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The University of Lagos and Its Transformational Impact (Pt. 1)

Published

1 year ago

January 12, 2024

Eric

By Toyin Falola

The ideological foregrounding of the University of Lagos was heralded as a discerning response to the charted trajectories of the City of Lagos, Nigeria’s federal capital, the Lagos State, West Africa, and Africa. Tracing back through time, within which Lagos has grown, and the resounding projection of an encouraging future for the city, the University of Lagos (UNILAG) has accompanied it and exhibited a perfect symbiotic partnership of town and gown.

Lagos State unarguably boasts as one of the largest economies in Africa, drawing claims with nations and exerting its hold as one of Nigeria’s reverberating strongholds for idea formation, innovative development, and evidenced growth. Achieving this height of reputation, UNILAG serves as a pavilion for injecting nodes of ideations, practical steps, and enlightenment for the paths of the city.

Truly, the city of Lagos has been on a direct receiving end of the continuous radiating impact of excellence since the inception of UNILAG, as the post-colonial history and development of Lagos reflect the influence of the academic and ideological strength and accomplishment of a great university. However, the dreams and conceptions of UNILAG are far different from just a city-bound endeavor but delineated by the pool of necessities that were almost burying the new nation. So, a terse delineation of what defines UNILAG is that it has been a force for resources and ideological directions for the enactment of the blueprint of the nation and Lagos simultaneously.

In this light, the history of UNILAG aligns with the independence history of the nation and the handing over of all sectors into the hands of Nigerians. It means the gearing of the nation, from the then seat of power, Lagos, would be in the hands of Nigerians. It also implied that the nation would need more experts and resources to fit into the scheme of a blooming nation and economy. So, the conception of the University was a response to the nation’s social, economic, professional, and political needs. The anticipation was for it to blaze the trails to establish strong grounds for national development.

These needs stemmed from the fact that the nation, at that time, did not have enough institutions that would serve as conduits of resources and reservoirs of manpower to create a national foundation for an economy received from the colonial government. Recognizing this reality, the Ashby Commission recommended the creation of the University of Lagos to offer courses in Business Administration, Commerce, Higher Management Studies, and Economics on day and evening schooling plans to capture both the working class and the non-working class. So, it became apparent that for the new nation to excel, it must draw from the University.

Therefore, I believe that the mission of the University became bifurcated: first, to respond to the immediate needs of society, and second, to contribute immensely to the epistemological and cerebral composition and compounding of the nation and city. Both assignments are focal points of development, and if one would define excellence from its cradles of achieving determined and set out goals, the yardstick for ascertainment and determination of whether the University could be delineated as a centre for excellence rests solely on its ability to meet those bifurcated aspirations.

On the first wing of the assignment set at its inception, UNILAG has become a hub for propelling individuals into innovative and developmental realities, compelling informed drives for commercial orientations, creativities, and crystalized ideations. At independence, the business of Nigeria calculated towards nation-building could be said to be that of the business of development, need to strengthen its agencies and create a commercial front that would secure growth and the future of the nation. As expected, the University built men and women who could intellectually contribute to these dreams. With foundational knowledge in commerce and humanities-related disciplines at those early stages, the intellectual capacities of the nation were matching up with the Nigerian project at the time.

Lagos, being the home of UNILag, has also seen a direct contribution of the University to its growth over the years. Lagos has turned into a globally recognized hub for development, commerce, and innovation, with raw talents being displayed in all sectors. Lagos State boasts the fifth largest economy in Africa when ranked as a country. This feat came to be because of the long history of industrious and commercially oriented population.

To contribute to these specific commercial and innovative needs of both Nigeria and Lagos, UNILAG has since been widening its scope to embrace these realities. The curriculum of the University and the activities along the long lane of Nigerian history gave a platform for remodelling those ideas of growth and giving the right information that would allow for productive, innovative thinking. Today, the University can pride itself in being one of the foremost institutions that have diversified largely into research, innovation, and entrepreneurship and have made considerable success in that regard.

