Nigeria’s Development Of University Education

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29907, 22 August 1962, Page 18

Nigeria’s Development Of University Education

The Nigerian Government provided the money for its universities, but it had laid down a policy that the universities should be completely independent of any political influence, said Dr. O. A. Ajose, Vice-chancellor of the University of Ife. Dr. Ajose is visiting Christchurch with other members of the executive of the Association of Universities of the British Commonwealth. The first university in Nigeria was founded in 1948. Dr. Ajose said. Now there were four- other universities, and the Government had plans for more. Five universities were not sufficient for a population of 40m. Nigeria was trying not only to educate its own students, he said. It also welcomed studems from other countries. It was felt that this was the only way in which a truly liberal background could be given to the universities. The same policy was followed in recruiting staff.

Students' finances in Nigeria were very much on the pattern of other Commonwealth countries. The Government provided bursaries. commercial firms also provided grants, and in many cases a village would provide funds for outstanding students to go to university. Drift To Cities

Dr. Ajose said that one problem the Nigerian Government faced in its desire to provide more higher education was the drift to the towns of the brighter students. This meant that many of the smaller communities were losing their future leaders, for after going to university they tended to find better jobs in the cities. The University of Ife. said Dr. Ajose, was situated in the capital city. Ibadan, but

soon would move to a 16.000acre site at Ife, 50 miles away. The university, although aiming at having varied faculties, intended to specialise in agriculture. Model farms would be started at the site, and many of the buildings would be used for research. Although Nigeria was newly independent, with a strong national spirit, he did not expect that the universities would become the centres of violent nationalism. as bad occurred in some other young countries. Dr. Ajose said. Nigerian students followed political affairs with keen interest, and the university officials, aware of the need to guide young students, assigned older and more mature students to help them to understand just what the Government was trying to achieve. Like most young persons, they wanted things to change in a hurry he said. “However, the main- reason why there is little likelihood of students .ever becoming anti-government is that Nigeria is a democracy and we have a liberal Government."

The first African to be appointed a professor in Africa. Dr. Ajose was educated at Glasgow University, and became professor of social and preventive medicine at the University of Ibadan. Before taking up his present position he dean of the faculty of medicine at Ibadan.