I am a lecturer in a Nigerian university. When I turned my back on the option of going abroad, and decided instead to stay in the Nigerian tertiary education system, I was full of hopes of what changes I could make. I was also keenly aware of the price I would pay in the long run: gradually losing ground to my peers who chose to migrate. I’m not even talking about financial grounds; I mean academic stagnation. I knew that my peers who chose to train and work in better systems would likely gradually leave me behind. However, I also knew that my field is so lucrative that if I allowed myself to go out, I would have to be crazy to come back and tie myself here in Nigeria. Now, it’s been quite a few years, and I sometimes ask myself whether the sacrifice has been worth it. I do not know the answer to that. I guess I’ll find out someday.

Along the way, I have acquired a few cherished ideas, and quite a few strong dislikes. One of the latter is the fact that as currently designed, our academic system “wastes” brilliant minds. The first day I sat in on a recitation for an undergraduate class by a particular MIT professor (at that time, I had completed my PhD and had been teaching for more than a decade) I actually wept. Right there, in front of my eyes, I saw what could have been for me. I saw what I could have molded with my innate strengths, challenged to the fullest in a university such as MIT. One of my strongest principles as a person is never to look back in regret. That day, I knew regret, and I couldn't stop it till I stopped visiting that class.

Each time I teach a class, I feel a deep pain because I cannot truly challenge the brilliant students in class. The Nigerian university system has so many average-to-weak students (created by our middling primary/secondary education and our flawed outlook on the whole concept of “work ethic”) that I can never move fast and hard enough to challenge the really good ones. Most of the smartest students in Nigeria coast along to good grades and First Class degrees, but I always get the sense that many of them are capable of much, much more. I wonder how many Einsteins have passed through my class that never found out what they were truly capable of. How many Eulers have I taught that are now counting money in a Nigerian bank? How many Teslas solved my simple equations and because I couldn't push them as hard as they could go, now live almost-fulfilled lives drilling black gold?

I have worked closely with students and faculty from universities around the world, including some of the world’s best institutions. There is something……exhilarating…stimulating about studying with people that, smart as you are, are a half-step ahead of you. You are challenged to up your game daily. You are tired and stressed, but you can see your bright future and your place in the world so clearly waiting for you that you push on even harder. I think we miss that in Nigeria.

Yes, we need to get more of the current types of universities so as to increase the carrying capacity of our system. Yes, we need so many things. But here’s my idea for you today: could we also have a university that focuses on only the very best students? Can we have a university that actively recruits the best students the way American athletics programs court students, and puts them through curricula that wring every last bit of ability from them? Can we have a university with only first-class-level students?
I see guys setting up private universities with all kinds of visions, but I can’t help but wonder: why are they all doing it the same way Where are the universities that want to produce graduates that are truly *DIFFERENT*?

Anyway, that’s my idea for you today. It may germinate in someone, it may not; I just wanted the idea out there. If you know anyone rich enough to do something about it, try sell the idea to him. It isn't as if such an idea is not financially sustainable. The sort of university I am describing will not just produce a string of super-successful graduates who are immediately ready to shake the world, but can also make the owner much richer. If you need more of my thoughts on this, you can get in touch with me and we can discuss.

I have worked closely with students and faculty from universities around the world, including some of the world’s best institutions. There is something……exhilarating…stimulating about studying with people that, smart as you are, are a half-step ahead of you. You are challenged to up your game daily. You are tired and stressed, but you can see your bright future and your place in the world so clearly waiting for you that you push on even harder. I think we miss that in Nigeria.

there are actually 1 or 2 universities in Nigeria that consistently attract the brightest of the best each year. OAU is one of such (or used to be?). especially their EE program. Maybe their Pharmacy program too.

Anyway, that’s my idea for you today. It may germinate in someone, it may not; I just wanted the idea out there. If you know anyone rich enough to do something about it, try sell the idea to him. It isn't as if such an idea is not financially sustainable. The sort of university I am describing will not just produce a string of super-successful graduates who are immediately ready to shake the world, but can also make the owner much richer. If you need more of my thoughts on this, you can get in touch with me and we can discuss.

the cost of private university education will probably push most of the bright ones to federal universities.


nice to know we have profs on NL.

