by Eromose Ileso
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| Administrative Block, Edo State University Iyamho, Photo Credit: Edo University website |
The Edo State University, Iyamho became the 41st state
University in Nigeria and the 142nd University in Nigeria after it was approved
by the Nigeria Universities Commission (NUC) on 23 March, 2016.
The University in Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo
State officially came into being following a law passed by the House of
Assembly in 2013 which established it, and another law was passed that upgraded the College
of Education, Ekiadolor to the status of a University now christened Tayo
Akpata University.
When the law was passed it was hotly debated in the local
media, with the argument centred on the wisdom in the decision of the
government to establish more tertiary institutions when the existing ones are
bedeviled by chronic under funding and lack of any plan of sustainable
infrastructural development.
However, few, if nothing was said in the media
circles for up to two years after the aforementioned law was passed, but after
the Edo State University, Iyamho released a statement which announced vacancies
to fill various positions at the institution, it suddenly awakened people's consciousness.
The announcement came as a
surprise to many, as questions were asked about the fact that, while nothing
had been done at the College of Education, Ekiadolor which was upgraded to a
University, being an existing institution already on ground, meanwhile, an
entirely new institution which started from scratch now have enough structure
and infrastructure on ground to call for vacancies.
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| Lecture Thearte at Edo State University, Iyamho |
When the law establishing the institution was passed, the
debate was different because nothing was on ground at the time, but now that
there are now physical structures and the announcement of the NUC of the
university’s approval, the questions being asked now is whether it was a good
move to build a new legacy or whether consolidating an existing legacy would
have served a better purpose?
The existing legacy here refers to the Ambrose Alli University, (AAU)
Ekpoma which was established by Professor Ambrose Alli. The Law establishing the
institution was passed in 1981 by the Bendel state House of Assembly. It
officially took off in 1982 to become the first state university in Nigeria.
However, despite the fact that AAU is over thirty years old, it has not enjoyed
any sustainable development plan since it was established. The institution
suffers from under funding, and several of the courses at the school repeatedly
suffer from lack of and withdrawal of accreditation from the various professional
bodies.
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| 1500 Capacity Auditorium at Edo State University, Iyamho |
It is unfortunate that an institution that is over three
decades old, does not sufficiently boast of the status of a university that is
actually a University.
Most state universities in Nigeria that are not as old
as AAU can boast of more infrastructure, organisation and funding. With the problems
facing the ivory tower at Ekpoma, one would have thought that it would be more
economically viable and better for the state government to consolidate on the
gains of previous governments by building on the structures already on ground
at AAU.
Ordinarily, nobody would leave a structure still under construction
over the years, to commence the building of a new one. It could be possible in
exceptional circumstances, but it is not the norm in a society where things
actually work.
With another state university coming on stream, bringing it to
two the number of such institutions in the state, who is to say that the same
problem that has bedeviled the Ambrose Alli University over the years, will not
affect the new Edo State University in the years to come.
Already, with the
country currently
undergoing an economic crunch which has made it impossible
for various state governments to pay salaries, building more institutions at
this time raises questions bordering on motive and priority. It is ironical that at a time when the
Ambrose Alli University could do with more infrastructure and staffs, yet
nothing is forth coming, while a new institution is calling on people to fill
vacancies.
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| Lecture Theatre at Edo State University, Iyamho |
There have been talks in some quarters that the establishment
of another university in Edo state is a good move because it would create more
employment, and that it would help open up another area of the state to
development. However, should this be at the expense of an existing institution
that is already struggling, and keeping it head just above water?
Since the
return of democracy in Nigeria in 1999, it has been the manner of various state
governors to establish tertiary institutions in different places for motive
that can seriously be questioned. It is this lack of continuity and
consolidation of existing legacies that has caused the proliferation of abandoned
projects all over Nigeria, with successive governments preferring to commence
new projects instead of completing or building on the old ones left behind.
This attitude has made it almost impossible for Nigeria to
have mega universities, at a time when universities all over the world
especially in Europe are merging to form mega and specialist universities, meanwhile in Nigeria, there are universities
springing up all over the place that do not meet the required standards.
Already the existing tertiary institutions in Edo State are
all currently suffering from under funding, poor infrastructure, irregular payment
of salaries and lack of a sustainable development plan. From the aforementioned
Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma to the College of Education, Ekiadolor, College
of Education, Abudu, College of Education, Igueben and Edo State Institute of
Science and Technology, Usen, the situation is the same. With all these
problems facing the existing tertiary institutions, who is to say that the new
university at Iyamho will not suffer from the same fate.
The reason why most institutions are established in Nigeria
in the present climate goes beyond a genuine attempt to address any educational
problems that are on ground, rather the reason borders on the age long adage
popularly referred to in local parlance as “let me develop my own” it is the same
reason why government at different levels have over the years set up industries
and institutions in places that do not need such, but because of political,
ethnic and personal reasons, structures
are sited in places they should not be in the first place. When a dedicated
attempt to develop what is already on ground would have served a better
purpose.
The Ambrose Alli University was established in a little over a
decade that the University of Benin came into existence, yet the contrast between
both schools in terms of infrastructural development is very obvious. Why UNIBEN
has continually expanded existing structures being a federal institution, AAU
has stagnated in this area, with what could only be referred to as an haphazard
development at the University in the more than three decades it has been in existence.
The reason why Edo
University, Iyamho has taken off at such great speed and in such a short space
of time, is because it is located in the country home of the present governor of
the state, Adams Oshiomhole. However, the situation will be different when he
eventually leaves office as governor. At that time, it would be left to a new
government to build on what is on ground. And with the existing Nigerian
mentality of not wanting to build on existing legacies, it could go the way of other
institutions in the state that has stagnated.
Whatever the reasons the Edo University, Iyamho was established;
it would have been a better bet for the Edo state government to consolidate on
the legacies of Professor Ambrose Alli by building and expanding on the existing
structures at the University main campus in Ekpoma.
Funding two universities
will definitely be a financial challenge on the government in the long run especially
with the present economic climate. The funding might end up coming from
students that will be made to pay exorbitant tuition fees. With the university
now in place, only posterity would judge whether it was a good decision.
For now
though, the problems aching existing institutions in the state remains.
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