To prove the above, the successes of the students and their positions among others in the country and city serve as testaments and evidence to the gravitation of the attention of the University to innovation and entrepreneurship. Aside from being one of the best in Africa, Forbes recently ranked it as the third-best University for entrepreneurship in Africa, with the University of Cape Town and Makerere Universities as first and second. This feat is proof that UNILAG has been able to adjust to these commercial realities from both national and state fronts.

The relevance of the entrepreneurial contributions of UNILAG could be best appreciated in the importance of entrepreneurship that forms the basis of the Small and Medium-scale economy. Without mincing words, I would say that entrepreneurship and innovation are the two contemporary factors that the nation and continent need in abundance. The economy of Nigeria has become too volatile, and the domination of the market by big and already-established brands has been kicking out small-medium businesses. The Nigerian Bureau of Statistics states that Small and medium-scale economies in Nigeria are responsible for about 48 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP. In addition, they also account for about 84 per cent of the total workforce in the nation. SMEs also account for about 96 per cent of the total businesses in the country. I believe that the University has long seen the relevance of these sectors of the economy and has taken it upon itself to build small and medium-scale economies through the entrepreneurial development of the nation. So, one of the most important economic sectors of the nation draws strength and forecastable development from the excellence of UNILAG.

Aside from the commercial and innovative needs of the nation and city, in which the University has always served as a reservoir of appropriate proactive response by providing and building befitting human resources, its contribution to social needs transcends commerce and innovation. Another interesting contribution of UNILAG that many might not pay attention to is its contribution to the health and medical sectors of the nation. The world has faced health trying times, and in Nigeria, the outbreaks of the Ebola Virus and the COVID-19 pandemic were a big threat to the survival of the people. During the outbreak of the Ebola virus, Lagos was efficient in its response and the defence of the nation to ensure that it did not spread dangerously to the rest of the nation. So, Lagos took the front row, and UNILAG backed the endeavour. The research and professional activities of some of the products, like Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh and employees of UNILAG, were instrumental in the success of the fight against the virus. A similar achievement was achieved during the COVID-19 pandemic, and UNILAG once again became an institutional hero in the fight.

The second wing of the assignment set at its inception, at least for every educational institution, is to achieve academic feats that set a standard for others to follow. The quality of research and contribution of the faculties of UNILAG to the epistemological body of the nation and Africa has been groundbreaking. One of the commendable approaches of the University is the establishment of the Research Management Office that ensures that topnotch research endeavours reflect global standards, social needs, multidisciplinary considerations, and Innovative approaches. Today, UNILAG ranks as one of the top five research institutions in the country, with cutting-edge progress and a deliberate focus on relevant results.

The pedagogical approaches of the University and its members of staff have shown result-oriented styles that help students grow through academic endeavors. The University is an academic fortress to about 60,000 students with diverse interests and aspirations. What is more important about the students is the quality of the thinking abilities and creativity of those whom I have interacted with. Not all universities in the world have students with such a huge diversity of interests, and still, all draw back to academic importance, making them relevant in national and continental discussions. It has been said and seen that UNILAG students take the bull by its horns and continue with the spirit of excellence. The current students and alumni have become relevant in every sector of Nigeria, including entertainment, commerce, academics, and sports.

One can see that what makes the University of Lagos a centre of excellence is not just the brilliance of its students and faculties or the qualities of research made, but its ability to grow with the needs of the nation and continent and provide a relevant response to it. To keep the custom, all hands must be on deck. The different challenges, including funds, facilities, and resources, must be taken as a national concern, and the Lagos State government must also recognize the need to give back to the institution that has given so much to its communities. Truly, Lagos was bound to grow, but the rate and trajectory of its growth might not have been this pronounced without the existence and contributions of UNILAG.

The nation anticipates high hopes for its future, and discourses and efforts are channelled to technological innovations and market-defining discoveries that would project and propel the nation among its counterparts. There is no future for Nigeria without Lagos in the picture, and as history has shown, there might not be such a future for Lagos if the University of Lagos is incapacitated from injecting its excellence. In essence, the University of Lagos is pivotal to the anticipated future of Nigeria and must be held not just as a treasury but as a bailout.