Waiting for this lecturer to be attacked by NL hordes .

This post goes so much against the very grain of what Nigeria is all about in the mind of Nigerians. Which is the gang mentality: together we'll jump you, catch one of us alone and you can make them pee in their drawers

But on a serious note: It's not really a Nigerian thing. Africa as a continent has not arrived at that point OP is describing - the pursuit of excellence. We are all still busy with the pursuit of survival, truth be told.

But the good news is, if there is any nation or people in Black Africa that can make that kind of dream happen, it would be Nigeria or Nigerians. I don't doubt that for a second.

Thinking on this topic again:

What would such a university focus on? Science and technology, the arts, law, or business?

For a better yield, there would probably have to be a reasonable focus. Bells in Ota and ABTI in Yola are supposedly tech-focused private universities, so it might be reasonable to expect their catchment to be better streamlined in the next 20-30 years, barring the Naija factor.

As for public universities, I doubt you can create such elitist schools like Oxford and Cambridge in Nigeria, primarily because of quota system. The likes of Stanford and MIT are not public universities.

AjanleKoko: Thinking on this topic again:

What would such a university focus on? Science and technology, the arts, law, or business?

they would do better to focus on STEM courses, seeing as thats what we need most to industrialize.

as per business, LBS would have filled that niche, but i guess they cant be too choosy about those they admit cos they are profit oriented.

the only way i see such a college working is if they are heavily fully funded by both the private and public sectors. admissions can then be solely on merit and not if you can afford to pay.

For a better yield, there would probably have to be a reasonable focus. Bells in Ota and ABTI in Yola are supposedly tech-focused private universities, so it might be reasonable to expect their catchment to be better streamlined in the next 20-30 years, barring the Naija factor.

they might be tech focused, but i doubt they are attracting the top 5% of JAMB takers, or will do so for a long time until something drastically changes.

As for public universities, I doubt you can create such elitist schools like Oxford and Cambridge in Nigeria, primarily because of quota system. The likes of Stanford and MIT are not public universities.

There was a time UI was our OxBridge, no?

even nowadays, UNILAG seems to attract the top percentile of those who want to study Medicine and Law, followed by UI then OAU.

For Engineering, the top percentile seem to gravitate towards OAU, then UNILAG.

So, barring quota systems, Porters' lists, VCs' lists and other lists, those 3 schools are kind of like our Harvard, MIT and Stanford when it comes to Medicine, Law and Engineering in Nigeria.

Interestingly, i find schools like Caltech more focused/concentrated on core subjects than MIT/Harvard/Stanford, [s]who sometimes relax their rules for various reasons (eg pedigree).[/s]

But the good news is, if there is any nation or people in Black Africa that can make that kind of dream happen, it would be Nigeria or Nigerians. I don't doubt that for a second.

i'ld rather say Ghana or South Africa, but i dont see anyone doing it soon due to cost/benefit factors. its just not profitable.

of what benefit is SULACAD today, and in what way(s) have their products significantly contributed more to national development than products of other federal government colleges or military schools?

yamakuza:

they would do better to focus on STEM courses, seeing as thats what we need most to industrialize.

as per business, LBS would have filled that niche, but i guess they cant be too choosy about those they admit cos they are profit oriented.

LBS has surprisingly-high standards, regarding the delivery of their course content. I have passed through a few LBS short courses, and found their faculty very refreshing, and on point. They don't necessarily admit top-percentile students for their degree programs, but they are a B-School anyways. They are not profit-oriented in the Nigerian sense, I can tell you. They do their best to deliver solid quality as well.

yamakuza:
i'ld rather say Ghana or South Africa, but i dont see anyone doing it soon due to cost/benefit factors. its just not profitable.

of what benefit is SULACAD today, and in what way(s) have their products significantly contributed more to national development than products of other federal government colleges or military schools?

I wouldn't say Ghana because they don't even have the human capital to develop such institutions. SA, well, as long as there are whites and coloreds/Asians in there, maybe. But the black majority will eventually dumb down the quality. Bite me if you don't like that comment, but there it is.

