₦airaland Forum

Mixed Reactions Trail Buhari’s Nomination Of Emefiele’s ‘kinsman’ As Deputy Governor

Barely two weeks after President Muhammadu Buhari formally nominated Dr Kingsley Obiora as a deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, mixed reactions have continued to trail the action, with Nigerians expressing divergent opinions about the morality or political justification of the President’s decision. While some questioned the morality of the decision based on the fact that the nominee and the CBN Governor are from the same Delta State, others argued that what should guide such appointments is not political consideration but the competencies of nominees. Specifically, those who faulted the President’s action on the grounds that though the nominee is qualified for the position given his academic and career track records, argued that he should have picked another well-rounded expert from another geo-political zones.

The critics of the action said that picking the nominee from Delta State, the state of the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, was morally detestable even if no law restricts the President from choosing his political appointees from any part of the country. S But then, others, who believed that merit should be the primary consideration by the President in making appointments into such sensitive positions, stressed that as far as the President had not breached any law in his choice, whoever he considers competent and nominates should be allowed to serve.

Reacting to the raging debate, a former President of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria and public finance analyst, Dr. Samuel Nzekwe, said there was nothing wrong with the President’s action in view of the fact similar appointments had been made in the Military and the public service in recent times. He maintained that despite the fact that the principle of federal character as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution demands that fairness and justice should characterize public service appointments, the issue of merit, which is the global best practice standard, “should not be sacrificed on the altar of politicking.

“I don’t think the nomination of Dr. Kingsley Obiorah by the President should be viewed purely just because he comes from the same state with the CBN Governor. “If you reflect, you will note that the President has made several appointments in the military and other agencies that had generated some comments from the people based on the fact that they felt that the President should have adopted the federal character principle. But then, this is a political appointment and I think the President has a right to pick any person he feels will perform.

“So, I think rather than looking at the nomination from the political side, we should be concerned about the competence and capabilities of the nominees or appointees. Merit, which determines who gets what in other climes, should be emphasized when this type of appointment is about to be made”, Nzekwe said. An academic and lecturer at the Lagos Business School, Lagos Dr. Bongo Adi, said if the CBN Governor and President Buhari’s nominee for deputy governor are from the same state, then there is an issue.

“That is a violation of the federal character principle. You can’t have a CBN governor and a deputy governor from the same state. CBN normally has four deputy governors and are usually distributed across the geopolitical zones. “So, it is an aberration to have a governor and a deputy governor coming from the same state. It is even an aberration to have both from the same region. It is objectionable on constitutional ground and from ethical point of view, it can have serious conflict of interest. It is against the principle of fairness and equal distribution of positions in Nigeria as enshrined in the constitution and there is no justification for that,” he said.

Commenting on the previous violations of federal character principle by the government, Dr. Adi said “the fact that they have been perpetuating impunity doesn’t beat us into a moral lax situation where we now call black, white.” “Thus as we condemn the government of their persistent and unrepentant nepotistic inclination, we also in the same vein condemn this particular one. I don’t care if it is my brother or sister, we have to be seen to be fair in our critique of the government. It is not a destructive one but constructive criticism.

“The fact that they have perpetrated impunity, we can’t wave further impunity away. The standard of ethics remains what it is. So long as they are doing something bad” he stressed. Another analyst and a top public service topshot, who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, said “what counts is that the deputy governor nominee is extremely capable and brings to the table the level of capability and competence required to function in that office.

“When it soothes our fancy, we quote federal character principle. But when it doesn’t, federal character doesn’t matter. In this extant case, Dr. Obiora is very qualified and we shouldn’t wish that away just because he’s from the same state as the CBN governor” he said. Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari, had in a letter to Senate president, Sen. Ahmed Lawan said the nomination of Dr. Kingsley Obiorah’s was in accordance with the provision of Section 8(1) (2) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (Establishment) Act 2007.

Section 8 Sub section (1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (Establishment) Act 2007 states that “the Governor and Deputy-Governors shall be persons of recognized financial experience and shall be appointed by the President subject to confirmation by the Senate on such terms and conditions as may be set out in their respective letters of appointment.

