Ex-VC Urges ASUU to Reject Election Duties for Lecturers
A former Vice Chancellor of Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufe-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi State, Prof. Chinedum Nwajiuba, has called on the Academic Staff Union of Universities to bar lecturers from participating in election related assignments organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Nwajiuba argued that universities should not be used as operational bases for conducting elections, insisting that such responsibilities fall outside the core mandate of the university system.
He made the remarks on Tuesday at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, during a valedictory lecture held in honour of the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Maduebibisi Iwe. The lecture was titled “The Crimson’s Comb and the Contemporary Nigerian University.”
According to him, the university is a universal institution dedicated to teaching and learning, and should not be drawn into activities that distract from its primary role.
“Save Nigerian universities from participating in electoral duties. We do not belong to that constituency. ASUU should stop lecturers from engaging in election duties,” he said.
The former vice chancellor expressed concern that the definition and purpose of universities in Nigeria were gradually being altered. He stressed that universities exist to foster interaction between students and teachers for knowledge development, not to accommodate what he described as mediocrity.
Nwajiuba also lamented what he termed a decline in academic standards, citing instances where both lecturers and students struggle with spoken and written English. He questioned the quality of some inaugural lectures and urged institutions to strengthen language proficiency programmes.
He called for targeted language enhancement initiatives for graduates who are unable to communicate effectively in English, and recommended that merit based admissions into universities be increased to at least 70 per cent to improve standards.
While noting that Nigerians have excelled in creative fields such as video production and dance, he emphasised the need to refocus attention on academic excellence.
Despite his criticisms, Nwajiuba expressed optimism about the future of the Nigerian university system. He maintained that although the sector faces significant challenges, it still holds promise for reform and improvement if stakeholders act decisively to protect its core values.
