University Fundraising: the Nigeria case

It may not yet be uhuru for the cat and mouse game between the errant former collegues at the Ivory tower now Lords in NUC (National University Commission) and their remnant aluta comrades in ASUU (Academic Staff Union of Universities) over the way and manner their current foes at FME (Federal Ministry of Education) should proceed with resolving the lingering autonomy and funding issues in the Nigerian Universities and allied educational establishments.

As long as NUC and ASUU cannot get their acts together to compel FG and FME to grant full autonomy to the Universities in Nigeria to enable them access funds from businesses and corporations without unduly charging the already impoverished and over-stretched studentry; the standard or education and quality of graduates from Nigerian universities will remain what the CBN Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo observed as poor and unemployable.

There are many options open to universites to raise funds to support academic and research work without charging extra tuition on the students. This should be made clear to allay the fears of the anti-autonomy protagonist.

The best practice the world over sees universities going all out to solicit for funds from their formal wealth student and friends of the university without unduly dishing out honourary degrees; a case in point is the latest drive by Cambridge university as reported by Education Guardian that

Cambridge University is well ahead of the pack in fundraising already. In 2001, it started a campaign to raise £1bn by 2012 from wealthy benefactors and former students - by whom it is disproportionately blessed. The report went further to state that as at July 31st last year £663M have been raised.

It is no doubt that most Nigerian Universities are equally blessed with such wealthy benefactors and former students that can help fund research and endow professorial chairs in Nigerian universities and research centres.

In the case of the UK, government is encouraging all universities “to do more to raise funds from private donations, or endowments” to enable them meet their funding needs.

In Nigeria, the case remains unclear the direction or strategy of FME and its supervisory organ (NUC) on how the universities can best be funded; to help lift the already ‘failed state’ of the Nigerian Universities.

No doubt most companies and organisations have shown a lot of responsibilities corporately towards supporting the Universities, much still needs to be done; because in the end, these companies and organisations will pick up the garbage that the underfunded universities are throwing out as employees. It is therefore imperative that these organisations and companies invest today in their tommorrows’ destined employees.

Another way forward is for the FG and FME to muster enough political will and be truthful in their dealing with ASUU towards resolving all the lingering problems in their over 15 years marathon and unending negotiations.

Although, the issues raised above may sound simplistic, the managers of the education sector in Nigeria will always have another view of complexity; coupled with the lack of continuty in programmes and policy between succeeding governments.

The big issues here therefore, are;  what is different from the Nigerian case and that of the UK and other places (?) Are there no corporately responsible companies in Nigeria (?) Are we lacking of wealth benefactors and formal students OR Are the universities not blessed with them (?)These questions are begging for our answers for a start. What is your take?

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