University of Ibadan Celebrates 60yrs
May 25, 2008 by 
Che Oyimnatumba · Comments Off
This year 2008, Nigeria’s quest for inclusion into the league of the intelligentsia is 60 years old. In 1948, the University College Ibadan was born and consequently other universities took root. With the manner and means every rich man, church and organisations are getting licence to open a university, even the Nigerian University Commission cannot ascertain the number of degree awarding institutions in Nigeria. Despite this multiplicity of Nigerian universities, the quality of graduates produced is a sad story. Prof. Charles Soludo (Governor of CBN) said that 70% of Nigerian graduates are unemployable.
A good number of companies in Nigeria will rather employ a Diploma holder from Germany than a Nigerian groomed PHD holder in engineering. Same applies to other fields. A good number of corporations in Nigeria have at their top echelon Nigerians with foreign degrees. Their argument being that it is expensive to retrain a Nigerian graduate to fit into the work environment and compete globally in this era of global village.
How did we get here despite the promises of greatness at the wake of independence and the birth of Nigerian Universities? 60 years after, Nigeria cannot produce a table spoon, Nigerian undergraduate will rather leave at 400 Level to start year one in Ghana, Malaysia, Australia and other non-English speaking countries. There are more private/quasi-religious universities than those who can afford them yet there is no corresponding improvement in the quality of graduates we produce.
Nigerians once they leave the shores, do so well, in fact a study in the USA, puts Nigerians among the brightest and most educated immigrants. So what is wrong at the home front? Our men of intellectual timber and calibre are often brought to our notice by foreign institutions. The list of books read by Nigerian undergraduates should be critically examined. Agreed it is the lecturer that dictates what a student reads, but it should be remembered that the headmaster was once a student.
When I was an undergraduate, the easiest source of extorting more money from my parents and sponsors, is through presentation of list of books. As was the custom then, every lecturer gave a list of suggested readings for the course. What we did then was to follow religiously the lecturer for 3 weeks, spy out his favourite text book. Having done this, we present the entire list recommended to us to our sponsors and demand they give us money to buy from the University bookshop.
Need I remind you that of all the books on the list, we will only buy the one the lecturer lectures from while the money for the others slips into our pockets to be diverted to buying other extracurricular books not recommended by the lecturer(s) In this intellectual extortion, most of my “comrades in theft”, brakes book into two and collect double portion for one. If a book is co-authored, all they have to do is write the name of the book twice and place it against each author. Some even request money for two editions of the same book.
I am forced to reflect on this culture because there is a dearth of reading culture. I have engaged some undergraduates in a discussion. To say the least after talking with them, I felt too intelligent, or aptly, like a pastor leading a sinner to repentance. Mind you, despite our ingenious fraud, we still bought at least one and read it. Those who claim forced to study parents’ choice discipline, use proceeds from this venture to buy books in the field of their choice. Novels were voraciously read. In the interlude before another lecture, discussions hover around do you have this book that book or when will you lend me your novel.
These days, the object of loan among university students is musical CD, DVD and the centre of their discussion is when and where is the next bash. The “librated” lady on campus talks about fashion despite not knowing how to thread a needle. The conquest at the “senator’s” party or illusionary promise of a trip to Dubai by an aristo, keeps these ladies off their books.
For the gees wearing a bandless trouser that exposes dirty boxers, their talk centres around when next a GSM service provider will hit campus and the number of loose girls that will be tipsy and honey for a quickie. The guys’ greatest asset is the make of the cell phone he is hauling around campus, his tushed love nest and not his ability to intellectually mesmerise babes with his understanding of a complex theory.
There is another group of students, who are caught in between. They are hungry to read but there are no books. A carless browsing through books readily available on a book stand will show a collection of American manuals on how to be rich in a poor environment and not how to build rockets or other machineries needful for development.
These books do not take into consideration to economic policies and realities on ground, rather in the name of universal principles; they proffer solutions that can never work. What is the richest man in Babylon doing in Africa? A typical reading list of New Nigerian youths will read like this; Rich Dad Poor Dad; 101 Love text messages; Maximise Your Potential; ABC of Forex; How to make the internet make Money for you( euphemism for manual for yahoo yahoo boys). With active connivance of American evangelical, the capitalist west is underdeveloping Nigeria by corrupting the reading list of Nigerian youths with questionable religious books and self enrichment books that do not take into consideration the world of difference between America and Nigeria.
The dearth of reading culture among Nigerian University undergraduates has been attributed to handout culture introduced by lecturers. According to a lecturer friend of mine, the non-availability of text books and the collapse of printing press in Nigeria, made them to photocopy their rare books and give out to students, so long as students will bear the cost of “production”. From merely bearing the cost of “production”, lecturers have turned authors by summarising and binding these photocopied sheets into books. Woe unto you, if you do not buy.
In some Universities, security numbers are allotted to the students who buy these books. These security numbers are required to be affixed to your exam paper after your matriculation number has been written. Any exam paper without a security number (often the serial number on the lecturers purchase list), no matter how good, does not get a favourable marking. Some passable exam papers without security number, gets an outright carry-over.