It is important for the alumni of UNILAG not to stray too far from it. It is an institution that needs all the help it can get to keep being that centre of excellence that everyone associates with it. In addition, the University itself must be ready to create a reasonable relationship and collaboration with the alumni body to promote inclusiveness.

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Communal Clashes: Adeleke Threatens Royal Fathers with Dethronement

Published

4 days ago

March 31, 2025

Eric

Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has threatened stern state action against traditional rulers of Ifon, Erin Osun and Ilobu communities if they fail to sustain current peace, and de-escalate the crisis in their communities.

The Governor issued the warning against the backdrop of online reports that some faceless groups across the conflict areas are planning another round of attacks.

“In the midst of sallah celebrations, I got reports of some people planning another round of conflict around Ifon, Ilobu and Erin Osun towns. The security agencies have tightened surveillance to ensure no attacks take place.

“The security agencies are also speeding up the interrogation of key chieftains and actors in the conflict. I will remind top leaders of the towns that the peace undertaking they are signing are not for joke. They will be held accountable. There will be accountability before the law.

“The curfew we relaxed was on humanitarian grounds. As a compassionate government, we know many innocent people are suffering because of the evil agenda of a few elements across the conflict areas. Any attempt to exploit the adjustment of the curfew for renewed violence will be met with full re-imposition of the 24-hour curfew.

“Additionally, I will remove from office, any traditional ruler where violence recurs. This card is on the table. Royal fathers of each town must call their subjects to order. I will wield the big stick. Enough is enough”, the Governor was quoted as saying in the statement.

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Celebrating a Hero of June 12, Humphrey Nwosu

Published

4 days ago

March 31, 2025

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

In as much as unnecessary controversy ensued in the Senate when some senators led by the Senator representing Abia South, Enyinnaya Abaribe, sponsored a motion to honour and immortalise Professor Humphrey Nwosu, the electoral officer in charge of organising and conducting the June 12, 1993 General Elections; the highly freest and fairest elections in the history of Nigeria, many Nigerians have stood stoutly the defend the late electoral officer’s conduct, concluding that he deserved to be honoured for his meritorious service to nation, especially as the substantive Chairman of the then National Electoral Commission (NEC).

The election held, but was truncated by the former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd) at the announcement of results stage.

Those, who joined the Abia South Senator to jointly sponsor the motion were Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South), Orji Kalu (APC, Abia North), Austin Akobondu (PDP, Abia), Adamu Aliero (PDP, Kebbi Central) and Victor Umeh, (LP, Anambra Central).Others are Okechukwu Ezea (LP, Enugu North) Osita Ngwu (PDP, Enugu West), Onyekachi Nwebonyi (APC, Ebonyi North) Anthony Ani, Osita Izunaso (APC, Imo West) Patrick Ndubueze (APC, Imo North).

However, as the motion hit the floor of the senate through a point of order, majority of the members fought against it, and finally had their way after a voice vote as supervised by the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, giving verdict to the ‘nays’.

The Senate threw out prayers contained in the motion as it sought to honour Prof Nwosu by renaming the Independent National Electoral Commission headquarters after him. The rejection was the second time in quick succession, in less than 24 hours.

In the heated debate before the proposal was thrown out, Abaribe, while presenting the proposal, noted that Nwosu stood his ground to conduct the June 12, 1993 elections despite threats from military dictatorship.

“His courageous defense of democratic electoral process during the 1993 presidential elections led to the famous June 12, which ultimately confirmed Alhaji M.K.O Abiola as the winner of the election.“He stood his ground, ensuring that Nigeria’s electoral wishes and aspirations were realised, which culminated in June 12 being marked as the authentic democracy day due to his unwavering stand as an umpire.

“Professor Humphrey Nwosu laid a landmark foundation for the present independent National Electoral Commission today and that Professor Humphrey Mwosu passed away on the 20th of October 2024, aged 83 years old.

“Despite his contributions, Professor Humphrey Mwosu was seemingly neglected until his death, which highlights complaints of unfair treatment of notable public servants,” he added.

In support of the motion, Senator Osita Ngwu that “there was no way he would have announced the results with a gun to his head. That doesn’t change the fact that some of us see him as a hero.”