Similarly, sub-section (2) provides that “the Governor and Deputy Governors shall be appointed in the first instance for a term of five years and shall each be eligible for reappointment for another term not exceeding five years. Provided that, of the first four Deputy Governors to be so appointed, shall in the first instance, be appointed for three years and two shall in the first instance be appointed for four years.

If confirmed by the Senate, Obiora will replace Dr. Joseph Nnanna, the deputy governor of the CBN currently in charge of Economic Policy, whose retirement takes effect from Sunday, February 2, 2020. A Nigerian-trained expert, the new nominee, Obiora holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Statistics from the University of Benin, a Masters degree in Economics from the Nigerian premier university, University of Ibadan, and a doctorate degree in Monetary and International Economics from the same institution.

He is currently an Alternate Executive Director in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington DC, United States of America. Prior to his being engaged by the IMF, Obiora had worked from 2014-2018 as the Special Adviser to the CBN Governor on Economic Matters.

The federal government has commenced distribution of 13,000 cooking gas cylinders to rural women in Nasarawa State. Minister of Women Affairs Mrs Pauline Tallen, while flagging off the distribution exercise in Lafia, said it was the first phase of the National Cooking Gas Project and Tree Planting Initiative of the federal government across the state as part of efforts to check hazardous emissions.

She said President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the supply of cooking gas cylinders to 1,000 rural women in each of the 774 LGAs across the country. The project launched in Nasarawa State would be executed in three phases across the country.

Mrs Tallen said, “The timing of the project is apt in view of the world’s attention towards reducing the effects of greenhouse emissions on earth.” According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), emission from cookstoves kills about 4.3 million people annually through air pollution and indoor smoke inhalation causing respiratory diseases and death.”

Similarly, the minister flagged off economic trees planting exercise as part of efforts towards addressing the effects of deforestation and climate change. “This is also in line with Mr President’s pledge at the United Nations General Assembly session in 2019 to plant 25 million trees within one year,’’ she said. Governor Abdullahi Sule, in a speech at the occasion, commended the federal government for the initiative and for choosing Nasarawa State for the pilot phase.

He urged the people of the state to embrace the use of clean stove for cooking rather than firewood given the related poisonous gas emissions. Sule pointed out that Nasarawa State had already keyed into the tree planting campaign having launched it in August 2019 in Akwanga Local Government Area. He, therefore, called on the people to imbibe the culture of tree planting by replacing any tree felled with three new ones.

Hajiya Halima Jabiru, Nasarawa State commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, lauded the federal and state governments for their women-friendly dispositions. She urged the beneficiaries to use the cooking gas cylinders for the purpose they are meant as the ministry had taken measures to ensure they do not sell them.

Kano State Governor Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje yesterday said his predecessor, Dr Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, was planning to return to the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest for presidency come 2023. Receiving the state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Rabi’u Sulaiman Bichi, into the APC, Ganduje said Kwankwaso’s most pressing ambition is to contest for the presidency.

Ganduje, while describing Kwankwaso as a “clueless politician’’, who knew nothing in politics, said his predecessor “does not want any other person to shine”. “I know Kwankwaso more than any other person. He is a kind of person that knows everything, knows better than any other person and who is self-centred. Whatever this man asks you to do or to pursue will be for his own benefit not yours.

“I know all his political tricks, deceptiveness and doggedness but I endured him for all the years we were together. He will never appreciate you for whatever you did to him, be it big or small. “When we contested election in 1999, ‘Wallahi’, I was his boss because I paid for his political posters and mobilised people for him from all the 44 local governments of Kano State. In fact, Kwankwaso did not win the primary election in 1999, I won the election, but we were reconciled.

“Even the slot of deputy was not given to me by Kwankwaso. I remained loyal to him throughout his first tenure. When he was appointed minister, he invited me to be his special adviser. Initially, I refused, but when he insisted, I succumbed to his request,” Ganduje said. The governor also recalled that when Kwankwaso returned for his second term in 2011, he invited him to be his deputy.

