Nigerian Universities Lack Innovation, Ex- NANS President says

Olatunji S. Tolulope



An erstwhile President of the National Association of Nigerian students, NANS, Comrade Ropo Ewenla, said Nigerian universities lack innovation.

"Our institutions are not thinking in terms of institutions because they are not innovative.The problem of education is not a problem of solving the part that concerns you.” he said.

He made this known at the symposium organised by the Alliance of Nigerian Students against Neo Liberal Attack (ANSA) Obafemi Awolowo University chapter, held at Awolowo hall café earlier this week.

 The ex- union leader lamented on the state of things on campus, having thanked the school authorities in stepping up to their duties.

“The situation that I met here, is the perpetuation of ignorance in the society, OAU is used to be the center where power is discharged to others”

Concerning the issues of underfunding education sector, he said we should first of all resolve the critical issues of our own.

“Those who will not make education work in the country are the people who set up private institutions of their own. Students or people who have been victimized always lie behind, those who victimize them. We need to empower ourselves, if we rely on what we are taught in the various classrooms or lecture rooms, we are doomed."


The symposium titled "Underfunding of Education sector and its Consequences; the role of staffs and students”. was anchored by the secretary of the association , Gbenga Oloniniran, who also poured out his grievances of the heinous happenings in the country at large, especially concerning education on campus and country at large.

“The country is in the state of barbarism, as students, ours is not to manage the facilities on campus, but bring out voices against unfavorable policies executed by the school authorities” he said.


Meanwhile, an erstwhile speaker of the Student’s Union SRC, Comrade Ogunmah Andrew, said;
“One of the major reason while we cannot fund education in Nigeria is that the government and institution has no interest and the little fund given by the government to these institutions are not used judiciously.”

He also lamented on how the school management have wasted funds meant to serve the educational sector. He gave various examples and lampooned the inability of the school management to take care of their own facilities.

He, however, called for the reinstatement of the Student’s Union. He  buttressed that an inactive union will give room for many social vices on campus like cultism .