Senator Austin Akobundu described it as most uncharitable for lawmakers to dismiss Nwosu’s contributions, insisting that he deserved a place in Nigeria’s hall of honour.

On his part, Tony Nwoye representing Anambra North under Labour Party, accused senators of deploying personal, political and ethnic sentiments to judge the motion.“We should not allow our personal sentiments and party affiliation to affect our judgement. I was a presiding officer during the June 12 election. He did his best despite the court order. Despite the threats by the military cabal, he went ahead to announce the election. It is very disappointing that some of us are distorting facts because Nwosu is an Igbo man,” he said.

Among the several senators, who opposed the immortalisation motion, with excuses of Nwosu’s lacking courage to announce final results, were Senator Jimoh Ibrahim from Ondo State, who stated categorically that “nothing should be named after him”, Senator Cyril Fasuyi, who argued that history does not reward efforts, but only results, saying “As long as he did not announce the result, whether under duress or not, I am against naming INEC headquarters after him”, Senator Sunday Karimi, who criticised Nwosu for lacking the courage to speak out; Senator Afolabi Salisu, who said that immortalising him would undermine the memory of MKO Abiola, Senator Adams Oshiomhole and Senator Adeola Olamilekun, who claimed he lost his brother in the aftermath.

But Nigerians have argued in favour of the immortalisation of the former chief electoral officer, admonishing that he did his job very well. Most of them reasoned that if the likes of Babagana Kingibe, the running mate to Abiola, who ditched the struggle to join the government of General Sani Abacha, could be honoured with a GCON honours, the second highest in the land, how much more the proponent of the most viable option to voting, Option A4.

In his accessment, celebrated journalist and Chairman of Ovation Media Group, Chief Dele Momodu, said Nwosu performed his duty to the very best of his abilities, and very well. The well traveled journalist wondered on what pedestal the opposing senators stand to deny him honours.

Also lending his voice to the immortalisation of Prof Nwosu, the Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Adams, said all honours Abiola is enjoying today is credited to Nwosu’s honesty.

“It is very important that Prof. Humphrey Nwosu should be recognized, the genesis of having a free and fair or the foundation of having a free and fair June 12, 1993 elections was through having a sincere NEC chairman like Humphrey Nwosu.

“Humphrey Nwosu conducted free and fair election that gave Aare MKO Abiola the mandate that the Nigerian government then did not install him as president.

“And the respect and the glory that Aare MKO Abiola is having today is as a result of the honesty displayed by the then NEC chairman and the products that worked with him that made it happen,” he said.

HUMPHREY NWOSU AND JUNE 12 DEBACLE

Nigeria’s electoral umpire during the period leading to the June 12 debacle, Prof Humphrey Nwosu, appears to be one of the few democracy apostles, who have been neglected, when heroes of June 12 struggle are mentioned. This is no longer a case of ‘either by commission or omission’, but a typical example of by “commission and omission”, going by feelers coming out from members of the upper chamber. Nwosu was a man who had nothing to gain or lose by doing the right thing; and he went ahead to do the right thing.

Professor Humphrey Nwosu, who was born on October 2, 1941, and died on October24, 2024, was chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC), as it was then called. He was appointed by President Ibrahim Babangida in 1989, and held the office till 1993, when the election was annulled. He replaced Prof Eme Awa, who was said to have resigned due to a disagreement with Babangida.

Prof Nwosu is remembered for his administrative and organizational prowess, inventing the popular Option A4 system that ensured optimum transparency during the June 12, 1993 Presidential Election between MKO Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Uthman Tofa of the National Republican Convention (NRC). He persevered in announcing of the results even as tension from unknown quarters were rife. He abandoned the results after his life was threatened, according to reports.

Prof Nwosu became a Professor of Political Science at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and served in the government of Samson Omeruah, who was governor of old Anambra State. Among his highs in office were assisting traditional rulers to gain staffs of office, receive salaries and settled intra and inter community land disputes. He also served as chairman of a Federal Technical Committee on the application of Civil Service Reforms in the local government service.

Nwosu conducted the June 12, 1993 election which was seen as the freest and fairest election till date in which Chief Moshood Abiola was presumed to have won. Nwosu’s commission introduced the novel Option A4 voting system and the Open ballot system.