However, he lamented that although they were in PDP at that time, but Kwankwaso insisted that they should decamp to APC to enable him to actualise his presidential ambition. “After I won election, I begged Kwankwaso to spare me his SSG, AG, press secretary and other officials. I also asked him to attend my inauguration but he refused. Instead he said he will go to Kaduna. I called this man nine times to find out whether he has arrived Kaduna safely, but he did not pick my calls,” he said.

Why I dumped Kwankwaso – Bichi

In his remarks, Bichi said their decision to cross carpet to the ruling party APC was unanimously taken in response to Ganduje’s invitation to the opposition to join hands with government in moving the state forward. “We believe in Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s genuine commitment in developing the state, that is why we resolved to join hands with him to develop our dear state. “So we are today answering the call of President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.

The infrastructural development we are seeing all over the state and other human-centred policies like free and compulsory primary and secondary education are some of the major reasons that informed our decision to honour the invitation,” he added. Efforts to speak to Kwankwaso yielded no result as his known spokesperson, Binta Spikin was said to have followed Bichi to the APC.

Following the Monday’s beheading of the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Michika Local Government Area of Adamawa state, Rev. Lawan Andimi, the national body of CAN has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the heads of all the security agencies in the country. The CAN President, Dr. Samson Ayokunle, told newsmen on Thursday in Abuja that it was wrong for the President to still keep the service chiefs in view of their failure to address the rising insecurity in the country.

Ayokunle, at the briefing attended by other leaders of the CAN, also declared Friday, 31st January to 2nd February, 2020 as days for special fasting and prayer for Nigeria in all churches, over the killings of innocent Nigerians to stop and for the government to develop capacity to overcome the criminals troubling the nation. “Is the government and the security agencies still claiming that the war against Boko Haram and killer-herdsmen has been won despite all the killings?

“Is the government sincere in fighting these terrorists or merely paying lip service to the war against the insurgency? “Can the government tell us what they did since Rev. Andimi cried out to them for help?” the CAN president queried. He added: “the President should overhaul the security council with a view of bringing in new heads of all the security agencies and the para-military which no religion or part of the country will dominate.

“If the security agencies claim the terrorists are operating outside the country, why is it possible for these hoodlums to invade the country, kill, maim, burn and kidnap without any convincing checks on the part of the security agencies? “If the security agencies are not living up to the expectations of the government, why hasn’t it overhauled them with a view of injecting new visionary ones into the security system? “As long as the government continues to live in denial and fail to face the reality, these criminals will not stop their criminalities.

“We are almost losing hope in government’s ability to protect Nigerians especially Christians who have become endangered species under its watch. “We once again call on the international community and the developed world like the US, the UK, Germany, Israel and others to please come to our aid in Nigeria, especially, the Nigerian Church so that we might not be eliminated one by one.”

He asked the federal government to label the Miyetti Allah association as a terrorist organisation and also ordered for the arrest and prosecution of their leadership for sponsoring and perpetuating crimes and the killings in Southern Kaduna, Benue, Plateau and Taraba states, among others.

He also asked the government to stop releasing the so-called repented terrorists since they are reportedly joining their colleagues in the forest to unleash terror on the land. “The Federal Government should reverse the recent controversial Police promotion with a view to balancing religious and ethnic divides in the country.

“It is painful and a betrayal to note that the government gives more attention to so-called repentant terrorists than the victims of their evil with the claim that they are being reinstated and rehabilitated, even into the Nigerian Army. This is a major contradiction,” he added.

The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC), the Royal Dutch Shell’s Nigerian subsidiary, on Wednesday declared force majeure on exports of Bonny Light crude, Nigeria’s largest oil revenue source. The declaration, if prolonged, may negatively affect the 2020 budgetary revenue projections from the oil sector and by implication, efficiency of the capital budget. Force majeure is a legal clause that allows companies to cancel or delay deliveries due to unforeseen circumstances.

A news report by Reuters quoted SPDC spokesman as saying that the force majeure declared on Bonny Light crude oil exports was effective from January 20. The spokesman said the decision came after the shutdown of the Nembe Creek Trunk Line (NCTL) and declaration of a force majeure by the pipeline’s operator, Aiteo. Lagos-based Aiteo spokesman, Indiana Mathew, did not respond to inquiries from Daily Trust.

