VC says academics have turned to booksellers

VC says academics have turned to booksellers

Friday, June 30, 2017 11:24 pm


University students

Prof. Chinedum Nwajiuba, Vice-Chancellor, Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo,  Ebonyi, has said that academics in Nigeria have abandoned analytical thinking to become booksellers.

Nwajiuba made the statement on Friday at a seminar organised by the Faculty of Management and Social Sciences of the university, with the theme: Economic Recovery and Growth Plan: A Sectoral Analysis.

He said the situation was more deplorable in the South-eastern part of the country where PhD holders devoted more time to selling their books or academic materials than thinking.

“Academics have been destroyed to the extent that lecturers sit, write anything they call books and sell to students.

“Deep analytical thinking which makes academicians to be in tune with modernity has been abandoned as they can no longer write sensible proposals that can be accepted academically and in the society in general,” he said.

Nwajiuba noted that doctorates had become  nicknames as academics were becoming increasingly ignorant of modern requirements of their calling.

“I want the audience to become angry with me and change and, especially bridge the widening academic gap between the South-West and South-East zones of the country.

“FUNAI will continue inviting prominent academicians to enlighten its students on the modern dictates of academics, politics and other fields as we would not limit learning to the classroom.

“We have invited former Gov. Peter Obi of Anambra, Archbishop Anthony Obinna of Owerri Catholic Archdiocese among others to enlighten and serve as role models to our students,” he said.

Prof. Akpan Ekpo, Director General of West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management, and the seminar lead speaker, blamed the political class for the nation’s economic and social woes.

“The PDP led-administration of 1999-2015 was the worst culprit as its economic mismanagement led to double-digit inflation, collapse of public school systems, among others, despite the abundance of natural resources at its disposal.

“The supply of electricity was epileptic, which affected the manufacturing sector, in particular, while little was done to improve infrastructure in the country,” he said.

He, however, noted that between 1999 and 2007, efforts were made to run the economy with the enactment of the Fiscal Responsibility and Procurement Acts among other fiscal policies.

“The APC-led government which succeeded it fared no better as it based its campaign slogan on the change mantra but Nigerians are yet to see the change after two years in power.

“It might, however, be too early to judge the administration in the wake of the mismanagement of the past 18 years but unemployment remains very high and less emphasis paid on infrastructural development,’’ Ekpo said..

He advocated a proactive implementation of policies which would diversify the economy with the provision of amenities, such as power, to aid private investment.

Prof. Obi Ajuruchukwu of the University of Fort Hare, South Africa, and Dr Dennis Ekumankama, Ebonyi Commissioner for Finance, also delivered lectures during the occasion.

Ajuruchukwu’s lecture was on ‘’Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security through Economic Recovery and Growth Plan’’ while Ekumankama spoke on ‘’Change and Economic Recovery and Growth Plan’’.

Miss Chika Ntezi, a student-participant, said she had been adequately enlightened on the economic recovery plans and advised governments at level to pay more attention to agriculture. (NAN)


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