University of Ibadan’s many rags

“A child may have beautiful apparels; such cannot have rags like the elderly.” This profound saying is a translation of an adage used by the Yoruba people (a major tribe from western Nigeria). This is often reiterated to admonish young folks to be decorous and circumspect; not to disparage the experiences of the older ones in their projection of contemporary trends. This attitude is prevalent in our days. Trends and fads are seen to cloud hindsight perspectives, when the later should offer us an opportunity to glean wisdom from the past, so as to secure a promising future. The University of Ibadan, UI as it is fondly referred to, being the oldest degree-awarding institution in Nigeria could be referred to an “old lady’ in the league of citadels of learning. As the university holds commemorative convocation ceremonies and its 75th foundations day ceremony in the month of November, 2023, it is agreeable to state that 75 is a milestone in the life of any human being or institution. Life expectancy in this part of the world is below this benchmark. Therefore, perceiving University of Ibadan as a living entity, we should indeed roll out the drums to celebrate this year’s anniversary.

However, the existence of the university and indeed, its journey through different climes of Nigeria’s national existence calls for sober reflection than exhilaration. There’s so much to do in piloting the university to fulfill its vision and mission in the 21st Century, despite the daunting challenges that confront the operation of public institutions in Nigeria. The university was founded in 1948 as University College Ibadan. It was one of the many colleges within the University of London. It became a full-fledged independent university in 1962 and through its graduate link, the university has contributed to the political, industrial, economic and cultural development of Nigeria in the past 75 years. The history and impact of the University of Ibadan have made it one of the most respected universities in Africa. Its Postgraduate College is well acknowledged within and outside the country as one of the largest in Africa and the flagship of Postgraduate Education in Nigeria. It produces the much-required human resources for the entire Nigerian University system, the Nigerian public and private sectors and beyond. Likewise, the University of Ibadan Distance Learning Centre is a subset of the University. The Centre is the Open and Distance Learning arm of the university established to offer Open and Distance Education. The University also currently hosts the Pan African University Life & Earth Sciences Institute on behalf of the West African Subregion. This is an initiative of the African Union.

Today, the UI is consistently ranked among the prestigious universities in the world. The university has educated many notable alumni, including a Nobel Laureate in Literature, eminent mathematicians, educationists, scientists, politicians, lawyers, business icons, philosophers, writers, monarchs, countless technocrats, recipients of the Nigerian National order of merit and fellows of the various learned academies. Despite these laudable antecedents, one must acknowledge that there are challenges confronting the expansion of the frontiers of learning and fulfilment of the vision and mission of the university. These challenges may not be the same as the ones experienced by new generation universities, particularly private universities. Presumably, there are challenges attributed to old age which UI has had to grapple with in recent years. It is therefore unfair to celebrate the beautiful apparels these new universities wear without recourse to the significant rags of UI. In public sight, UI may be an old university but in the depth of its existence, there is exemplary leadership and a commitment to upholding the core values of the Ivory Tower. In a dispensation where new generation universities are established based on exigencies, the need to draw from UI’s wealth of experience is expedient. Every university in Nigeria would find any piece of the UI rag very useful.

Brain drain is at the center of the unprecedented challenges attributed to UI’s old age. Many academic icons and professionals are raised within her ancient walls and exported to service other institutions, home and abroad. Should we really be deriding this aging university? If the UI blood flows across the nation and beyond, we should begin to give back to her so as to retain her pride as a worthy mother.

Historically, higher education has weathered crises and disruptions, but we can herald a new dispensation. We should consciously revert to the first, so that every university in Nigeria down to the latest one established can adopt the laudable ideals that made UI strong through the years. Despite its challenges, the university still towers high in global ranking. At 75, it’s about time the government, stakeholders, alumnae of the University began to think more intentionally on how they can contribute significantly to upholding the institutional framework that makes UI thick. At the forefront of this is capacity development. An investment in the living beings who make the system run is pivotal to sustaining its legacy.

While acknowledging government intervention in approving new private universities, there is need for a renewed commitment to educational advancement through laudable, consistent and harmonized policies. The University of Ibadan is the prime projection of the educational proclivity of Nigerians. It’s many rags should grace the operational framework of every Ivory Tower in Nigeria.