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By Gabriel Dike
The Vice Chancellor of Babcock University (BU), Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Prof. Ademola Tayo, has observed that the high tariff paid by tertiary institutions would threaten the provision of quality education.
He called on the Federal Government to review the Band A tariff of tertiary institutions to save the university system from near-collapse.
He spoke at the 22nd and 13th convocation ceremony of Babcock University (BU), Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, where 2,842 were awarded first degrees and postgraduate honours, while 132 recorded First Class in different fields of study.
According to him, “With inflation rates soaring in Nigeria, our biggest challenge is maintaining quality education while keeping costs affordable for students. There is a significant increase in expenses, ranging from staff salaries, cost of feeding students to infrastructure maintenance; they all are affected by inflation. “Inflation diminishes the purchasing power of academia, posing an increasingly formidable challenge in upholding standards, especially in light of the significant surge resulting from the reclassification of customers in Band A for electricity tariff by the authorities and the consequential burden of meeting exorbitant monthly electricity expenses.
“Despite this challenge, we are resolute not to lower our standards but rather raise the bar of education. This is our pledge to our stakeholders. Within our limited resources, we shall intensify our efforts to eliminate wastage, cut cost, remove redundancy without compromising standard.
“We plead with the government to review the electricity tariff for educational institutions in Nigeria. Investing in education is crucial for Nigeria’s economic growth and development. We need policies that prioritise education funding and support universities in navigating these economic challenges.”
Speaking at the event, Ekiti State Governor, Abiodun Oyebanjo, tasked BU to continue to provide quality education to the Nigerian youths.
Meanwhile, the Ogun State Governor, Adedapo Abiodun, has identified those behind the proposed nationwide protest as failed politicians, who lost out in the 2023 general elections.
Governor Abiodun, chairman of Southern Governors’ Forum appealed to the youths to distance themselves from the planned protest and engage the government in dialogue.
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He said Nigerians do not need to protest now and urged the youths to give the Tinubu administration a chance to turn things around.
According to him, the administration inherited some of the challenges confronting the country.
“This administration has been in power for just one year. Tinubu inherited many problems and he is trying to tackle them.
“Which foreign investors will come to Nigeria with continuous threat of protest? We do not need protests in this country. The planned protest is sponsored by failed politicians, who lost elections.
“I use this opportunity to appeal to the youths to engage the government constructively. This administration has come up with some initiatives to ameliorate the problems facing the Nigerian youths.
“Under this administration, the new minimum wage was introduced and the student loan scheme. The youths must engage the government on the issues. The protest will lead to loss of lives, destruction of properties, and loss of productivity.”
Parents and the graduating students disagreed with Governor Abiodun on the planned protest and booed him several times but he ignored them and continued with his speech.
In a swift reaction, the President of the postgraduate class, Dr. Michael Ajala, faulted Governor Abiodun’s position on the proposed strike.
He tasked Nigerian youths not to be on the wrong side but on the right side of demanding for good governance from our political leaders.
Ajala insisted that Nigerian youths must query their governors, lawmakers and chairmen on issues affecting the society, even as he charged them not to stay aloof on the current discussion about the planned protest.
