Children of Prominent Nigeria Politicians Graduating From Foreign Varsities Amidst ASUU Strike

By Ogunrinu Olanshile

For decades, disruption in the Nigerian university education system has remained perennial with no headway in sight. In the last two decades, university lecturers have gone on nationwide strike 16 times, covering a cumulative period of 51 months. After prolonged verbal warnings, ASUU finally embarked on a one-month warning strike on February 14, 2022. When the Federal government failed to respond, the union extended its warning strike for two months before declaring the current indefinite strike.

However, as students of Nigerian universities lament the continued closure of the institutions and the inconveniences emanating from the strike, Nigeria’s public officers are taking to social media to celebrate their offsprings graduating from universities abroad. Government officials have been criticized in the past for neglecting the country’s deteriorating education system to send their children to foreign universities. It is however becoming common among government officials; the President, Muhammadu Buhari, as well as the Vice president, Yemi Osinbajo’s children graduated from universities in the UK few years.

On the 28 of April, 2022, Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna and his wife were in London to attend the graduation ceremony of their son, Ahmad, who had bagged a degree from a University in the UK.

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde and his Abia State counterpart Okezie Ikpeazu were also in the UK on the 10th of July, 2022 to attend the graduation ceremony of Jordan Nyesom-Wike, son of Rivers State Governor who earned a law degree at the University of Exeter, UK. Also, Muhammad Badaru, son of Jigawa State Governor, Badaru Abubakar also graduated from the Brunel University, London, on the 14th of July, 2022.

Photos of Mayo Daniel, son of the former governor of Ogun State and the Ogun East Senatorial Candidate under the ruling party, Gbenga Daniel emerged last week graduating from the University of London.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajamibiala also shared pictures of himself receiving lectures at Harvard University in the United States on Tuesday, which has generated a lot of criticisms from Nigerians who tagged the act as ‘insensitive”.

The social media has been rife with criticism of the “lack of empathy” shown by these politicians. Nigerian footballer and Super Eagle Captain, Ahmed Musa called out Nigerian politicians for sending their wards to school abroad while the government-owned universities remains shut down for months due to the prolonged ASUU strike.

The Super Eagle star took to his Instagram to accuse Nigerian politicians of running an education system they do not believe in and asked if there is any leader from foreign countries whose children schools in Nigeria.

Recall that in a press release by the Akure zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities signed by the zonal coordinator, Prof Olu Olu Olufayo and the FUTA ASUU branch Chairman, Dr. Olayinka Awopetu in 2020, the Union advocated that public office holders should be banned from sending their children/wards to study in tertiary institutions abroad.

According to the union “such policy would reduce the decadence in the nation’s education sector.” The statement said that “members of the ruling class and their cohorts have their wards schooling abroad, so they have no commitment to end ASUU strike since political office has become occupational rather than public service.”

“Until we domesticate two very important practices as laws in Nigeria, we may not get out of this doldrums –first, an act to compel all public office holders and government appointees to have their wards educated in Nigerian public schools from primary to tertiary level.”

“Secondly, an act to compel all political office holders, appointees and their dependents prohibiting them from seeking medical intervention outside Nigeria.”

“When these two laws are enacted, perhaps we will gradually see the end of needless ASUU strikes in the country.”

Also in an interview in May, ASUU National President, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke called on Nigerians not to vote for politicians whose children school abroad.

EFFORTS TO LEGALIZE ACT THWARTED

The House of Representatives has twice rejected a bill to prohibit public officials from sending their children and wards to schools abroad. The rejection in March 2022 was the second time within four years that the lawmakers would reject the bill sponsored by a member of the House, Sergius Ogun.

While leading the debate on the bill titled ‘A Bill for an Act to Regulate International Studies for Wards and Children of Nigerian Public Officers, to Strengthen Indigenous Institutions, Provide Efficient Educational Services for National Development; and for Related Matters”, Ogun noted that the bill would strengthen indigenous educational institutions to meet global standards; boost the economy by reducing cash flight and foreign exchange; reduce brain drain and institute good welfare conditions for indigenous academics, experts and professionals based abroad to come back and develop their country with their skills and expertise.

The lawmaker added that it would build a better society by developing formidable educational institutions, and facilitate the realisation of the fundamental objectives and policies of state as enshrined in Chapter Two of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) Cap C23, LFN, 2004.

He said in part, “This bill is proposed against the background of fallen standards in our educational system and the need to bring the sector up to speed with global best standards. Unfortunately, as a result of the inability of the government to provide quality education in its public educational institutions, Nigerians have resorted to private schools and foreign schools for their education.”

“The United Kingdom, United States of America, Ukraine, Ghana, Malaysia, Egypt, and South Africa, just to mention a few, have become choice destinations for Nigerians in search of quality education. The trouble with this is that most of those who patronize private-owned educational institutions or those who travel abroad to study are children and wards of Nigerian public officers. These are the officers who should take responsibility for the building of our public institutions.”

“For me, this would yield a counter-productive result in our drive for national development. I believe that public officers should be subjected to the utility of the public institutions which they are responsible for building and maintaining.”

The lawmaker stated that apart from the fact that a public officer who does not utilise public institutions will be indifferent about their wellbeing, there is also the worry that so much of the nation’s resources are being expended in foreign institutions.

“For instance, reports show that Ghana alone gets N160bn of Nigerian students’ funds, while the United Kingdom gets N80bn from Nigerian students. About 75,000 Nigerians are said to be studying in Ghana, paying over $1bn annually for tuition fees and upkeep.”

“Most of these Nigerian foreign students are children/ward of public servants and political office holders who ostensibly cart away public funds to a private use. It is against this background that this bill is designed to regulate this practice and position our educational system for global competitiveness,” Ogun stated.

However, several lawmakers criticized the bill. While some stated that the proposed restriction would infringe on the rights of the affected children, others argued that not all government officials sponsor their children’s education in foreign schools with public funds. And when the bill was put to vote, members overwhelmingly rejected it.

Nigerians must elect lawmakers with the interest of the people – Activists

Reacting to the trend, Ayodele Aduwo, a student activist condemned the act, while noting that government at all levels have continued to show contempt rather concern for the education sector, which is why they continue to flaunt pictures of their wards graduating abroad while universities in the nation has been shut for over five months.

“The federal government and every typical political personality are orphaned by a poor conscience. It shows an unreserved display of disregard as students wreck at home; the conscience of the government is paralytic and incompetent.”

Speaking on why the bill failed at the parliament, the student of the University of Ibadan said it failed because the lawmakers are not protecting the interests of the people.

“Nigerians must ensure to elect lawmakers with the interest of the people as we go into the polls to correct the mistake made earlier by electing the people that are not representing our interests,” he concluded.

Also in a remark, a human rights lawyer and social commentator, Festus Ogun, said the move to revitalize our education system would truly begin when our leaders have their wards study in Nigeria.

“They seem to feel unconcerned because they are not directly affected, they are completely not committed to the resuscitation of our education sector.”