I don't think the talent pool in Nigeria has matured to the point where you can have a whole university for gifted students. What we need is for the universities (public or private) to raise the standards of specific programs to those days when the likes of OAU Elect/Elect, ABU Architecture, or UI Petroleum Engineering attracted top-scoring UME candidates. To get the quality back into these programs, the schools need to borrow a leaf from LBS, and pursue strong ties with private-sector blue-chips, as well as MNCs.

AjanleKoko:

LBS has surprisingly-high standards, regarding the delivery of their course content. I have passed through a few LBS short courses, and found their faculty very refreshing, and on point. They don't necessarily admit top-percentile students for their degree programs, but they are a B-School anyways. They are not profit-oriented in the Nigerian sense, I can tell you. They do their best to deliver solid quality as well.

even though they have a superb environment, i'm thinking they cant afford to do that cos the top percentile students more often than not, get scholarships to study abroad. the ranks then get filled with those that can afford to pay.

I wouldn't say Ghana because they don't even have the human capital to develop such institutions. SA, well, as long as there are whites and coloreds/Asians in there, maybe. But the black majority will eventually dumb down the quality. Bite me if you don't like that comment, but there it is.

from a human capital POV, i'd have to agree with you.

I don't think the talent pool in Nigeria has matured to the point where you can have a whole university for gifted students. What we need is for the universities (public or private) to raise the standards of specific programs to those days when the likes of OAU Elect/Elect, ABU Architecture, or UI Petroleum Engineering attracted top-scoring UME candidates. To get the quality back into these programs, the schools need to borrow a leaf from LBS, and pursue strong ties with private-sector blue-chips, as well as MNCs.

better still, some sort of "Virtual University" program for those with CGPAs above say 4.0, or some sort of "Summer Exchange Program" (within Nigeria) can fill that void, if they cant afford to fund it full time.

Just like the way they run NUGA games, they can move these bookworms from campus to campus every now and then for some "intensive study program" sponsored by govt or a few blue chip companies.

i think thats more achievable (and more cost effective) in the short term.

One person that seems to have understood the need to raise the quality of tertiary education is Lagos Governor, Fashola.

By taking the largely unpopular decision to raise the tuition in LASU, he has raised the bar somewhat. LASU prior to his efforts has mostly been a coven of cultists, and rejects.

Of course, the general sentiment is to cry foul, but let's face it. Populist education does nobody any good, and has only assisted to dumb down the university system. We may not like the idea, but there is no reason why every single Nigerian has to go to university. We need to get past that mindset.

AjanleKoko: One person that seems to have understood the need to raise the quality of tertiary education is Lagos Governor, Fashola.

By taking the largely unpopular decision to raise the tuition in LASU, he has raised the bar somewhat. LASU prior to his efforts has mostly been a coven of cultists, and rejects.

Of course, the general sentiment is to cry foul, but let's face it. Populist education does nobody any good, and has only assisted to dumb down the university system. We may not like the idea, but there is no reason why every single Nigerian has to go to university. We need to get past that mindset.

While I see eye-to-eye with you on discouraging 'mass-production' styled education, I don't think you should be quick to shower BRF with accolades nor support his actions because the underpinnings & basis of that draconian decision were to raise IGR ( evidence-based with his up-scaled review of almost all levies, duties & taxes in Lagos-State ).
I doubt he reasoned your way nor see what you saw.
By the way, I am not of the school of thought which opined that raising the tuition-fee solves the ills of cheap education.
There has to be better & pragmatic solution.

@ OP/Prof Femi,
Please, will this school be a PG type?
Generally speaking, I am of the opinion that addressing the corruption bane of this country will improve the quality of graduates the higher institutions churn out.
At least, the standard of such centers will soar high so much that the error ( of omission of not recognizing/identifying exceptional scholars, or commission of turning gifted students into ordinary ) will be reduced.

But then, I use to say things will, perhaps, keep getting worse because the end has come.
All these events are just circumstantial.

