The House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government, led by President Bola Tinubu, to take urgent steps toward restoring the lost glory of Nigeria’s first-generation universities, including Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; the University of Ibadan; and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, among others.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Aderemi Oseni (APC, Oyo) during Wednesday’s plenary session.
The motion, titled “Need to Upgrade First-Generation Universities and Investigate the Quality and Standards of TETFUND Projects Across Federal Universities in Nigeria,” received overwhelming support from lawmakers.
Oseni noted that the first-generation universities, established in the early 1960s, once represented the pinnacle of academic excellence, boasting world-class facilities, highly qualified lecturers, and an environment that attracted global recognition.
However, decades of neglect, inadequate funding, and infrastructural decay have eroded their once-enviable status.
He lamented that lecture halls, hostels, and auditoriums in these universities have deteriorated. In contrast, once vibrant facilities such as the university zoos—formerly tourist attractions—are now abandoned or non-existent.
The lawmaker further expressed concern over the poor quality of Tertiary Education Trust Fund intervention projects, alleging that many recently completed projects are already showing signs of decay, unlike structures built over six decades ago.
In response, the House resolved to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the quality and standard of TETFund projects executed in federal universities to ensure value for money and accountability in the use of public funds.
Lawmakers also urged the Federal Ministries of Education and Finance, the National Universities Commission, TETFund, and development partners to collaborate on modalities for rehabilitating and upgrading first-generation universities.
Additionally, the House mandated its Committees on University Education, TETFund, and other relevant bodies to investigate completed and ongoing projects in tertiary institutions across the country, ensure compliance with standards, and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.
The universities, including ABU, UI, UNN, and others are Nigeria’s oldest and most prestigious Federal institutions, mostly established in the early 1960s around the time of independence.
They were initially the benchmark for academic quality in Africa, attracting international scholars and students.
The motion directly references the fact that these institutions have suffered “decades of neglect, poor funding, and infrastructural decay.”
This continuous decline has led to the loss of their “once enviable status” and has diminished their global standing and ability to compete internationally.
Credit: THE PUNCH.
