A former National Universities Commission Executive Secretary, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, has called for increased funding and autonomy for public universities to achieve excellence.

Mr Rasheed, who also served as Vice Chancellor of Bayero University Kano (BUK), made these remarks during the 42nd Convocation Lecture organised by Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUS) on Friday in Sokoto.

He stated that public universities were conceived as public goods—open, state-funded institutions that served the collective social, economic, and intellectual interests of society.

He added, “They play a vital role in national development, democratic culture and social mobility in Nigeria. However, prolonged underfunding, erosion of academic freedom, and politicisation have steadily eroded their public character.’’

According to him, when universities lose their orientation, through underfunding, privatisation, undue politisation excessive commercialisation, these roles are compromised.

He said, “When this happens, education becomes a commodity to be purchased by the highest bidder, rather than shared social investment. In this way, the ideal of a university as space for pursuit of truth, public service, and inclusive development is diminished, even during this crisis, the public university remain irreplaceable in Nigeria development project.’’

He stressed that decay of public universities posed a threat to national integration and democratic stability because institutions were spaces where students from diverse ethnic, religious and socio- economic backgrounds interacted, debated and national consciousness.

Rasheed highlighted that public universities served a ladder to personal growth, family transformation and national services.

He added, “To allow the system to collapse is to institutionalise a permanent class divide, where only the wealthy can access quality university education. The rest must settle for declining, instable or irrelevant alternatives that are on offer in overstretched facility.’’

He stated that despite the hurdles, challenges were surmountable, and acknowledged the efforts made by the government in educational development reforms and initiatives.

Mr Rasheed stressed that additional efforts were needed to restore the glory of public universities.

Mr Rasheed stated, “As a matter of national priority, government should allocate at least five per cent of its annual budget directly to public universities, clearly for teaching, research, infrastructure and institutional development. Public universities must be given greater autonomy and capacity to diversify revenue sources through industry partnership, consultancy, alumni endowment and competitive international grants.’’

He added that universities autonomy was not a luxury, but a precondition for intellectual freedom, innovation and excellence, emphasising that universities should not be run as extensions of political ministries or as patronage systems.

He enjoined universities to focus on serving the public interests by producing graduates equipped for democratic participation and national services.

In his remarks, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, University Governing Board, Prof. Attahiru Jega, said some universities were becoming unattractive due to general and peculiar activities.

Mr Jega, a former INEC Chairman underscored the importance of vice chancellors to raise and overcome challenges through good leadership.

He urged authorities to consider right policies programmes involving sound personalities from formulation and implementation.

The UDUS Vice Chancellor, Prof. Bashir Garba, thanked the guest speaker and described the topic, “Future of Public Universities in Nigeria: Between Promise and Precipice” as relevant to contemporary issues.

The lecture was part of the 42nd convocation ceremony and 50th anniversary of the university. 

(NAN)