of institutions that has, for decades, played a quiet but significant role in Nigerias nation-building.
The governments current path suggests a belief in private capital as the primary solution. Nwafors counterproposal does not reject that beliefit redirects it.
From external investors to internal stakeholders.
From asset liquidation to asset optimization.
From opaque concessions to participatory governance.
As Lagos, Abuja and Kano prepare for the march, one thing is clear: this is not a nostalgia-driven defense of the past. It is a contest over the architecture of the future. And Humphrey Nwafor intends to make sure it is not decided quietly.
Old Students Association rejects alleged commercialisation of Unity School land
By Ifeoma Ikem
The Unity Schools Old Students Association (USOSA) has rejected the alleged commercialisation of any unity schools land under the Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) initiative.
The association made its displeasure known during their awareness walk to protest the concession of the 33 hectares of land belonging to Federal Government College (FGC) Kano yesterday in Lagos.
The members were carrying placards, some of which read “PPP: Save the Future”, “Protect Unity Schools”, “PPP must serve Education not land conversion” and “Schools are not for Real Estate”.
President-General of the Unity Schools Old Students Association USOSA Michael Magaji says Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) was designed to improve public institutions, and not strip them of assets or reduce their land.
Over 60 Unity schools members were drawn from across the nation for the awareness walk to protest against the alleged sale of the school lands.
The P-G said the association was advocating for a sustainable funding model that would preserve educational assets while improving infrastructure, manpower and learning conditions.
“Our coming together is to restore the lost glory of Unity Schools and strengthen Nigeria’s education system. Unity schools are nation-building institutions that have produced leaders across various sectors.
“Unity Schools were not just about education, they were about integration built not by spectators but by active citizens that believe in one nation.
“ The alumni support PPP but oppose the sale of educational assets. Unity never happens by chance but designed, nurtured and protected,’’ he added.
He added that the awareness walk brought about by the alumni across the nation was also to have a stronger network to revive the vision of the Unity Schools.
Mr Humphrey Nwafor, Lagos Chapter President, Federal Government College, Kano Old Students Association said that they are pushing back against the alleged commercialisation of Unity School lands.
Nwafor pointed out that the 33 hectares of land belonging to FGC Kano was concessioned without adequate consultation with stakeholders.
“We are saying there is a better option. Instead of selling our lands and assets, we would rather fund the schools ourselves.
“If the government says it does not have enough money to run the schools, the old students can provide support without taking one inch of the land,” he said.
According to him, the concession arrangement involving the school’s land will undermine the future of unity schools, which were established in the first place to promote national integration.
“These schools were established to unite Nigerians from different ethnic and religious backgrounds and we are appealing to President Bola Tinubu to intervene and ensure that public educational assets are protected,” he added.
He called on the Federal Government to leverage alumni networks in addressing funding challenges confronting unity schools.
“We are in solution mode and impact mode and we believe alumni associations should be integrated into the process of repositioning these schools.
“We recently met with officials of the Federal Ministry of Education and discussions are ongoing toward finding mutually beneficial solutions,” he said.
Mr Alex Akindumila, President of FGC Idoani Alumni Association said the concession controversy was a national test of how public assets and educational institutions are being managed.
He said that they are concerned that reducing lands allocated to unity schools could limit future expansion, agricultural projects, sports facilities, technical workshops and staff accommodation.
“The lands allocated to unity schools were deliberate and visionary.“They were designed to ensure that the schools remain self-sustaining and adaptable to future needs.
According to him, when you shrink the land of a unity school, you do not just reduce space, but reduce possibility , reduce ability to run agricultural programs that can feed students and teach enterprise, even the space required for sports facilities that build discipline, health and national pride.
Also, Mrs Ifeoma Okeke, an alumna of FGC Nsukka, called for transparency, due process and stakeholder engagement in any PPP arrangement involving educational institutions.
She said PPP agreements should align with the public purpose of the schools and not diminish their long-term capacity.
“There must be transparency, competitiveness and proper stakeholder engagement in any concession process involving public educational assets,” she said.
society
NAPS Southwest Condemns Delay in Passage of HND,/B.SC Dichotomy Bill, Issues 30 Days Ultimatum to Nigeria Senate and Federal House of Representative
NAPS Southwest Condemns Delay in Passage of HND,/B.SC Dichotomy Bill, Issues 30 Days Ultimatum to Nigeria Senate and Federal House of Representative
The National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) Southwest has strongly condemned the continued delay in the passage of the bill aimed at ending the long-standing disparity between Higher National Diploma (HND) and Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) qualifications in Nigeria. The association has described the delay as unjust, discriminatory, and harmful to the future of polytechnic education in the country.
