The African School of Economics (ASE), Abuja, has hosted its fourth public lecture.
The event, hosted on Thursday June 26, 2025, was a powerful intellectual engagement as Prof. Moses E. Ochonu, distinguished historian from Vanderbilt University, USA, delivered a lecture titled “The 21st Century Nigerian University: Pitfalls and Pathways”.
The Vice-Chancellor of ASE, Prof. Mahfouz A. Adedimeji, welcomed participants with a passionate reaffirmation of the school’s transcontinental mission.
“I am highly delighted to welcome you… to this auspicious occasion… of the African School of Economics, Abuja,” he said. He described ASE as “a Pan-African University of Excellence” committed to transforming Africa through high-quality education focused on both academic and entrepreneurial skills.
Highlighting ASE’s growing presence and global partnerships, Prof. Adedimeji noted that, “Apart from Nigeria, the University operates in Benin Republic, Côte d’Ivoire and Tanzania, with robust partnerships with world institutions… including Princeton University, University of Ottawa, and many more.”
A System in Crisis
In his lecture, Prof. Ochonu asserted that “Nigerian universities stand at a crossroads”, confronting a multidimensional crisis that challenges their identity as centers of learning and innovation. He cited structural, philosophical, and policy-level problems—including intellectual inbreeding, bureaucratic stagnation, and curriculum decay. The crisis, he said, was compounded by a growing disconnect between knowledge production and societal relevance.
He observed that “universities are troubled everywhere, including, or even more so, in the Global North,” with the rise of digital technologies reshaping knowledge and learning paradigms. In Nigeria’s case, however, the problem was an overemphasis on utilitarian outputs.
“Nigerian universities are responding to the question of relevance by reconfiguring knowledge crudely and exclusively as a site of problem solving,” he argued.
Radical Reform Proposals
Ochonu proposed far-reaching reforms. Central to his vision was the adoption of inter- and transdisciplinary approaches in learning. “Most problems, big and small, increasingly require insights and methods from multiple disciplines and perspectives,” he stated. He emphasized the need to equip students with “creative, analytical, and adaptable skills” rather than narrowly focused technical expertise.
A key concern raised was intellectual provincialism and academic inbreeding. “A visit to a typical academic department in a public Nigerian university reveals one or more layers of intellectual incestuousness,” he lamented, adding that “the concept of the ivory tower… lies in ruins in these institutions.” He called for urgent structural reform to depoliticize and de-provincialize the system. “We did it before… It can and should be brought back,” he insisted.
Students at the Core
Ochonu stressed that Nigerian universities must begin to prioritize students. “Perhaps the basic idea that students’ intellectual needs and interests should drive the intellectual trajectories and traditions of a university has never really permeated the philosophical foundations of Nigerian universities,” he said. He proposed a “Student Bill of Rights” to codify the intellectual obligations of academic staff to their students.
On curriculum reform, Ochonu was equally blunt: “There is a consensus that the current university curriculum is neither responding to global dynamics nor facilitating the appropriation of youthful intellectual energies for national development.”
He called for writing centers across campuses, describing writing as “central to learning and scholarly exchange in all fields.” A reimagined curriculum, he said, must be “nimble”, prioritizing critical thinking, creativity, and adaptability.
A Critical Look at ASUU and Tuition Debates
Turning to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), he offered a pointed critique. While acknowledging the union’s historic role, he said, “ASUU strikes have become counterproductive,” adding that “the union also sometimes stands in the way of creative problem solving.”
He challenged ASUU’s resistance to pragmatic tuition reform, asking, “Is there a space to reconcile the lofty goals of ASUU with a narrowly conceived tuition regime that is income tested and exempts the poorest households?”
Rethinking Decolonization
Ochonu also tackled the popular discourse of academic decolonization. While recognizing its intent, he warned of superficial or rigid applications. “Universities all over Africa are haunted by the sweeping theoretical specter of decolonization and decoloniality,” he said. He argued for a nuanced approach that doesn’t dismiss Western knowledge systems wholesale but encourages intellectual pluralism and context-sensitive pedagogy.
Responses and Reflections
Responding to the lecture, Prof. Adedimeji praised its depth and timeliness. “Today’s topic… is deemed apt, timely, relevant and crucial. Our universities are not merely centres of learning, they are incubators of future leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs, and problem-solvers,” he said.
He reflected on the urgency of reform: “The future of Nigeria rests significantly on the quality, resilience and dynamism of our higher education, especially the university system.” He noted that “the dotcom burst and global interconnectedness are reshaping the landscape of knowledge across the world and societal needs are evolving rapidly.”
He continued, “In essence, the 21st century requires that universities should not just be degree factories, they should be nerve centres of ideas, research and solutions to national and global problems.”
Drawing from nature, Adedimeji offered a metaphor: “Like the eagle that doesn’t see the tough shell as an obstacle… we should also not make lamentation a habit but rather convert our challenges to opportunities.” He concluded, “We can discuss many problems facing the universities but we should be intentional in seeking solutions… After all, there is no problem without a solution.”
Emphasis on Synergy
The ASE Vice-Chancellor also emphasized the importance of collaboration across institutions. “My call is for more synergy, more collaboration and more partnership among our universities for all-round development and a radical departure from working in silos,” he urged. He called for strengthened regional alliances, adding, “While the North-South partnership is good, the South-South networking can be more enduring and impactful.”
Celebrating Scholarship
Adedimeji commended Prof. Ochonu for his scholarship and clarity of vision: “I acknowledge our Guest Speaker of today and one of our scholars making Nigeria proud at the global stage.” He thanked the growing community of thinkers and educators for their dedication to “the idea of a university,” referencing John Henry Newman’s 1852 classic.
