Former Vice-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Pro. Wande Abimbola, has raised alarm over the ‘deteriorating’ state of Nigerian universities, warning that the system is on the brink of collapse unless the Federal Government intervenes urgently.

Speaking as guest on Boiling Point Arena, Pro. Wande Abimbola lamented the poor welfare of academics, describing professors’ salaries as “a pittance."

“Recently, about two years ago, I went back to the University where I was the VC. I visited my Department, and I was told that a full professor earns about N500,000 monthly. When we converted the amount, this is almost equivalent to the $300 academics elsewhere in the United States will use to take care of his garden within just three hours,” he said.

Prof. Abimbola, who also once served as Senate Majority Leader, said the decline in funding and infrastructure has left Nigerian universities struggling.

“The university system is getting worse and worse in every aspect. I don’t even know how the faculty and staff of the Nigerian universities have been able to continue to survive on the pittance they take as salaries,” he said.

He recalled his tenure as Vice-Chancellor in 1989.

“Our institutions were still at their peak of quality. However, within five years or less than ten years after my exit, I visited the University and almost cried because of what I saw, the level of decadence. It has been getting worse since then," he said.

Prof. Abimbola faulted government’s approach of creating new universities without adequate funding for existing ones.

“Why are they establishing more and more universities when the ones that exist are not catered for? The Federal and State Governments don’t really care. If these governments are not interested in supporting the universities, they should wind them up. It’s a big shame,” he declared.

He urged the Federal Government to set up a Commission of Inquiry to recommend measures to revive the system.


“The most important thing about university is funding. We need to ask our governments, both at the federal and state levels, why they have been aloof and looking on until things got this bad. I think the best thing we can do now is to urgently set up a Commission of Inquiry on what we can really do to salvage the system and make things better."


The former VC noted that Nigerian universities, once ranked among the top 500 in the world and top 11 in Africa, have now slipped to lower positions.

"Nigerian universities are slowly dying before our very eyes. It is a big shame,” he concluded.