President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, was fighting a good course in agitating for improved welfare, infrastructure, funding and other contentious issues affecting the nation’s universities.
He made the observation Buhari, at the 70th Foundation Day ceremony and award of certificates to the PhD graduands and honorary doctoral degree awards by the University of Ibadan.
Buhari, who was represented at the event by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo however, said the government could not do it alone and called for alternative sources of funding education.
While conceding that the nation’s education sector was underfunded the President regretted that the Federal Government could not meet all the demands of the lecturers and called on the management of various institutions to explore other funding sources to meet their demands.
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According to him, the best efforts of the government could not provide what was needed for education in the country.
While emphasising that the country could not achieve accelerated development without substantial investment in education, he canvassed the idea of raising money from the capital market to fund education.
In his remarks, Governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi, called on all the stakeholders to join hands to develop the nation’s education sector.
Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd.) on his own part called on members of the university community to continue to hold on to the tenets of academic excellence, integrity and patriotic zeal in the country.
Six notable Nigerian received honorary doctoral awards. They include: Prof. Grace Alele-Williams; Chief Bode Akindele; Prof.(Mrs.) Bolanle Awe; Prof. Akinlawon Mabogunje; Mrs Olufunmilayo Olopade and Prof. Omoniyi Adewoye.
