Nigeria has more than 9,000 professors in its university system, says NUC

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
Of the approximately 190 million Nigerians and a young population of more than 60%, Nigeria has only 9,000 professors in its university system, the National Commission universities. (NUC) said yesterday.

Of the number stipulated in the database of commission professors, it was discovered that despite the alarming number, there were duplicates of names due to sabbaticals and other commitments, The Executive Secretary of The NUC, Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, who revealed this yesterday during the retreat of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities in Abuja, said that the era of teachers were promoting themselves. to the status of teachers must stop as the NUC is committed to curbing the false chair tide.

While lamenting the embarrbadment Rasheed said that a compilation of the database would be reviewed annually and that the correct and updated figure would be made public. 19659004] He said: "Our record shows that there are more than 9,000 professors in Nigeria's university system, and we discovered that there are several duplications.You could see the same name at the University of Bayero as well as at the University of Ahmadu Bello.

"Some institutions abroad have called us to say that the teachers we have them sent are not really teachers. To a certain extent, you will not blame these people. Sometimes students are responsible for this. At the moment the teacher stays too long in the university, the students begin to call him professor. During the first year, he feels uncomfortable, but as of the second year, he accepts the name and begins to address himself as a teacher and bold enough to write us by claiming that they are teachers.

the professor's chair is very important. A list of all the professors of each university will be compiled, and each vice-chancellor will have to certify it. Vice Chancellors must ensure that the correct list is used for confirmation.
He denounced the abuse of the convocation ceremonies which, according to him, were transformed into jamboree and simple pageantry especially when honorary degrees are awarded. He called on vice-chancellors to ensure discipline in their institutions and to learn to do what is globally accepted.

"Universities must take conference ceremonies very seriously. It has been abused in Nigeria and this needs to be corrected. This is not the time to give gifts and recite a long recitation. A recitation must not exceed five minutes. We have to sit down and reinvent ourselves on how it is done in other climates. In terms of honorary rewards, you should not allow recipients to come with too many people, "he advised.