₦airaland Forum

Troubling Developments from the citadel of learning.

The reason Universities are regarded as an ivory tower is because its seen as centres for pure, isolated intellectual thought. It's therefore worrisome when they are increasingly pressured to operate outside this norm.

Today, I was scheduled to be at Obafemi Awolowo University at 9am prompt to deliver a keynote lecture, before proceeding to Ibadan for the opposition parties' political summit scheduled to commence at 12noon. The invitation was extended to me several months ago, and adequate preparations had been made. Regrettably, I received the news that the event would no longer be held in the University as planned.

While such occurrences may be dismissed in isolation, it is important to state clearly that this has now happened more than ten times. This is no longer incidental; it points to a troubling pattern that should concern all well-meaning Nigerians. My alma mater, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka was not excluded. The family of one of the renowned UNN Vice Chancellor late Professor Frank Ndili had planned an annual lecture on his behalf and the inaugural lecture was to be delivered, but on the scheduled date it was cancelled by the University authority.

These are not merely personal inconveniences; they raise deeper questions about the kind of environment we are nurturing in our country. Universities are meant to be centres of learning, open dialogue, and the free exchange of ideas. When platforms for constructive engagement are repeatedly constrained, it reflects a worrying shift away from these ideals.

This concern becomes even more pronounced when viewed against my engagements across the world, where I have been privileged to speak and interact freely with students and scholars in respected institutions. In the past 24 months, I have delivered lectures in notable universities globally including Oxford University, Cambridge University, Harvard University, Yale University, Princeton University, Chicago University, University of Pennsylvania, Imperial College, to name a few. Those environments continue to demonstrate openness to dialogue, critical thinking, and shared learning, values that should equally define our own institutions.

We must ask ourselves: what kind of nation are we building if spaces meant for intellectual engagement are gradually shrinking? A country’s progress is anchored on its ability to encourage knowledge, debate, and the contest of ideas, not restrict them.

Nigeria must work towards becoming a place where ideas thrive, where knowledge is shared without fear, and where our institutions uphold the principles they were established to protect.

A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO

Peter Gregory Onwuabasi Obi

Master event planners at work!!
They own all the Venues

He should take his lecture to Anambra State University where it is more needed.

Oh! I forgot, the university does not even have a state of the art and equipped auditorium.

Anambra student need more of those messages. Letting them know the need to invest at home and grow the state, and stop believing they can only make it in West.

Work of APC . I wonder why they're scared of a candidate that came third in the last election. What are they afraid of

Carry your toxic nonsense go front you're not welcome here

Tinubu at work, but God pass am.
Come 2027 , Tinubu will not get up to 10% of the votes

Make the Agulu Hypocrite rest abeg

He has no business in Ife

fergie001:
Peter Gregory Onwuabasi Obi

So we should fry stone?
The soldier couple that were butchered in Agulu don't deserve any mention

Tinubu that didn't value education....
He has successfully enriched all the touts in Nigeria..... education is nothing to the city boy

What will be will be.
Simple

With a 3rdClass a beg, which lecture you dey go deliver?

Just go to a center of MiraKuru and speak

They will never succeed.... A new Nigeria is Possible

What an unbiased leader he is. He didn't want anyone or tribe to feel attacked so he said his alma mater wasn't an exception. A better Nigeria is POssible, OK is Okay.

Must keynote address or lectures be delivered in a state of the art and equipped auditorium? Peoples mentality....... Archaic

HacheNoire:
He should take his lecture to Anambra State University where it is more needed.

Oh! I forgot, the university does not even have a state of the art and equipped auditorium.

AdolfHitlerxXx:
With a 3rdClass a beg, which lecture you dey go deliver?

Just go to a center of MiraKuru and speak

What did Soyinka graduate with? You think having a third class makes a person a dunce? With your higher class you graduated with, what have you achieved in life compared to the so called third class?

The Agulu cult leader is playing the victim card as usual. Victimhood mentally is ingrained in his empty skull.
Just stick to serving jollof rice and washing toilet in Air planes.

Tinubu has said his style of politics is grab and run . Anything to cling to power but power belongst to God

He was really keen on serving jollof.

Jamieb:
Work of APC . I wonder why they're scared of a candidate that came third in the last election. What are they afraid of

They knew what they did behind the scenes, what the public never saw. Their defeat will be colossal next year.

Federal power at work
If dey allow you
They re salary and allowance go suffer am

El-rufai and Malami are examples of the fact that power is transient. Let them continue, it's their turn today. Tomorrow they will experience the same thing after power.

Jamieb:
Work of APC . I wonder why they're scared of a candidate that came third in the last election. What are they afraid of

What is Tinubu afraid of, after having 32 Governors in his party

Naustine:
What did Soyinka graduate with? You think having a third class makes a person a dunce? With your higher class you graduated with, what have you achieved in life compared to the so called third class?

Wole Soyinka graduated with a second class (upper) degree.

Obi chemical reactor... obi carbon dioxide

AdolfHitlerxXx:
With a 3rdClass a beg, which lecture you dey go deliver?

Just go to a center of MiraKuru and speak

Third class and yet pays the salaries of thousands of people? Dangote employs Professors and PhD holders while he is not the most educated in his own organization.

A poor man thinks always in poor ways and always projects everyone to be poor like him. Na poor ma thinking dey worry you.

While you may not have shishi in your pocket, you may do well to help yourself by applying for a job with Mr. Peter Obi.

With your first class, where are you in life today? Remember that when Obi was younger than your present age, he was already very rich.

Oxford University, Cambridge University, Harvard University, Yale University, Princeton University, Chicago University, University of Pennsylvania, Imperial College,

Emilokan cant grant simple interview

Reputable university like OAU is not supposed to allow a 3rd class graduate and political fraudster soil the institution's image.

See NADECO. Abacha is far better than those who fought him.

This cry baby shouldn’t drag our Alma mater into his
Cry agenda.

The event was planned by a foundation, not by the school authorities or any of the school’s associations or groups.

If the cancellation was indeed about OBI, then they are right in this regard. External groups should not be allowed to use the school for political purposes.

HacheNoire:
He should take his lecture to Anambra State University where it is more needed.

Oh! I forgot, the university does not even have a state of the art and equipped auditorium.

Anambra student need more of those messages. Letting them know the need to invest at home and grow the state, and stop believing they can only make it in West.

He's a NIGERIAN, therefore has EVERY RIGHT to lecture in any NIGERIAN university.

You Tinubu people must be delusional to think you own NIGERIA.

The audacity!

HacheNoire:
He should take his lecture to Anambra State University where it is more needed.

Oh! I forgot, the university does not even have a state of the art and equipped auditorium.

Anambra student need more of those messages. Letting them know the need to invest at home and grow the state, and stop believing they can only make it in West.

Tell thiefnumbu to be more mature. .He's so embarrassing.