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By Tracy Moses
The House of Representatives has called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to take urgent steps toward restoring the lost glory of Nigeria’s first-generation universities, including Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, the University of Ibadan (UI), and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), among others.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion moved on Wednesday by Hon. Aderemi Oseni, representing Oyo State, during plenary. The motion, titled “Need to upgrade first-generation universities and investigate the quality and standards of TETFund projects across federal universities in Nigeria,” received strong backing from lawmakers.
Oseni recalled that the first-generation universities, established in the early 1960s, were once models of excellence, admired globally for their high academic standards, quality infrastructure, and world-class lecturers. He lamented that over time, these institutions have suffered from years of neglect, which have eroded their prestige and academic strength.
According to him, “the neglect of these universities has led to the deterioration of facilities such as lecture theatres, hostels, and auditoriums,” adding that the famous zoos that once attracted tourists to the campuses “are now deserted or completely gone.”
He attributed the decline to chronic underfunding, poor maintenance culture, and the mass exodus of skilled academics due to poor remuneration. Other compounding issues, he said, include political interference, incessant strikes, and dwindling research capacity, all of which have undermined the universities’ ability to maintain global relevance.
The House also expressed concern over the poor quality of projects executed by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) in recent years, noting that many of the newly completed projects are already showing signs of decay, worse than those built over six decades ago.
Consequently, the lawmakers resolved to investigate the quality and standard of TETFund interventions in universities to ensure accountability and value for public funds.
The House further directed the Federal Ministries of Education and Finance, the National Universities Commission (NUC), TETFund, and relevant development partners to collaborate on a comprehensive plan to rehabilitate the nation’s pioneer universities and restore them to their former standards of excellence.
In addition, the Committees on University Education and TETFund were mandated to probe completed and ongoing TETFund projects across tertiary institutions in the country and to submit their findings within four weeks for further legislative action.