Professor Wande Abimbola, a former Vice-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, has condemned the state of Nigerian universities, describing it as shameful.
Speaking recently, Abimbola revealed that a full professor in Nigeria earns about ₦500,000 monthly, equivalent to only $300, an amount he compared to what American professors spend on gardening. He said such poor pay shows the government’s lack of interest in supporting higher education.
The respected scholar lamented the decay he saw during a recent visit to Ile-Ife, once ranked among the world’s top 500 universities. He noted that Nigeria may no longer have any institution in that category today.
Abimbola also faulted the government for establishing new universities while neglecting existing ones. He called for a federal commission of inquiry to find real solutions, stressing that the current trend of underfunding and unchecked expansion is killing the system.
He warned that except the government takes urgent action, Nigerian universities will continue to lose relevance globally.
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