The NCTL is one of two major pipelines carrying Bonny Light crude to the export terminal. Bonny Light, one of Nigeria’s key export grades, is popular with refiners globally, with production ranging around 250,000 b/d in the past year. It was not immediately clear how much of this would be impacted by the pipeline shutdown but delays now will ripple through the balance of exports in months to come. Meanwhile, the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd (NLNG) has signed a deal with Total for 1.5 million tonnes of LNG per year. The agreement is for 10 years, with volumes to be supplied to Total from trains 1, 2 and 3 of the Nigeria LNG plant at Bonny.

The deal is in line with Nigeria LNG’s “drive to continue to deliver LNG globally in consolidation of its position as one of the top-ranking LNG suppliers in the world”, the company said in a statement. Nigeria LNG has been remarketing some volumes from its existing trains as some contracts approach expiry. Nigeria LNG is a joint venture between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Shell, Total and Eni.

Yoruba leaders and other stakeholders from the southwest yesterday flayed the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, over his comments on the region’s recently launched security outfit, Operation Amotekun. They accused him of speaking “from both sides of his mouth.” Tinubu yesterday, who broke his silence on the establishment of the outfit, declared support for it and described it as a laudable initiative.

Tinubu in a statement he personally signed, titled, “The Public Discourse Over Amotekun”, called for dialogue in resolving the controversy over the initiative, saying the governors goofed by not carrying the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation along. He said the failure to involve the AGF was an unfortunate omission by the southwest governors which they should regret and seek to remedy.

“However, the conceptual merits and positive functional aspects of Amotekun should not be tainted by this procedural defect,” he added. He said the foundation of the country had not been put at risk with Operation Amotekun. He said that foundation could be broken by what he called the “dangerous rhetoric of those who should know better.”

Tinubu also said the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, also acted “hastily” in declaring Amotekun illegal. Tinubu said: “While the Attorney-General is a conscientious public servant, he is also human,” he said, adding, He (AGF) likely feared the failure to consult him meant that federal prerogatives were being encroached. To blame him for this conclusion would be to blame human nature itself. Though his negative reaction was understandable it was also unhelpful.”

“The best way to resolve this is still for the two sides to enter private discussions. Either the governors should seek an official but private meeting with the Attorney-General, or the Attorney-General can initiate the contact. Since Amotekun is their initiative, the governors bear the greater onus in seeking the meeting,” Tinubu said. The Pan-Yoruba organisation, Afenifere, said Tinubu had not said anything, saying he should be firm in his response. Afenifere spokesman, Yinka Odumakin in a chat with our correspondent, said: “We cannot understand what he is saying, speaking with four tongues from different sides of his mouth…even Atiku (former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar) who is not from here (South-West) was bold enough to state where he stands.

You now constituted yourself to Tanko’s apex court and dishing out judgement, verdict on this and that…to impress who? Afraid of whom? Is he (Tinubu) afraid of President Buhari? “When there was a crisis between herders and farmers, Buhari came to Ibadan and told Lam Adesina, ‘your people are killing my people.’ Oduakin said Tinubu should have kept quiet instead of throwing “tantrums” around. “But we chose to ignore all those tantrums, less, people say we’re fighting ourselves. But he cannot be a judge in this matter, he should state his position. “At a time there is a test of will between the west and the Federal Government, he should not be speaking in four tongues.”

A member of Yoruba World Congress, Chief Olawale Taofik, accused Tinubu of being political by being neutral on the issue. He said the governors cannot consult the AGF before taking a position on matters involving the security of their people’s lives and property. But the Treasurer of the Yoruba Unity Forum and chieftain of the APC, Hon. Moshood Salvador, said those attacking Tinubu were only being sentimental, saying Tinubu was absolutely right by calling for dialogue on the controversy.

The Ondo State Government has confirmed that a fresh outbreak of Lassa Fever in the state has so far claimed 16 lives. The state government equally confirmed that about 84 cases had also been recorded since the beginning of this year. The cases were recorded in Owo, Akoko South West, Akure South, and Ondo West Local Government Areas of the state.

