[Being the text of a speech delivered at a summit at the Lady Bank Anthony Hall, University of Ibadan on Thursday 25^th July 2002 by Bisi Crown]

Again, the kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going to another country, who called together his servants and loaned them money to invest for him while he was gone.

                   “He gave 500 pounds to one, 200 pounds to another, and 100 pounds to the last-dividing it in proportion to their abilities and then left in his trip.

                   The man who received the 500 began immediately to buy and sell with it and soon earned another 500.

                   The man with 200 went right to work, too, and earned another 200. pounds.

                   “But the man who received the 100 dug a hole in the ground and hid the money for safekeeping.

                   “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to him to account for his money. The man to whom he had entrusted the 500 brought him 1000.

                   His master praised him for good work. “You have been faithful in handling this small amount”, he told him, ‘so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Begin the joyous tasks I have assigned to you!.

                   Next came the man who had received the 200, with the report, Sir, you gave me 200 to use, and I have doubled it”. “Good work” his master said, ‘you are a good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over this small amount, so now, I will give you much more’.

                   “Then the man with the 100 came and said’, Sir, I knew you were a hard man, and I was afraid you would rob me of what I earned, so I hid your money in the earth and here it is!.

                   “But his master replied, you lazy rogue! Since you knew I would demand your profit, you should at least have put my money into the bank so I could have some interest.

                   Take the money from this man and give it to the man with the 1000. for the  man who uses well what he is given will be given more, and he will have abundance. But from the man who is unfaithful, even what little responsibility he has will be taken from him. And throw the useless servant out into outer darkness: (Mathew 25:14-30).

The choice of this religious anecdote is not to provoke any religious sentiment or sensibilities- Rather, it is borne out of the simple fact that the story conveys in it, the nugget of truth from which hope to safely draw my conclusions about the obvious implications of the University of Ibadan and its purported debt crisis.

          Crises are inevitable fact of life. It comes with the package of being a free moral agent. Crisis, however little, can’t be wished way. Infact, it is a litmus test in man’s oddysey for maturity. Crises, come in different forms. Some crises are set in motion due to sheer negligence and the wanton obsession for material acquisition. While others are facilitated by forces beyond human control.

          Today’s discussion however, will be centred on the financial situation besetting the nations fountain head of tertiary education –Unibadan.

          Before we attempt a discussion on the theme of today. It is expedient to state the primary as well as the ultimate intention of the University system. What its existence is intended to achieve within the framework of the civil society.

          Consequently, “universities are by definition and long established tradition, meant to be places where all learning activities are normally governed by creative skepticism, constant questioning, disputations and argumentation. These are encouraged not as ends in themselves, but as means for ensuring the discovery of novel and better solutions to both old and societal challenges.” Undoubtedly, the foundation upon which the idea of the University was conceived is noble and equally sterling. However, the question that agitates my mind is, does the white washed tower, which is the symbol of our collective pride, in our times, lived up to this bench mark objective?

          Has not the idiosyncrasies of the town not dwarfed, and to an unspoken and frightening degree whittle down the virtues that the University ought to dispel into building the man in order to build the community not been corrupted with impunity?.

          Among the numerous plaques threatening the functional existence of the University is the overbearing weight of debt. This situation, apparently had subsisted for long without an attendant concern.  After all, all is well on the outside. But gradually, the premier institution is on a roller coaster to a grinding disastrous halt.

          Everything about the University of Ibadan’s debt crisis is shrouded in mystery. The custodian of the white washed tower suddenly goes dumb. Dumb, not to the students since they do not owe us any explanation as to how the school is being run. But to their colleagues whose efforts at getting to the root of this crisis was met with systematic evasive technique. If the record books are clean, why the hide and seek strategy?

          Perhaps, it will suffice at this juncture to present the revealed truth of the debt situation. According to them, the school receives N164m on a monthly basis from the NUC for overhead and other running expenses while it needs N276m to meet its monthly expenditure. In order to meet this need, the school resorts to borrowing from banks to make up for the differential, which over the years have accumulated to staggering over  N1billion. 

