Nigerian Varsities Lose 200 Weeks to Strike in 21 Years

Emmanuel Ugwu The fast eroding age-long ‘university culture’ and the attendant prevalence of unethical practices in Nigerian universities have resulted to the loss of over 200 academic weeks as a result of strikes in the past 21 years.

Experts in university administration, who spoke at the annual lecture of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Abia State recently, attributed the development to the fact that the unique culture of ivory tower has taken flight, giving room for unethical practices.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Bene Wille-Abbey, who delivered the lead paper titled ‘University Culture: Reviewing the Past, Looking Forward’, regretted that the “set of guided core values known as the culture of the university” is hard to find in the university system these days.

She expressed concern at the absence of the “underlying stream” comprising respect, service excellence, integrity, diversity, learning for life, which define the core values that earned the universities the acronym “ivory tower”, saying that all unethical behaviours undermine a university culture.

“The way forward is a strong commitment on the part of university administrators, staff and students to uphold institutional core values for a sustainable university culture.”

Prof. Labode Popoola of the University of Ibadan in his paper, ‘Role of Mentoring in the Sustenance of Academic Tradition’, argued that university dons should live by example because of the responsibility of producing future leaders.

He decried university lecturers’ penchant for strikes when they have issues to settle with government or university authorities, saying that the amount of time lost to industrial actions retards academic growth.

Speaking on ‘Building Integrity in Teaching, Examinations and Research’, Dr. Emma Onyekweodiri of MOUAU blamed his fellow lecturers for their part in destroying academic tradition through unethical activities.

“There is no integrity in teaching when you are not doing the right things,” he said, adding that lecturers end up producing “illiterate graduates” by collecting money to award marks, asking student to read specific areas thereby discouraging them from studying hard.

“Selling of hand-outs is academic dishonesty; we are not traders,” he warned.

In his remarks, the ViceChancellor of MOUAU, Prof. Hilary Edeoga, urged lecturers to inspire their students to aspire to be like them and criticised those who preach good morals as unionists, but practise the opposite. He also advised lecturers to be shining examples to their colleagues and their students, adding that the much respected ivory tower tradition would be restored when lecturers adhere to the rules that govern the academic environment.