House of Reps move to establish Tinubu University in Aba

The House of Representatives is considering establishing another university in Nigeria despite the country having over 270 universities.

The proposed institution will be named after President Bola Tinubu.

On Thursday, the bill to establish the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Federal University of Nigerian Languages was passed for first reading at the House of Representatives.

Sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, and eight others, the proposed legislation aims to promote equal access to higher education in Nigerian languages and cultures, regardless of one’s background, beliefs, or affiliations.

Titled a bill for “An Act to Establish The Bola Ahmed Tinubu Federal University of Nigerian Languages, Aba; To Make Comprehensive Provisions For Its Due Management and Administration and For Related Matters”, the bill proposed that the university be cited in Aba, Abia, the home state of the deputy speaker.

The co-sponsors of the legislation as sighted by The Guardian on Saturday were spokesperson of the House, Akin Rotimi, Hon. Inuwa Garba, Hon. Nasiru Shehu, Hon. Alex Ikwechegh, Hon. Bako Mark Useni, Hon. Amobi Godwin Ogah, Hon. Halims Abdullahi and Hon. Felix Uche Nwaeke.

Barring any last minute change, the bill is expected to be listed for a second reading in weeks ahead.

As of September 2024, there are over 270 universities in Nigeria. Of the total count, 149 were private while state and federal universities added up to 63 and 62, respectively.

Stakeholders in the education sector are worried over the proliferation of tertiary institutions in the country.

They believe that federal and state governments and parliaments should adopt a more rational, scientific, and development-oriented approach to higher education rather than establishing more universities.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), in May this year described the proliferation of universities in the country as a worrisome trend, urging government and stakeholders to ensure adequate funding for the existing ones.

According to section 1 (2), ” The University shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal and may sue and be sued in its corporate name.

It stated that general objects/purposes of the University shall be to- “(a) encourage the advancement of learning and to hold out to all persons without distinction of race, creed, sex or political conviction, the opportunity of acquiring a higher education in Nigerian languages and cultures;

“(b) develop and offer academic and professional programs leading to the award of diplomas, first degrees, postgraduate research and higher degrees with emphasis on planning, adaptive, developmental and productive skills in the field of Nigerian languages and cultures with the aim of producing socially mature persons with capacity to communicate, understand, use Nigerian languages for national development;

“(c) act as agents and catalysts, through postgraduate training, research and innovation for the effective and economic utilization, exploitation and conservation of Nigeria’s natural, economic and human resources;

“(d) establish appropriate relationships with other national institutions involved in training, research and development of Nigerian languages and cultures;

“(e) provide and promote sound basic training as a foundation for the development of Nigerian languages, taking into account indigenous culture, the need to enhance national unity, the need to vastly increase the practical content of student training, and adequate preparation of graduates in Nigerian languages and allied disciplines;

(f) promote and emphasize teaching and research activities around Nigerian languages, including outreach programmes, in-service training, continuing education, and adaptive research;

“(g) offer academic programs in relation to the training of manpower for Nigerian languages and allied disciplines;

The President who is the visitor to the university, in Section 14 (2), is required to “As often as the circumstances may require, not being less than once every five years, conduct a visitation of the university or direct that such a visitation be conducted by such person or persons as the visitor may deem fit and in respect of any of the affairs of the university.”

Sub-section 3 provides that “It shall be the duty of the bodies and persons comprising the university to make available to the visitor and to any other person conducting a visitation in pursuance of this section, such facilities and assistance as he or they may reasonably require for the purposes of a visitation.”

The Visitor (President) is also vested with the powers to remove from office council members apart from the pro-chancellor and the vice-chancellor of the university.

Section 15 (1) reads, “If it appears to the council that a member of the council (other than the pro-chancellor or the vice-chancellor) should be removed from office on the ground of misconduct or inability to perform the functions of his office or employment, the council shall make a recommendation to that effect through the Minister to the President after making such enquiry, if any, as may be considered appropriate.

“If the President approves the recommendation, he may direct the removal of the person in question from office.”