Pardon me to use biblical languages for effect
and emphasis. Rejoice O ye Federal University
goers, your time of salvation is here. Crieth not,
for your victory is nigh.



Twenty-five years ago, the Private University
syndrome was non-existent. It was either you go
to a Federal University or stay at home. The
population in the federal universities was
commensurate with the facilities available. I
salivate every time I’m being told stories of food
they ate then; chicken and the rest served in the
cafeterias upon presentation of their coupon.
Their bedspreads were changed weekly. Yes!! In
Nigeria. Mum and Dad can confirm all these as
they both finished in 1984.



As time went on, the population applying for
university admission increased as more people
embraced university education. Private university
system was first launched with the formation of
Igbenedion University in 1999. This set a
precedence as we have up to 50 private
universities presently in the country and counting.
The private university initiative is a brilliant idea
which helped reduce the strain on federal
universities. The learning condition and facilities,
at least for the ones I know, is better and can in
no way be compared to that of the Federal
Universities. The universities are staffed mostly
with professors who may have retired and Ph.D
holders on sabbatical. The hands available are
capable and the institution is strike-proof.
Graduating as at when due is absolutely
guaranteed.



But I have a little problem with them. Good
enough, I’m attending a Federal University and
may be a little bias in my view as I’ve never
stepped into any Private University prior to writing
this but I’ve had the privilege of interviewing few
of their students.



It pricks me whenever I talk to a Private
University attendee and the first thing they are
fast to remind me is how expensive their school
fee is. They say this not to complain but
establish it in my head that we are not on the
same level. They seem to exalt the school fees
more than anything. I wouldn’t blame them but
the poor mentality of Nigerians who are made to
believe that the higher the cost of a product, the
better the value. Try asking any of them how the
school is and out of 2000 words spoken, 1888 of
it will be about school fees. I find this uneasy
and annoying.



Ask about the academic performance and they’ll
be fast to remind you about the numerous first-
class products they have. I wouldn’t doubt the
credibility of their results but I have always
viewed Private Universities as first and foremost
a business organization and secondly an
academic institution. The business organization
aspect naturally will be the driving point of the
owners given how capitally intensive it is to run
them. Therefore, everything required to maintain a
business model is utilized to the bones. It
includes selling their products and monitoring to
check for conditions to improve profit and
minimize losses.



Their academic results is their means of
advertising and telling the world they are doing
well. You get my point. Graduating with a “Pass”
is rare to find. How dare you pay half a million
naira and not get a good result?? Woe upon you.



I was lost for words when the student of a
popular Private University which proclaims to the
world that the use of phone is banned, perhaps
not to corrupt the students, said he takes his
phone to school and uses it. I laughed annoyingly
at such stupid hypocrisy. What baffles me most
is that those who say they wanna produce
students with moral excellence actually have the
most corrupt students i’ve seen. Don’t get me
wrong here, environment never spoils a child. A
child only expresses the evil he/she always had.
You could read more on that here . When a school
says it wants to curb immoral living and the likes,
it makes me laugh. Only God can change a man.
No school can.



I stand to be corrected but most of the students
who end up in Private Universities do so to avoid
the rigors of entering Federal Universities as they
may not have the mental ability to practice the
“survival for the fittest” life found in Federal
Universities. The Private Universities are very
willing to accept them as more students
translates to more cash.



This is not to paint the Federal Universities as
being saintly or free from the above. We all know
the tons of vices found there because of the
limitless freedom available, the dilapidated
infrastructure borne from years of usage and the
lecturers who don’t do the job as it’s meant to
be.



I really want and hope to eradicate the low self
esteem which ravages the Federal University
students at the sight/stories of their counterparts
in the Private Universities. By the way, if you have
the cash as a parent, send your kid abroad.

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