Former INEC Chairman, Prof. Attajiru Jega has said Nigerian universities are certificating illiterates and awarding degrees to persons with unworthy characters.
By Chimezie Godfrey
Former INEC Chairman, Prof. Attajiru Jega has said Nigerian universities are certificating illiterates and awarding degrees to persons with unworthy characters.
He made the assertion at the occasion of the 14th Convocation of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) held in Abuja on Friday.
Prof. Jega who was the chairman of occasion, remarked that convocation is a formal gathering in a university to mark an important milestone, particularly the graduation of students who have been found worthy in learning and in character.
However, he lamented that most Nigerian universities are churning out graduates who are at best illiterates and with unworthy character.
He said,” I join the vice chancellor, in welcoming all of you gathered here today for this convocation lecture, an important aspect of the 14th convocation ceremonies of this great university, as we are all, no doubt aware, convocation is a formal gathering in a university to mark an important milestone, especially the graduation of students who have been found worthy in learning and in character after four or five years of course of studying in the tertiary institution, especially in a university. Now, anytime we mention, found worthy in learning and in character, people tend to wonder whether learning and character necessary go together. Well, they do not.
“One can have learning and even be considered learned, as lawyers refer to that but with no good character. I’m sorry to say, also, one can be certificated without learning anything or learning much, and yet a good character. But the expectation is that university graduates are positioned for the ideal of having both learning and character.
“Now, if this ideal has been approximated in Nigerian universities in the past, it now remains a mere aspiration in most cases. Regrettably, our universities are certificating illiterates and awarding degrees in many cases to persons with unworthy characters.
“Why and how is this so I can only say that there are complicated reasons and complex explanations, and that will be a subject or a topic for another lecture, perhaps someday you will call me to be the convocation lecturer, and I will speak on these issues, but I would like to say that the purpose of a convocation lecture is to inspire and motivate students, faculty and staff, to celebrate milestones and or address important issues or themes relevant to the academic community or to society at large.”
Prof. Jega thanked the NOUN Vice Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) for honoring him as the chairman of the convocation lecture occasion
Delivering the convocation lecture with the theme:”Advancing Africa’s Positioning within Global Development and Geopolitical Dynamics,” Dr. Akinwumi Adesina expressed his admiration for NOUN describing it as the largest open university in Africa.
He said,”I wish to thank the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Olufemi Peters and the University Senate for the great honour of receiving an honorary doctorate degree from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). I am delighted to be here today my dear wife, Grace.
“I have great admiration for NOUN for three reasons. First, NoUN is the largest Open University in Africa. Just think of the scale it offers, over 2000 courses and has over 600,000 students enrolled.
“Second , NOUN is the second largest open learning university in the world. That means NOUN gets a gold medal in Africa, a silver medal in the world for the excellent work on open learning. There is no other institution in Nigeria’s history that has ever achieved such an incredible standing. You make Nigeria exceptionally proud. And you make Africa proud too. Congratulations with your incredible achievements, NOUN should receive at least three times it’s current budget from the Federal Government of Nigeria, ty continue to expand access to education for all.
“Third, NOUN produced your most famous alumni, President Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That is also another claim to fame at home.
‘Of course I am also proud of NOUN, for family reasons. Well, my wife:s younger sister is a Professor at NOUN- Professor Yetunde Ofulue. So, you can understand when I say “I love NOUN for life!”.
Adesina added,” I have delivered Convocation lectures at all over the world but this is the first time that I will be addressing s gathering of over 600,000 . That is the equivalent of speaking to 10 packed FIFA World Cup stadiums , each with a capacity of 60,000 required to host quarter finals or semifinals. Well, thanks to your digital online platforms, that is possible.
“Nothing is more important than education. My late father, Roland F. Adesina sacrificed all to send my siblings and I to school. He used to tell us that education is the greatest leveler in society. Access to good education, he reaffirmed, will allow the children of the poor to reach and exceed the pinnacles reserved for the children of the rich and the privileged in society.”