The NAPS Southwest expressed deep frustration over what it called the unacceptable silence and inaction from the Nigerian Senate and Federal House of Representatives regarding the bill. The proposed legislation seeks to abolish the dichotomy between HND and B.Sc holders, a divide that has for years limited career progression opportunities for polytechnic graduates, particularly in the public sector.
This ongoing delay represents a significant policy gap that must be urgently addressed. The continued discrimination against HND holders contradicts the principles of equity, fairness, and meritocracy that should define Nigeria’s public service.
For years, polytechnic students and graduates have faced systemic discrimination in employment opportunities, career progression, and societal recognition an injustice that undermines the value of technical and vocational education in national development. The proposed bill represents a critical step toward equity, fairness, and the full recognition of polytechnic education in Nigeria.
We therefore call on the current administration and the National Assembly to prioritize the reintroduction and immediate passage of this critical legislation. Nigeria cannot afford to sideline a significant segment of its skilled workforce due to outdated and discriminatory policies.
It is therefore disheartening that the Nigeria Senate and House of Representatives has yet to act decisively on this matter of urgent national importance. The continued delay raises serious questions about the commitment of lawmakers to addressing the challenges faced by millions of Nigerian youths in the polytechnic system.
The NAPS southwest unequivocally calls on the Senate and House of Representatives to, without further delay, deliberate on and pass the bill to end the HND/B.Sc dichotomy. The future of countless students and graduates depends on this decisive action.
The continued delay in passing this bill is a direct attack on the dignity and future of millions of Nigerian students and graduates, the statement read. We cannot continue to tolerate a system that places artificial barriers on capable individuals simply because of the institution they attended.
Failure to meet this demand will leave NAPS Southwest with no choice but to mobilize Nigerian Polytechnic Students and Graduates across the country for peaceful but firm actions to press home our demands. We are prepared to take all legitimate steps necessary to ensure that justice is served.
NAPS Southwest has therefore issued a strong warning to the Senate and House of Representatives, urging lawmakers to prioritize and immediately pass the bill without further delay. The association made it clear that failure to act promptly would trigger nationwide protests and coordinated actions by Nigerian polytechnic students and graduates.
We urge all relevant stakeholders to initiate comprehensive reforms that will harmonize qualification frameworks, ensure equal opportunities for career advancement, and restore confidence in the civil service system.
NAPS Southwest remains committed to advocating for the rights and dignity of polytechnic students and graduates across Nigeria. We will continue to engage constructively with policymakers and mobilize support until justice is achieved.
Signed
Comr Ogunsola Adewale John
NAPS Southwest Coordinator
+234 704 720 2907
society
African Focus Historic Royal Visit of Olúkòyí of Ìkòyí Ọba Iyiola Akande Morenigbade in Los Angeles, CA —
African Focus Historic Royal Visit of Olúkòyí of Ìkòyí Ọba Iyiola Akande Morenigbade in Los Angeles, CA —
African Focus Inc. its 20th Anniversary with Goodwill Awards and Induction Ceremony in April, 2026, held at the Renaissance LAX in Los Angeles, California.
The landmark event brought together distinguished guests, cultural leaders, and members of the African diaspora for an evening of recognition, reconnection, and celebration.
The ceremony honored outstanding community leaders and cultural champions whose contributions have strengthened African heritage and unity across generations.
The evening featured an elegant dinner, and an inspiring awards presentation, commemorating two decades of impactful service.
Highlight of the event was the African Family Induction, a signature tradition of African Focus.
18 Diaspora Africans were formally welcomed into native African families for a meaningful cultural experience.
The Inductees received certificates bearing their native names, along with cultural artifacts symbolizing their new lineage.
This initiative continues to foster cultural identity, bridge generational and geographical divides, and encourage deeper engagement with the African continent.
Many past inductees have gone on to travel to Africa with their host families, strengthening cultural bonds and understanding.
This year’s event was graced by a Yorùbà monarch His Royal Majesty, Oba Iyiola Akande Morenigbade, the Olukoyi of Ikoyi in Osun State, Nigeria who doubled as special guest of honour and historically served as Royal Father of the Day.
His royal presence brought cultural significance to the celebration.
The event was hosted by Uchenna Nworgu, Founder and Director of African Focus Inc, alongside a distinguished team of Cultural Ambassadors and leaders, including Paul Babatunde, Director of Cultural Initiatives; Dominique DiPrima, Cultural Ambassador; Wole Nipede; Ojise Isedale (also known as Olubunmi Olukanni); Ade James; and other notable contributors.
The event was concluded with vibrant music and dance, reflecting the spirit of unity and cultural pride that has defined African Focus for the past 20 years.
African Focus is a nonprofit organization dedicated to reconnecting the African diaspora with their cultural roots through education, cultural exchange, and community engagement initiatives.
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