The Founder/Chancellor, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti in Ekiti State, Aare Afe Babalola, says there has been underfunding of tertiary institutions in the country.
According to him, there has been a perennial failure to prioritise and devote significant resources to education.
Babalola expressed his views in Lagos on Thursday, at the public presentation of “Issues in Fourth and Fifth Estates of the Realm, (FESTCHRIFT on Professor Ralph Afolabi Akinfeleye)”.
The one-time Pro-Chancellor, University of Lagos, was Chairman of the occasion.
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Babalola, who was represented by Chief Gboyega Oyewole (SAN), said the country’s institutions of higher learning, especially the universities, were barely carrying out their core mandates.
He noted that they did not have the financial wherewithal to compete with their peers globally.
The chancellor said that with many of these universities struggling to meet their overhead cost, having significant net annual income remained a far cry.
Babalola said there was an urgent need for governments across board to inject financial stimulus to all the country’s institutions of higher learning.
This, he said, was to make them financially equipped and self sufficient.
“Despite the perennial rhetoric by successive governments on their plans to build world-class universities in Nigeria, they have consistently failed to meet the UNESCO funding benchmark of 26 per cent of every country’s budget.
“I am therefore using this opportunity to appeal to the Federal Government to pay all outstanding salaries to university teachers and fund education adequately,
“It is only when education is adequately funded that universities will be able to perform their statutory functions of quality teaching, up-to-date research and impact their community,” he stated.
On the book presentation, Babalola lauded Akinfeleye, noting that the Professor of Mass Communication was a firm believer in quality and functional education.
He noted that Akinfeleye’s unwavering legacy of discipline, courtesy, decency, eloquence and respect had endeared him to the academia in the media industry and the public at large.
The chancellor also lauded contributors to the book for the excellent work, putting their thoughts and experiences together for the advantage of all, particularly those in the media industry.
“I want to urge everyone present to support this lofty initiative by ensuring that they get copies of this book, through generous donation.
“On my part. I shall be taking a total of 50 copies, among which 10 will be donated to Afe Babalola University, another 10 for the University of Lagos,10 to the University of Ibadan and five copes each to my chambers in Ibadan, Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt,” he said.
Earlier in his opening remark, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, noted that Akinfeleye retired meritoriously from the institution a few years ago, leaving behind a legacy worth emulating.
Ogundipe was represented by the institution’s Deputy Vice Chancellor, (Management) Prof. Obinna Chukwu.
According to him, Akinfeleye had paid his dues, being one of the pillars that nurtured the institution’s Mass Communication department and had taken it to the global arena.
“We will continue to honour him for the great things he has done in the university, especially in the mass communication department.
“Of note is the fact that he initiated the World Bank Centre of Excellence in Multimedia and Cinematography and ensured that it kicked off properly.
“He is also behind the establishment of the first university radio and television in Nigeria here in our institution and therefore, we have every reason to be happy and join him today in celebrating his achievements,” Ogundipe said.
He said that what the National Universities Commission (NUC) was bringing to the fore, in terms of unbundling the Mass Communication departments of universities, was already being processed in the institution.
Reviewing the book, Dr Reuben Abati of Arise Television said over 60 persons put together a collection of essays, focusing on Akinfeleye’s work.
He said that the book, which is divided into eight parts, comprised 928 pages, with 57 chapters.
According to him, it is comprehensive and encompasses the central issues facing the development of journalism and its practice in the country.
“There are central issues he dealt with in the course of the book. It is quite a voluminous book that seeks to know how the media can survive in an age of digitalisation.
“It is a book I will like to recommend to media practitioners not just in Nigeria, but around the globe, scholars, information centres, advertising industry and the general public at large,” he said.
Also in his brief remark, Dr John Momoh, Chief Executive Officer, Channels Television, described Akinfeleye as a distinguished scholar who had laboured hard to ensure that journalism as a profession is well respected.
Describing Akinfeleye as the teacher’s teacher, respectable scholar and journalism maestro, he said it took only a man like him (Akinfeleye), to bring the who- is- who in the industry together under one roof.
He lauded him for showing sincere interest in the development of the industry and in building and nurturing upcoming practitioners.
Momoh described as incomparable, his passion in creating an enabling environment to make teaching and learning of journalism soar and in bridging the gap between the town and gown.
Dr Biodun Shobanjo, Chairman, Troyka Holdings, described Akinfeleye as an incredible scholar who was always looking forward to turning the face of journalism around through theory and practical experience.
He congratulated him for his tenacity and ability to also seek excellence in everything he participated in.
In his brief remark, Prof Akinfeleye commended the efforts of those who put the work together, assuring of his continous commitment in bringing excellence to the noble profession of journalism.
Notable personalities that graced the occasion include Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman, Diaspora Commission; Mr Gbenga Adefaye, Provost, Nigeria Institution of Journalism (NIJ); and Mr Bisi Olatilo.(NAN)
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