Nwosu had released many of the election results when he was ordered to stop further announcement by the military regime.

In 2008, he published a book in which he claimed that Babangida was not to blame for annulling the election. The book was severely criticized for failing to accurately account for what happened, and that could explain the reason behind his sudden oblivion in the political and social circle as well as why he has not been recognised as champion of democracy, and June 12 in particular.

Noting that the story of heroism attached to June 12 is not complete without Prof Nwosu, a pro-Igbo youth group, Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL), urged President Bola Tinubu to honour the former NEC chairman. They believe that he played a vital role prior, during and after the elections of 1993.

In a press statement by its President General, Mr. Goodluck Ibem, the group said: “A team that wins a match scored by one of the players was not made possible only by the player who scored the goal. The winning came as a result of the input of other players.

“That a free and fair election was conducted by National Electoral Commission, NEC, on June 12, 1993 was made possible because a man who believed in transparency and integrity was at the helm of affairs of the electoral body at that time.“We must tell ourselves the truth that, if not for the impeccable integrity of Professor Humphrey Nwosu who conducted a free and fair election where Nigerians from all works of life, tribe and religion spoke their minds through the ballot box, there won’t be any Democracy Day to celebrate today,” the group noted.Also, the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) called for the overdue recognition of Prof Nwosu.The CNPP in a statement signed by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Comrade James Ezema, highlighted the pivotal role played by Prof. Nwosu in Nigeria’s democratic journey.

The CNPP lamented the continued exclusion of Prof. Nwosu from the list of heroes celebrated on Democracy Day, despite his significant contribution to the nation’s democracy through the introduction of the Option A4 voting system.

“It is time to transcend petty biases and to embrace the spirit of inclusivity that Professor Nwosu’s legacy warrants,” the association of all registered political parties noted.

An online platform, Businessday.ng once captured Prof Nwosu’s contribution as follows:

In the middle of the night of June 10, 1993, an Abuja High Court presided over by Justice Bassey Ikpeme, in breach of the relevant decree, ordered the electoral body to put on hold the presidential election that was some 36 hours away from happening.

The plaintiff in the case was an unregistered body known as the Association for Better Nigeria (ABN) , which consisted of a group of politicians generally believed to have government backing. Nwosu took the risk of his life and found his way in the morning uninvited to a meeting of the MILITARY COUNCIL, ASO VILLA, to explain the grave consequences of Ikpeme’s indiscreet pronouncement. After intimidation and harassment of Prof and other deliberations at the uninvited meeting, it was agreed that NEC could discount Ikpeme’s order and continue with its arrangements and preparations for the elections.

At the end of voting, when it became clear from the majority of the results already collated from the states that the candidate of the then Social Democratic Party (SDP) Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola could not be stopped from winning the contest, the then Chief Judge of Abuja, Justice Dahiru Saleh ordered NEC to halt the process. Again, Nwosu stormed the Aso Villa, but this time, he found that the government had withdrawn their support.

The then Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) Clement Akpamgbo, who gave Nwosu legal backing earlier, did not only ditch him but also ensured that a bench warrant to arrest Nwosu issued by the Chief Judge of Abuja was duly served. From then, Nwosu became labelled as the problem, while his Electoral Commission was formally suspended forthwith. The only other option left to Nwosu was to seek judicial cover from the Court of Appeal, Kaduna Division, headed by Justice Achike. With no one else behind Nwosu except the Commission’s vibrant Director of Legal Services, Bukhari Bello, with Chief Tony Ojukwu SAN, OFR, one time Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission. NEC drew attention to an earlier judgment by a higher court in which Oguntade JCA as he then was, established two main points.

The first was that where a court makes an order in a case where it lacked jurisdiction, the order was null and void; and second, that it was unnecessary to go on appeal in such circumstance.

This suggested that Nwosu had no business obeying the erroneous decisions of the lower courts. Interestingly, NEC produced in Court the COMPLETE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION, which he had been stopped from announcing and which confirmed the victory of MKO Abiola. The real problem was that some ambitious military fellows aided by a set of compromised politicians wanted to prolong military rule. At this point, the government, sensing that it might lose the case, decided to annul the election a few hours before the judgment of the Court of Appeal.

