Alhaji Abdulrahman Idris is the chairman of the Board of Trustees of the newly licensed ATIBA University, Oyo, in Oyo State. In this interview, he traced the origin and the history of the university, the challenges envisaged and the plan to position the university as a world-class institution.
WHAT do you think can stand ATIBA University out among the numerous private universities in Nigeria, in view of the competitive nature of these institutions?
That we have ATIBA University licensed today has been hectic and a very long journey of 15 years. It was not something we got on a platter of gold. We worked really hard for it; and we thank God Almighty for enabling us to achieve the success story that it is. We shall strive to put in our best in ensuring that ATIBA remains one of the best universities in Nigeria and even beyond. We hope to give it a superlative and competitive edge over its contemporaries and even the older Ivory Towers.
What then shall be our selling point over and above the others? Firstly, we have put all the relevant machinery at our disposal in place to make it work. This is due to the fact that we had long years of preparation, and in the process we had identified the major and specific problems of the Nigerian university system, and we have come up with responses on each specific concerns. We have dealt with the all-important issue of space by acquiring a vast expanse of land for future expansion. Secondly, we intend to have a university that will meet, in clear and emphatic terms, the functional and practical needs of the society. We shall have courses on entrepreneurial studies so that we have job creators rather than job seekers. Thirdly, we intend to adopt an inter-disciplinary approach in our curricula as to make our graduates well rounded; and we intend to integrate teaching models and modules. We intend to hit the ground running, Insha-Allah (God willing).
Now that you have obtained the licence and are ready to take off, what do we expect, particularly by way of programmes, number of students and so on at takeoff?
The Nigerian public should expect the best. Though we are starting with only three faculties, 11 departments and 19 programmes, Nigeria should expect the best. We will begin our admission with only 500 students. This is to ensure that the existing structures and facilities meet the demands (or needs) of the students. It is improper to admit more than we can serve efficiently. By doing this, we are simply avoiding one of the major crises (or problems) of the Nigerian university system, where existing facilities cannot cope with the number of the students.
People should expect the best in terms of quality teaching, quality learning environment and quality facilities. Qualitative education is our prime objective. Ours is a world class citadel where global university standards, procedures and best practices will be strictly observed. There is a clear nexus between the progress of a nation on one hand and the quality of education of its citizenry on the other.
Running a private university is capital-intensive. How much progress has been made by proprietors of private universities to get the Federal Government to extend assistance to private institutions through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund)?
We are assiduously working on the issue. The crisis of finance is the major problem of the entire Nigerian university system (be it the public or private). We have had detailed discussions with all relevant stakeholders on the subject. Indeed, the present government has decided that very soon the issue of financial assistance to private universities will be looked into by TETFund. We trust the government. Additionally, consultancy services and such other strategies for raising funds are being marshalled out and articulated by our team of consultants and implementation committee (take-off committee).
What immediate challenges do you foresee before this university at takeoff and how do you intend to confront them?
There is not one challenge but challenges. First, there is presently the challenge of time. We have a short time to swing into full action. We have to complete the admission processes as soon as possible and time is insufficient. The admission process needs to be done articulately, meticulously and equitably. These are difficult and time-consuming acts. We must avoid emotions and sentiments in all that we do. Then there is the challenge of external pressure either for admission or employment. I must confess that our human challenges daunt us more than other kinds of challenges (e.g. operational challenges). But, we are coping well with both categories of challenges. We are facing all these at our own pace.
Atiba University is located in the South-West, and you, as the chairman of BOT, are from the North. Is the principle of federal character not going to play a crucial factor in appointing the principal officers of the university?
The principle of federal character will not be a crucial factor in the management and operations of ATIBA. That I am a northerner has nothing to do with quality education. There is no better legacy one can bequeath than good quality education. That is why we are in. We want to get the best and go by the best. We shall endeavour to operate the best academic market anywhere in the world. Accordingly, the federal character principle will not be a fundamental but incidental factor. By this, I mean people in the catchment area of the university will be accorded some measure of consideration but only after all fundamentals of merit have been considered.
In other words, while the interests of the people of the locality will not be ignored, local interest will not be of immediate and prime relevance. The best and only the best will be accorded such priority relevance.
Having said this, it is, however, instructive to add that the university will operate in such a way to give the governments within the jurisdiction of the university revenue. Since we also intend to expand the frontiers of agriculture as a major discipline, you can rest assured that the people of the locality will be gainfully employed.
Private universities, by their nature, charge a lot higher than public institutions. How do you intend to keep this university within the reach of the brilliant but indigent students? Is there some form of scholarship arrangement?
This issue was recently tabled at our stakeholders’ meeting. We have set up a committee consisting of eminent and seasoned scholars that we call ‘Take-off Committee’. They are currently working on this and other relevant concerns. At the end of the day, they will come up with acceptable positions or arrangements that are practically workable and in tandem with contemporary realities. Definitely, we are going to put indigent students in our consideration and agenda. We must give them a chance. Poverty is a reality, and it will be a tragedy to allow it to obstruct the educational or any form of personal development. After all, education is a social service. It is a national tragedy for us to continue to allow poverty to remain an obstacle to education.
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