- Prof. Ibrahim Gambari resigned as KWASU’s pioneer chancellor after the Kwara government failed to provide any subvention to the university for its first three years
- Gambari urged pro-chancellors to explore alternative funding avenues to rescue universities from financial difficulties and make their institutions competitive with federal and private universities
Professor Ibrahim Gambari, the former chief of staff to ex-president Muhammadu Buhari, explained his reasons for resigning as Chancellor of Kwara State University (KWASU).
Prof. Gambari, who served as KWASU’s pioneer chancellor since its establishment in 2009, stated that the state government failed to provide any subvention to the university for its first three years. This lack of financial support forced the institution to operate without an allocated budget.
He shared his experience while speaking at the 7th biennial Conference of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities in Nigeria on Tuesday in Lagos. The conference was themed, “Effective University Governance: Role of Stakeholders.”
“I want to share one very sad experience as the pioneer chancellor of Kwara State University. The state government did not make a single subvention to that university for three years. I quit as chancellor because I felt it did not make sense to have a state university where the state is not giving a kobo in subvention. It is like having a federal university with no budget for higher education in the federal project,” Gambari said.
He expressed hope that the current pro-chancellor would succeed in securing funding better, emphasizing the importance of state responsibility in supporting educational institutions.
Prof. Gambari highlighted the ongoing issue of poor funding, which hampers the growth of higher education in Nigeria. He urged pro-chancellors to explore alternative funding avenues to rescue universities from financial difficulties.
“Such is the terrain our state universities find themselves today, but in diplomacy and economic development, there is a mantra often repeated: never let a crisis go to waste,” he said. “As you deliberate on the many sub-themes of your conference, I hope that you depart with a plan of action that includes making your institutions as competitive and attractive as federal and private universities. By doing so, ensure that you can retain some of your best faculty and staff and thus attract the best in the pool of eligible students.”
The conference was declared open by the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Tolani Sule. Governor Sanwo-Olu reiterated the government’s commitment to education, noting that Lagos State had established two additional universities, bringing the total to three.
“The systematic affairs in our state universities have resulted in unprecedented industrial harmony, a seamless academic calendar, and partnerships with private bodies and organizations in providing infrastructure and facilities to our universities,” he said.