MOBBDEEP:

While I see eye-to-eye with you on discouraging 'mass-production' styled education, I don't think you should be quick to shower BRF with accolades nor support his actions because the underpinnings & basis of that draconian decision were to raise IGR ( evidence-based with his up-scaled review of almost all levies, duties & taxes in Lagos-State ).
I doubt he reasoned your way nor see what you saw.
By the way, I am not of the school of thought which opined that raising the tuition-fee solves the ills of cheap education.
There has to be better & pragmatic solution.

Well, LASU, and Lagos as a a whole, has to pay its bills, no?
Though I doubt raising the fees for LASU will have any significant impact on Lagos IGR.

proffemi:
I am a lecturer in a Nigerian university. When I turned my back on the option of going abroad, and decided instead to stay in the Nigerian tertiary education system, I was full of hopes of what changes I could make. I was also keenly aware of the price I would pay in the long run: gradually losing ground to my peers who chose to migrate. I’m not even talking about financial grounds; I mean academic stagnation. I knew that my peers who chose to train and work in better systems would likely gradually leave me behind. However, I also knew that my field is so lucrative that if I allowed myself to go out, I would have to be crazy to come back and tie myself here in Nigeria. Now, it’s been quite a few years, and I sometimes ask myself whether the sacrifice has been worth it. I do not know the answer to that. I guess I’ll find out someday.

Along the way, I have acquired a few cherished ideas, and quite a few strong dislikes. One of the latter is the fact that as currently designed, our academic system “wastes” brilliant minds. The first day I sat in on a recitation for an undergraduate class by a particular MIT professor (at that time, I had completed my PhD and had been teaching for more than a decade) I actually wept. Right there, in front of my eyes, I saw what could have been for me. I saw what I could have molded with my innate strengths, challenged to the fullest in a university such as MIT. One of my strongest principles as a person is never to look back in regret. That day, I knew regret, and I couldn't stop it till I stopped visiting that class.

Each time I teach a class, I feel a deep pain because I cannot truly challenge the brilliant students in class. The Nigerian university system has so many average-to-weak students (created by our middling primary/secondary education and our flawed outlook on the whole concept of “work ethic”) that I can never move fast and hard enough to challenge the really good ones. Most of the smartest students in Nigeria coast along to good grades and First Class degrees, but I always get the sense that many of them are capable of much, much more. I wonder how many Einsteins have passed through my class that never found out what they were truly capable of. How many Eulers have I taught that are now counting money in a Nigerian bank? How many Teslas solved my simple equations and because I couldn't push them as hard as they could go, now live almost-fulfilled lives drilling black gold?

I have worked closely with students and faculty from universities around the world, including some of the world’s best institutions. There is something……exhilarating…stimulating about studying with people that, smart as you are, are a half-step ahead of you. You are challenged to up your game daily. You are tired and stressed, but you can see your bright future and your place in the world so clearly waiting for you that you push on even harder. I think we miss that in Nigeria.

Yes, we need to get more of the current types of universities so as to increase the carrying capacity of our system. Yes, we need so many things. But here’s my idea for you today: could we also have a university that focuses on only the very best students? Can we have a university that actively recruits the best students the way American athletics programs court students, and puts them through curricula that wring every last bit of ability from them? Can we have a university with only first-class-level students?
I see guys setting up private universities with all kinds of visions, but I can’t help but wonder: why are they all doing it the same way Where are the universities that want to produce graduates that are truly *DIFFERENT*?

Anyway, that’s my idea for you today. It may germinate in someone, it may not; I just wanted the idea out there. If you know anyone rich enough to do something about it, try sell the idea to him. It isn't as if such an idea is not financially sustainable. The sort of university I am describing will not just produce a string of super-successful graduates who are immediately ready to shake the world, but can also make the owner much richer. If you need more of my thoughts on this, you can get in touch with me and we can discuss.

Good morning sir. Can I have your email? Wanna share a story with you. Thanks.

Nigeria is sick with lots of ailments..until majority of this ailments are cured....your proposal cannot materialise,because. What affects the water affects the fish that lives inside it.....that said we. Have few grade Bs school in Nigeria which can try better..OAU,UI,UNILAG,ABU and UNN