‘Nigeria varsities not affected by recession’

Vice chancellor, Sokoto State University, Prof Nuhu Yaqub has said that the country’s universities are not adversely affected by recession currently eating deep into the nation’s economy.

Yaqub who stated this at the 5th memorial lecture of former vice chancellor, Prof Adetokunbo Sofoluwe held at J.F Ade-Ajayi Auditorium, University of Lagos (UNILAG) noted that most universities are carrying out their mandate of teaching, research and rendering community services without any hiccups.

According to him, “Before the recession peaked in 2016, there were trends that indicated that all was not well with the economy. These were exemplified by the high rate of unemployment, double digit inflation; falling foreign reserves occasioned by the equally falling oil process in the global market. Prior to the official declaration of the onset of recession, in the larger society, the effect of a recessed economy was being felt.

“The situation in the Nigerian university system might have been different from what was happening in the larger society, not because either the institutions themselves or the individuals working in them were different species of people, but because the basis  of this lecture appears not to have been assaulted by the recession. Though, there are a few campuses where fractions of the salaries are not being paid, and that situation exists even up to this moment. The situation over salaries does not appear to be so bad hence the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU); Senior Staff Union of the Nigerian Universities (SSANU); and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) have not found it expedient to mobilize their respective members to bring the entire system down.