Another lecturer I spoke with blamed this culture on students. His claim is that most students are not strictly students. They are involved in trading (both flesh and hardware) and do not have time to read voluminous text books. This group of students coaxes the lecturers into giving them a simple pill and areas of concentration and does away with the boring reading of Das Capital or Wealth of the Nation. But students disagree with these lecturers’ positions.
Accordingly, students lay the blame on the door step of the school authority that through their silence embolden these lecturers to extort students, despite the huge allowances they collect from government after each strike. It is surprising that ASUU and National Association of Nigeria students (NANS) have not deemed it fit to confront this monster. As an icing one student asked me what have my generation done with all the books we read if not to quote bits and pieces to justify our write ups. Interestingly this student referred me to Dele Momodu’s Pendulum on back page of ThisdayNewspaper of December 8th 2007 titled “What Books Do You Read?” and quarried what intellectual purpose does Ovation Magazine serve.(Dele Momodu is the publisher of Ovation Magazine that celebrates the rich without asking the source of their riches).
This student obviously well informed also referred me to Pedagogy Of The Oppressed by Paulo Freire, where the author stated that the end product of reading is action. As an epilogue, this student asked me to point out any community library or reading centre where good books can be accessed.
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Why CAC Will Never Work 2.
May 16, 2008 by Che Oyimnatumba · Comments Off
By Che Oyinatumba
Nigeria is a conglomeration of fraud and an interesting place to live. I shall refer you to the defence of ex-president Obasanjo as reported in THISDAYNEWSPAPER of Monday 12th May 2008 at pages 10 & 12. All those calling for OBJ’s head should read this. OBJ rekindled my faith in him as an elder statesman. If fact his response showed that it was not the responsibility of the president to verify the legal status of a company. So those shouting that OBJ awarded contract to ghost companies and some with share capital as miserable as 200 Naira, should ask CAC and lawyers involved in conducting the search before these companies were allowed by the bank(s) to open a current account. This light shone on CAC (regulatory body for registration of companies), brings me back to the situation at CAC.
I need not to remind regular daily contributors to CAC that things are not working. I have elected to do siddon look but the lie I read in today May 15th LEADERSHIP NEWSPAPER at page 30 titled FG,H/Com’ttee Commend CAC, gave me goose pimple. I wonder if this reporter knows where CAC is. But further reading showed that the FG/House Committee on Commerce were commending CAC for prompt remittance of operating surplus. Interesting. With dead computer and dilapidated photocopiers, why shouldn’t CAC remit surplus? I challenge the Leadership reporter to come to CAC, investigate and do a balanced report. The world needs to know that the claim by CAC as advertised on a mast inside the Head Office is a fraud. I have never gotten availability in less than a week. I can state this on oath and produce evidence of GTB tellers. For customers of CAC, this is another reason why CAC is not working. Instead of having the interest of customers at heart, the management is concerned with keeping their job by providing holiday spending money for the government. I have in my possession a letter written to CAC by the Finance ministry dated 20th February 2007 and received by CAC on the 26th of February 2007 with Reference number BO/REV/12235/S.259/Vol1/107 where among other paragraphs, it reads ¦that projected operating surplus of N250 million for 2007 has been stepped up to N350 million as a result of the independent revenue target of N86 Billion approved by the National Assembly. To make sure that revenue are made available for the execution of government projects. As lawyers will say, I put CAC to the strictest proof to deny this letter. For customers of CAC who has been wondering why names are carelessly denied, this is one of the reasons. Your 200 Naira counts and if you check the number of times you will generate a name before approval, you will appreciate why CAC can never work.
The only mega government activity in 2007 was the PDP arm wrestling that hoisted a candidate that did not campaign on us. Well over a year, this candidate has done nothing but to constantly go to Germany to cure cold!
I am not deceived that things will improve at CAC with this crop of leadership who receives award from students. How low can things degenerate to in this country? National Association Of Nigerian Students (NANS) that ought to be checking the excesses of those in government, have constituted themselves into a questionable award giving agency. I want to know which of the cutlass brandishing fraction of NANS paid CAC a visit. My anger is against the lawyers. Its when the cat is away that mouse will play all sorts of makosa in your bedroom.
These NANS boys saw that you guys are sleeping and have not put your penis together to piss out a foam and challenge the tales of CAC is working that is being parroted by RG and his paid agents. Let all lawyers arise and show the world the rot in CAC. Line of action, write to Senate Committee on Commerce complaining of the situation at CAC. On my own part, I will submit a letter to the National Assembly on Monday.
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INCONSEQUENTIAL INCONSISTENCES.