The state epidemiologist, Steven Fagbemi, confirmed this yesterday after a meeting which Governor Rotimi Akuredolu held with the heads of relevant agencies. Fagbemi noted that the cases had reached advanced stages before they were brought to the hospitals. He said 47 patients were responding to treatment; while 21 others had been discharged.

Boko Haram have rejected N50million ransom for release of Rev. Lawan Andimi, the branch chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Michika local government area in Adamawa state before executing him on Monday.

The state CAN chairman, Bishop Dami Mamza, disclosed this while speaking with journalists in Yola on Tuesday, saying the captive had been beheaded after negotiation broke down.

According to him, the insurgents had demanded for £200million, rejecting the N50million ransom offer outrightly. He said the cleric’s captors threatened to kill him on Saturday but did not carry out the execution until Monday.

The EYN church pastor was abducted by the insurgents two weeks ago following an attack on Michika town. His captors subsequently released a video in which he pleaded with the Adamawa State governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri to ensure his release. “Negations were still ongoing when they stopped calling. They were offered N50 million but they rejected it”, Mamza said.

“They called his wife last week, informing her that they will be beheading him on Saturday, but somehow, they waited till Monday (yesterday). Bishop Mamza lamented the attacks on Christians citing the killing of Pastor Dennis Bagauri of the Lutheran Church in Mayo-Belwa area by suspected kidnappers on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri today condemned the execution of Rev. Andimi. Speaking through the Director General, Media and Communications, Solomon Kumangar, he said “the governor is saddened by the gruesome execution of the pastor.”

A former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has unveiled a garment factory, in partnership with a UK – based Nigerian, Abisade Adenubi. The factory, located inside the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) Abeokuta, Ogun State, would focus on production of a local fabric known as Adire, common among Egba people.

While unveiling the factory christened “Heritage Apparels”, Obasanjo said Adenubi had taken his initiative which he started to a greater heights and urged other entrepreneurs to emulate her.

“Wherever I am working, I cannot say it is not good. After the initiative from me, the one who has taken it to greatest height is this young woman, Abisade, and the credit for where we are should go to her.

“My advice for entrepreneurs is that they should come and learn from her and she will tell them the problems she encountered including the problem from convincing me to have what we have here today,” Obasanjo said. Speaking with newsmen, Adenubi who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the factory, said the organization would focus on vocational training, textile production, garment making and tailoring generally.

Parents and some newly admitted students have decried multiple charges by public universities in the country, payment of high ‘acceptance fees’ alongside other moneys demanded during registration. Daily Trust reports that many federal and state universities charge over N50,000 from each prospective student as acceptance fee prior to “screening” that will pave way for the student to register. In some universities, the money paid for registration is between N35,000 and N40,000. This is besides what they pay as registration which comes with different subheadings.

Officials in some universities said acceptance fee is meant to confirm that prospective students have accepted the admission offered them and are willing to proceed with registration and other procedures. Others said it is to beef up revenue to meet obligations that could not be covered by allocations from the federal government. Out of the 21 universities sampled from across the six geopolitical zones, only a few collect N10,000 or less as acceptance fee.

However, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi and Federal University Kashere in Gombe State do not collect acceptance fee as students offered admission only passed through screening with their credentials and thereafter pay registration fees. Various laws establishing federal universities in Nigeria indicate that they are tuition-free for citizens. However, such institutions collect tuition from foreign students in addition to other charges.

Besides acceptance fee, some universities ask students to pay admission processing fee, ICT fee, faculty/departmental levy, late registration and municipal fees. Janet, who was admitted by the University of Calabar (UNICAL), said her father had pleaded to pay the fees in instalments but that was accepted on the grounds that she must first pay acceptance fee before any other payment.

Janet, who succeeded in scaling through after much struggle to meet the financial obligation, said, “My father is a civil servant on Grade Level 8; before the registration proper, he was asked to pay N15,000 as my acceptance fee and N1, 500 for processing the admission,” she said. “He has been struggling to take care of my elder brother who is also in the university and here I am too,” she said.

Apart from the acceptance fee, fresh students admitted to read sciences at UNICAL pay N35,250 during registration. Non-science students pay N34,250, while MBBS and nursing students pay N42,750. Analysis by Daily Trust showed that universities in the southern part of the country charge higher in the name of acceptance fee when compared with their counterparts in the north.

