The Federal Government of Nigeria has been encouraged to restore full autonomy to Nigerian institutions.
Michael Ayodele Odeniyi, a professor of pharmaceutics and industrial pharmacy at the University of Ibadan made the appeal at the university’s 543rd inaugural lecture.
Speaking on a topic titled “Whatever You Bind on Earth: New and Old Polymers in Pharmaceutical Engineering”, Odeniyi insisted that the Federal Government give Nigerian universities their complete administrative and intellectual autonomy back without endangering critical financing.
Odeniyi said that there has been a recent backlash against attempts to ensure the standard of student admissions and the curriculum creation process.
He lamented the loss of academic institutions’ autonomy in determining the direction of their curricula.
He said: “I called on the government to reinstate true academic and administrative autonomy for Nigerian universities without undermining critical funding.
“In recent times, there has been an assault on the curriculum development process and the ability to ensure the quality of the students’ intakes.
“The government could also encourage local production through the imposition of taxes and tariffs on imported excipients.”