Prof Nwosu is an apostle of democracy, and of June 12, 1993 more especially, and deserves to be honoured and celebrated.

In his tribute at the burial of Prof Nwosu, President Tinubu, though acknowledged that the deceased upheld democratic principles, he was however, silent on any form of honour for the June 12 chief electoral officer. He noted:

“As we mourn the death of Prof Humphrey Nwosu, we are invited to celebrate him for his profound accomplishments and personal fulfilments as a public administrator, political scientist, and academics icon. We are urged to reflect on his democratic ideals and his sense of commitment to a democratic Nigeria. These are the hallmarks of his life and times that will be cherished beyond this generation,” Tinubu said, through his representative, the Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi.

As the south east governors prepare to meet and present their proposition of honoring Nwosu before President Tinubu, Nigerians have said that whatever the situation, Nwosu remains and etched in the hearts and minds of the real heroes of democracy and June 12; the average Nigerians, as democratic force to reckon with, and a man without whose name the story and history of the freest and fairest election in Nigeria cannot be written.

According to Yusuf John Imam, who wrote from Abuja, in an article titled Senate’s failure to immortalize Humphrey Nwosu, disservice to democracy, “if the Senate cannot honour Nwosu, then every state in the Southeast should take it upon themselves to immortalize their son. Build monuments, name streets, and establish scholarships in his name. Push his narrative and celebrate his legacy. The Southeast must rise to the occasion and ensure that their son’s legacy is preserved for generations to come.”

The bottom-line remains that Professor Humphrey Nwosu is a hero of June 12, and deserve to be honoured, immortalised and celebrated.

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Milk of Human Kindness: Glo Foundation Spreads ‘Food Drive’ Joy to More Communities

Published

5 days ago

March 30, 2025

Eric

Glo Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of Globacom, on Saturday extended its Food Drive Initiative “Giving Back Together” to more communities as thousands of families in Ikota, Ajah, Lagos, received packages of food and household items from the team.

Two Saturdays ago, the foundation was in Bariga where it shared food and other household items to thousands of other vulnerable members of the community.

In a similar vein, Glo Foundation officials and the project partners, the Lagos Food Bank Initiative, last Saturday presented packages containing Rice, Garri, Spaghetti, noodles, tomato paste, tooth brushes, sardines, salt, vegetable oil, bread and seasoning cubes to thousands of beneficiaries, the majority of whom were women, at a ceremony held within the Ikota neighborhood.

Thousands of beneficiaries had assembled at the New Generation Baptist School in Ikota as early as 7 a.m. to await the start of the distribution.

Before the gifts were distributed, Globacom’s Head of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Jumobi Mofe-Damijo, welcomed the recipients and reaffirmed the company’s dedication to aiding the underprivileged in the society. She pointed out that helping the most disadvantaged members of society nationwide was one of the Foundation’s goals.

“Giving brings joy and smiles to the faces of the beneficiaries as we have seen here today. It also makes us happy that we are able to do something to touch the lives of others in a highly interdependent world,” she noted, adding that the Foundation was working on other projects that would impact various segments across the country.

At the occasion, the beneficiaries, who were mostly women, expressed their happiness and gratitude to Globacom by singing and dancing. Some of them who expressed their opinions were happy that they were able to benefit from the gesture and prayed that Globacom would continue to thrive.

The recipients were ecstatic and unable to control their excitement. After getting their food gifts, a few of them spoke up and thanked and prayed for Globacom for showing their community such love and concern.

Christina Itoro, an Akwa Ibom indigene, who operates a POS business within the community, expressed happiness at the content of the package. “When I opened the carton and saw the content, I was so excited. May God bless the company and the staff,” she said.

For Godwin Mary, who sells Kunu drink, Globacom has come to her aid at a time that her business was crumbling. The native of Benue State thanked Globacom for remembering her and other women in the Ikate neighborhood.

On her part, Sarah Oliseh, who is a housewife, said: “I am very happy and so excited getting this from Globacom. It will definitely go a long way to help me and my family”.