Uniben collects up to N80,000 as acceptance fee Newly admitted students at the Departments of Education and Library and Information Science of the University of Benin (Uniben) said they paid N60,000 each as acceptance fees during the 2019/2020 academic session. Students admitted to study sciences paid N80,000. Other fresh students in the Dentistry and Nursing departments said they paid N70,000 each as acceptance fees.

The students called on the federal government to abolish such charges, saying many prospective students who secured admission were denied the chance to study because they could not pay the acceptance fee. For those who paid the acceptance, science students went ahead and paid N73,400 as “registration fees” while non-science students paid N69, 900. The university’s spokesman, Michael Osasuyi, was said to be absent when our reporter visited his office and did not respond to text messages sent to him.

Umudike hikes acceptance fee by 150% At the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike in Abia State, the acceptance fee reportedly rose from N20,000 in 2015 to N50,500 in 2019. About 4,013 students admitted by the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB) in Ogun State, paid N31,500 each as acceptance fee. The spokeswoman of the institution, Mrs Linda Onwuka, said she could not confirm the amount being charged “but I am aware the monies are being used for the students’ welfare,” she said.

Owerri: Federal varsity collects N42,000, state varsity N70,000 Authorities of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) collected N42,000 as acceptance fees from fresh students during the 2018/2019 admission exercise. A source at FUTO who spoke anonymously said the money is for administrative purposes. Imo State University (IMSU) on the other hand charged N70,000 as acceptance fees during the same period.

Azikiwe varsity collects N47,000 At the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka in Anambra State, newly admitted students paid N47,000 as acceptance fee and N4,800 for ICT. Some of the students interviewed said the fees being paid under different titles were too high while other students said the charges were reasonable.

A 100 level student of Department of Geological Sciences, Mr Victor Onu, said in addition to the acceptance fee, he paid N4,800 as ICT charge. Mr Uche Chikodi, a newly admitted student in the Department of Music, said in addition to acceptance fee, students paid N90,000 as registration fee and N25,000 as faculty and departmental levies.

When contacted, the bursar of the university, Mrs Joy Ojukwu, refused to speak on the matter. A 200 level student at the Enugu Campus of University of Nigeria (UNEC), who gave his name as Brayen, said “I paid N25,000 as acceptance fee and there is no change in the amount since the past three years.

Uniabuja jacks up acceptance fee by 300% A female student at the University of Abuja (Uniabuja) said she paid N5, 000 as acceptance when she was admitted but that those who got admission recently paid N30,000. She said, in addition, science students paid N42,000 during registration while non-science students paid N39,000. Commenting, a 300 Level female student in the Faculty of Agriculture, said most public universities are facing financial pressure and that without additional sources of income, “it is unlikely that they will survive.”

It’s N25,000 at Unilorin During the last admission, the University of Ilorin (Unilorin) collected N25, 000 as acceptance fees from each undergraduate student while some postgraduate students also claimed they paid the same amount. The university admitted 10,000 students during the latest admission exercise.

A new student in the Department of English Language, University of Lagos, said he paid N20,000 as acceptance fee but his counterpart at the Department of Economics, University of Jos, said the actual money charged as acceptance fee was N25,000 but that she paid additional N10, 000 for late admission.

Also, a 200 Level student of the Department of Accounting, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, who was admitted through direct entry, said he paid N20,000 as acceptance fee. The spokesman of the university, Mr Abiodun Olanrewaju, confirmed that OAU charges N20,000 as acceptance fee. He said OAU admitted over 6,000 students yearly, and that the acceptance fee is used to augment what the school gets from the federal government in meeting the needs of the students.

Mr Uket Maurice, whose two children are studying at UNICAL and Cross River University of Technology (CRUTECH), said, “We pay as high as N25, 000 at UNICAL. After that, I am expected to pay school fees, buy books, handouts among others. I am not a businessman. I depend on my salary. Life is not easy with us because the government is also collecting all sorts of taxes. This acceptance fee is quite unnecessary. It should be reduced or scrapped totally.”