***Benin Varsity confers Honorary Doctor of Philosophy on him
From John Adams Minna
The Speaker Niger State House of Assembly Rt. Hon Abdulmalik Sarkindaji has raised the alarm over the poliferation of private universities in the country, warning that they must not be allowed to kill the public universities.
He said while he recognize and welcome healthy competition between the two, government must deliberately ensure there is adequate funding for the public Universities for the benefits of the Nigerian youths who can not afford the private ones.
The Speaker who was speaking in far away Cotonou, Benin Republic when ESCAE University conferred an Honorary doctorate degree in political science on him, Saturday during the first convocation ceremony of the university held in the school auditorium pointed out that there is heavy prize to pay by any society that ignored the education of its youths.
He reiterated the necessity for government at all levels to take deliberate steps towards adequate funding of the public Universities in the country.
“While I recognized and welcome healthy competition between the private and the public universities in the country, we must not allowed our public Universities to die for the sake of Nigerian youths who can not afford the private ones”.
The Speaker who said he was a proud product of public University, maintained that public Universities in Nigeria remains the best in terms of academic excellence, adding that “we must therefore ensure there are adequately funded to compete favourably with the private ones”.
He suggested that if the country must reduce unemployment, the rising crime rate and youth restiveness in the country, “We must prioritize education and fund it. If we think that education is expensive, the prize for ignorant will be too huge for us to cope with”.
Sarkindaji who thanked the ESCAE University for the honor done to him for the award of Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science (Honorary Causa), said the Niger State House Assembly will partner with the University in the areas of training and staff development, stressing that “Benin Republic and Nigeria have a long history in trade relation and politics.
Earlier the Vice Chancellor of ESCAE University Professor Mehoba D. Theodore said the Speaker was chosen for the award because of his track record of achievements in his political journey spanning almost two decades, adding that “the honorary PhD (Causa) of the university is conferred on individuals who have achieved remarkable progress in public service and contributed to the development of the grassroots”.
The occasion was witnessed by members of the state house of assembly, political associates of the speaker and family members.