AS FG APPROVES 6 PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES : WHERE ARE THE NORTHERN RICH MEN AND FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS?
AS FG APPROVES 6 PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES : WHERE ARE THE NORTHERN RICH MEN AND FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS?
By:
Nurudeen Dauda
December 8, 2017
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Permit me to add my voice on this important issue . Out of the 68 existing private universities in Nigeria before the approvals of the additional 6 new ones which are all from the south only 15 of them are from the Northern region. Who is to blame?
Northerners must know that all the private universities established in Southern Nigeria were and or are being established by their rich individuals and faith based organizations not their governments. It is equally important for Northerners to know that, those universities were established not for "charity" but were for their "education" and business purposes. The universities are not free! Northerners should only have themselves to blame for not having private universities. It seems like education is not our priority.
In my view, this calls for soul searching among Northerners. It calls for reflection. No one has cheated on us on this, but ourselves. Undoubtedly "Education" is a Vehicle for "Social Mobility " which has the power of turning the child of a poor man to the number one citizen of his country, many examples abound. Education has transformed many nations.
It seems like the Northern rich men prefer sending their children to schools abroad rather than establishing private Universities in the North. It will do us good if we retrace our steps and start establishing private universities here at home. Doing so, will fetch a lot of money to the universities owners, it will create employment opportunities to our people. Moreover, the religion, culture and values of our children will be well protected at home rather than in foreign countries for some obvious reasons. It will save the nation a lot of foreign reserves.
Establishing private universities is a business worldwide not charity. The investors will likely make a lot of money from it. The Northern rich men must be reminded that, investment in education should and or must not be left to government alone . I am not calling for the establishment of more private universities for charity but for business enterprise. Private universities are being run as business, as such; let's do it that way. Within the context of business we could help our people with jobs opportunities.
Permit me to speak some home truth. Majority of our rich people are not interested in investment whether in schools or industries or manufacturing and or media etc., except of course, few ones among them. A lot of them prefer investing in abroad or remain as consumers. If we must not continue to be a laughing stock in the country we must change.
The Executive Secretary, NUC, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed once said: "The northern part of the country is lagging behind in number of privately owned universities established in the country. He said with 68 private universities in the country, only fifteen (15) are located in the North while the remaining are in the southern parts of the country. The North West despite being one of most populated region has one (1) private university, North East has two (2), North Central, South East and South -South each have twelve (12) while South West has 30"( Daily Trust: January 18, 2017).
However, we are also left behind in terms of nursing and midwifery schools.
OUT THE 209 NURSING AND MIDWIFERY SCHOOLS IN NIGERIA ONLY 83 ARE IN THE NORTH
In my view, something serious needs to be done. The new registrar of Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria was recently asked in his interview with the Daily Trust thus: " Can you tell us the number of nursing and midwifery schools in the country? And he replied: "There are about 209 of them regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria. There are 126 schools in the south and 83 in the north" - Alhaji Faruk Umar, Registrar, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (Daily Trust, Sunday, September 10, 2017).
However, It is important to note that, majority of the nursing and midwifery schools established in the southern part of the country were established by "rich individuals " and "faith based organizations" from the south not their states governments. Where are the northern faith based organizations and rich individuals? On the other hand, it is pertinent to note that, those schools were not established for "charity" , but as purely business enterprises.
Logically, we should and or must have more nursing and midwifery schools in the north, in view of its, "population" and "polygamous marriage ", but sadly to note it is not. Northern Nigeria has about 70% of the total landmass of the country with more than 60% of its total population. We need more nursing and midwifery schools in the north.
I am calling on rich individuals from the northern part of the country to establish "nursing " and "midwifery schools as purely "business enterprise " certainly not for "charity". Please get me right, I am not opposed to "charity". I am more concern about "continuity" and " sustainability" which, in my view, could only be best achieved if it is run as a business enterprise.
In my humble suggestion , faith based organizations in the north as a way of ending "begging" from "worshippers " in their places of "worships" they should establish "hospitals" and "nursing schools " not for "charity" but as a "business enterprise" which will serve as a way of sustaining their places of worships this, in my view, will ensure their true independence which will enable them to speak the truth to "power" and also maintain their dignity.
In my humble opinion, there is need for faith based organizations and private individuals in the northern part of the country just like their southern counterparts to establish more schools of nursing and midwifery. This would help provide the needed manpower for healthcare in the states which will complement government efforts as well as bridge the gap between the number of nursing and midwifery institutions in the southern part of the country compared to the north. It will also provide jobs opportunities to their people.
We need for more nurses and midwives to work in the rural communities, through the training of people from those communities. There is also need for rich individuals to establish hospitals, in my view not for "charity", but purely as business enterprises so that it will succeed as in other climes.
May God bless Nigeria!