          Without being told, the implication of this situation is gradually having its toll on the wherewithal of the nations “numero uno” citadel of higher education: lecturers are being sacked in droves, grasses grow every where with reckless abandonment with no one to attend to it. Things are gradually slipping to an ebb of insignificance. I am afraid for my department at present we are short staff, and this have been made up for by adjunct lecturers. And now, the downsizing has claimed three of our versatile hopefuls. The same goes for computer science department, who probably may never be accredited by the board of technical education. Some day, I hope we won’t wake up to the deafening noise of the auctioneer’s bell, tolling on our institution.

          My fear is being worsened by the insincerity involved in the whole exercise while the University is “honestly” doing its best to save our UI, through its down sizing strategy. NUC’S reaction is pungent UI has no business with downsizing; reason being that her allocation is enough.

          The debt crisis that, at present rocks the University puts a credibility question on the authority. There is the need to overhaul the system gown self-destructs.

          Describing the grandeur of the University system, John masefields posits thus:

                   There are few earthly things more beautiful than a University;

                   In these days of broken frontiers and collapsing values;

                   When the dams are down and the floods are making misery when every look somewhat grin and every ancient foothold has become somewhat of a quagmire, wherever a University stands, it stands and shines.

                   Wherever it exists, the free minds of men, urged may yet bring wisdom into human affairs.

                   There are few earthly things more splendid than a University; it is a place of where those who hate ignorance may strive to know, where those who perceive truth may strive to make others see, where seekers and learner alike banded together in the search for knowledge will honour thought in all its finer ways. Will welcome thinkers in distress or in exile.

                   Will uphold ever the dignity of thought and learning, and will exact standards in these things.

                   There are few earthly things more enduring than a University; Religions may split into sects or heresy’.

                   Dynasties may fall or be supplanted. But for century after century, the University will continue.

                   The steam of life will pass through it.

          To what extent can the sanctity of John masfeilds thoughts on the Ivory Tower hold water in the contextual reality of the Nigerian situation? Perhaps, this view might not be contention afterall. But quite disturbing is the quality of life that will “pass through” this incomparably “earthly” institution.

          Devoid of any sentiment, the quality of Nigerian graduate is most worrisome. The employment prospects of recent graduates have clearly deteriorated. Employers of labours aver “that the decline in quality is actually increasing rather than leveling off”. Similarly they hold the view that the last well trained crop of Nigerian graduates left the system in the mid- 1980’s”.

          Friends, I am afraid, our dream of ever experiencing the reality of University life might be a grand illusion. This generation and indeed the coming generation are being short changed by the in ordinate ambition of these present crop of intellectual pests whose only desire is to stylishly exact their own pound of flesh.

          I am more afraid, because, of the gloom that hovers round our beloved institution. If all the allocation could do, is to pay overhead. Then, we had better forget any meaningful developments of our infrastructures. Our dreams of ever attaining a height of excellence might be a charade after all. Friends I am afraid.           I am afraid, except for an intervention, somehow and anyhow, our beloved might be extinct someday.

          In conclusion, remember the initial anecdote? What are the obvious correlations?

1.                 The intellectual arrogance exhibited by the administrations would only plunge us into darkness, it’s a matter of time.

2.                 Our highly revered intellectual gurus lack insight about managerial principles.

3.                 Our administrators are bereft of ideas of salvaging the financial situation of our dear institution hence they resort to borrowing

4.                 To be modest, the glory is gradually departing. We are being relegated into an inglorious backseat. While the so called “Satellite campuses” are taking the shine off the “Big Daddy”.

 Let me end on this rhetorical note: How sound is the knowledge that the fountain gives?

Thanks for your attention.

Bisi Crown Olawuyi was the president of the Union of Campus Journalists in the 1996/97 academic session. He is presently a masters student in the Communication and Language Arts Department of the University of Ibadan