We are all waiting for the pronouncement of His Excellency, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), on the LASU fees crisis, one issue that has drag too long. I pray it ends today.
The Commissioner for Information, Lateef Ibirogba, yesterday, told the world that the Opeifa led committee had submitted its report which was deliberated upon for more than five hours by the member of the Executive. We are indeed happy about this, that the government is now willing to act.
I do not know what the committee recommended but I will advise the government to take a holistic approach to this unneeded crisis by considering the plights of the poor and not so rich in the society.
Outside, the corridor of power, there is poverty in the land. Any decision taken on the fees must be one that the least paid LAWMA staff or any other person in the employment of the state can easily afford.
I am not sure if the governor read the story of Emmanuel Gbesemehane, who dropped out of LASU recently, after his parents could no longer pay his tuition. They took loan, sold land and wrappers to pay for his first year but with no more land to sell and default in paying earlier loan, the dream of Gbesemehane has been aborted.
Need I tell the governor that reverting the tuition or reducing it, is not defeatism as many in the political circle will want to rub on his face? It is rather strength and a confirmation that your government is the popular one.
Take a cue from the way University of Lagos managed last week unrest by the students. The management did not suffer defeat; rather it won the praise of students and the public. LASU cannot be different.
From my research, LASU is ranked 37 by Webometrics and 29 by 4icu.org. This is sad. As recent as 2013, LASU was still among the top 10 in Nigeria. I can recollect vividly that during my days at the university, some of us do brag that our university is the best state university in Nigeria.
As at then, LASU was ranked eighth in Nigeria; no state or private university was ahead of LASU, in fact, only seven Federal owned universities were ahead of us. But the recent ranking is a far cry, LASU can no longer compete. It is a shame that universities that are yet to hold convocation are ranked ahead of LASU.
Sir, I am ashame to check that list but it will be good if you and other members of the Executive take a look at http://www.4icu.org/ng/ and compare with year 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 before the regime of this hike.
Sir, you will agree that high tuition do not justify good ranking. The top nine universities have tuition less than N50, 000; Covenant University, sits at 10th position as the numero uno of private universities.
My research also pointed out that no university be it State or Federal owned charge as high as LASU. In fact, all government owned universities, except University of Osun, had tuition less than N100, 000.
The enrolment table below points out that the average students’ enrolment prior to the hike was approximately 5,000 but since the hike, the average enrolment is 1, 500. Sir, mega cities are built on human development.
As aptly put by Dele Momodu on the LASU fees crisis, “We must take a useful lesson from Chief Obafemi Awolowo who made free education his first cardinal priority. His legacy has endured because it turned many of us into whatever we are today.
“The Liberty Stadium he built in Ibadan has become a dilapidated edifice like many of its counterparts all over Nigeria. The Cocoa House has become a sorry sight. Many of the monuments created by Awolowo and his amazing team have become virtually run down due to a lack of maintenance culture.
“But the many Professors and entrepreneurs he built through the introduction of free education are still standing tall all over the world. It is a great testimony to the uncommon vision of Awolowo who deployed major resources into funding education when others frittered theirs on frivolous or white elephant projects.
With less than one year for Governor Fashola to complete his full and final tenure in Lagos, he must do everything possible to be seen as a man of the people and not as a leader in a hurry to punish the poor and alienate them from himself and the political party he represents”.
I have no doubt that a stable academic calendar with the ongoing infrastructural reforms at the school will make LASU what you want it to be. Sir, your reforms, good intentions, infrastructural development at LASU will all be a waste if the gates are closed.
For the record, I have nothing against the governor but I can’t watch my alma mata in ruin. He will rise for UNIBEN any day anytime. May I put it on record that I have the utmost respect for the office of the governor of Lagos state.
By pointing out a potential Achilles’ heel in his administration, I have only helped Babatunde Fashola to be a better governor.
I am without fear that you will put smiles on the faces of Lagosians and LASUITES today.
Follow Us