April 23, 2008 by Che Oyimnatumba · 2 Comments
By Che Oyinatumba
If you have not read or heard of the call for a revolution by Professor Ben Nwabueze (SAN) during his book presentation, its either you have seen the emptiness of the call or the un-seriousness of the callers. Prof. Nwabueze first made this call during an interview reported in The Guardian of Sunday January 13 2008. At the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), the venue of his book presentation he was boldened by the presence of the new “enemies” of Obasanjo to pull the tiger by the tail. These characters: Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, G.O.K Ajayi (SAN) Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) Orji Uzor Kalu, Ayo Fayose, Emeka Ngige (SAN) Otunba Fasawe. (For a comprehensive list see Cicero @ Thisday, the Sunday Newspaper April 6 2008, page 103.) Like you who have not read, I chose not to reply, for the “bellful” cannot prescribe revolution. These characters can’t withstand anything. Their primary interest, is how to undermine the genuine agitation of the masses, so as to be seen as a sympathetic class in the plight of the masses. For expose on the emptiness of their revolutionary credentials, read: Obasanjo, Nwabueze and Revolution by Femi Falana, Thisday April 14. (Back page).
I elected to do a rejoinder to this call, after reading Femi Falana’s reply to Kayode Komolafe’s Our Latter Day Revolutionaries, Thisday April 6th and Sam Omatseye’s Not yet a revolution in the Nation Newspaper of April 14th 2008. Juxtaposing Femi Falana and Sam Omatseye, I cannot but get into the fray.
Of all the comments I have read on this irritant call for a revolution, Sam’s Not Yet a Revolution is the most apt and a must read for what is left of the Nigerian left. In divers write ups, I have maintained that the dearth of credible opposition, in Nigerian political land mine, is the absence of an alternative based on ideology.
Most Marxists of the 70s – early 90s, have “torpedoed” into NGOism and international donor seeking beggars. The very few relics are working either as SA, PA or hangers on to politicians who were discredited in their university days. You have a situation where club/party boys, carparkites, loafers are now employing “ism” quoting, long bearded, non-conformist radicals of the 70s - 90s.
It is this lack of revolutionary elite (Sam Omatseye) and revolutionary organizations that made these bloated oppressors of the masses to call for a revolution.
Furthermore, the masses of Nigeria are disappointed by the so called “comrades.” The shallowness of this was exposed by past president Obasanjo, when he ridiculed a young chap from Niger Delta, who introduced himself as “comrade. Loquacious Obasanjo replied, “Even Adams Oshiomole is no longer a comrade.” This is an insight revelation, for Obasanjo, despite what people say, has a Machiavellian understanding of power and how to seduce his enemies. All those celebrating Adams victory in Edo, should watch it, as Adams may not be better (read last 2 pages of George Owell’s Animal Farm). Adams has started romancing Tony Anineh, the prince of Edo PDP, who foisted and sustained Lucky Igbenedion for wasteful 8years in Edo state.
I opened this can of worm because Sam listed wasted opportunities for a revolution and missed out the fuel increment rally that had Nigerians mobilized and ready for a showdown, only for Adam’s NLC to chicken out. The “revolutionaries” in the civil liberty/human right movement cried foul, especially with the death of Chima Ubani. Like Sam’s submissions, this also was wasted.
Is revolution feasible in Nigeria? In as much as there are inconsistencies in the character of the messenger, must we throw away his message? The messengers – Nwabueze and gang, (through leprous) have raised a mirror. Killing them (though they will be among the first victims of any uprising), will not change the message that there is a need to address the drifting gulf between the poor and the rich in Nigeria.
Nigerians are so traumatized by poverty that they only want the basics of life. Most Nigerians, will vote in a benevolent thief, who will steal with a basket, for the content of the basket will slip out and quench their hunger, provide light, give quality education and healthcare; there will be no need to go to Germany to cure “cold.”
Most of Nwabueze’s gang is employers of labor, what are the working conditions in the factory they own? For the SANs, what is the take home of a lawyer with 5yrs post call? Let everyone brighten the coner where he is. Revolution begins with rebellion of the heart, the challenge of the status quo wherever and whenever you see it. As the saying goes, injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
Nwabueze’s gang should sheath their dane guns, for the greatest impediment to revolution in Nigeria is the almighty United State. With t he unipolar imbalance of power after the collapse of USSR, any uprising must have the blessing of America, secure a steady flow of crude oil and guarantee that EU interests will not be attacked.
For Femi Falana who supports Nwabueze’s call, I ask where are the revolutionary elite to mentor a cadre of selfless Nigerians to die for the cause? The victims of June 12 are yet to be integrated by “big boys” of the human right community, who got lime-light via the sacrifice of these victims.
There is need to revive the “aluta” culture In Nigerian Universities, to challenge the evils that are daily oozing out in Nigeria. This can be done by building study centres, interactive forum between the mainstream labour movement and the student body. If these cadres on campus are not harvested, the dearth of viral labour movement will remain an epidemic and the quest for a just workers friendly environment will remain but a fleeting illusion to be pursued but never attained-Apologies to Bob Marley. Ex-while NANS comrades, who are now SAs, Pas should be discouraged from splitting National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS), turning her into award awarding organization and a willing tool of agitation in favor of any politician that doles out the heaviest Ghana-must-go.
Akin to this, comrades across the divides, should join hands and build a labour party, arming her as a tool in the democratic overthrow of the existing oppressive political structure in Nigeria.
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