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Nigerian Universities on the Rise Again: Salute to the FGN and Academia III

 Nigerian Universities on the Rise Again: Salute to the FGN and Academia III By Prof. MK Othman Last week, the closing sentence of the last part of this piece posed the question: What role has academia played in the global ranking of our universities? Academia comprises intellectuals engaged in teaching, research, and community service, as well as support staff, technologists, and administrators, all key stakeholders whose livelihoods are intertwined with the university system. Despite numerous challenges, including low wages, inadequate facilities, and dilapidated infrastructure, their struggles and sacrifices have built an enduring and resilient university system for Nigeria. Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) constitute the bulk of academia, and their struggles for a better university system were demonstrated through frequent industrial action: the “infamous” ASUU Strike. The glorious TETFUND interventions across tertiary institutions are the fruit of the...
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Nigerian Universities on the Rise Again: Salute to the FGN and Academia

 Nigerian Universities on the Rise Again: Salute to the FGN and Academia II By Prof. MK Othman As humans, we are forgetful, but we should not forget the recent decline and devastating deterioration of Nigerian universities before the current political dispensation under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Repeated disruptions fractured research agendas and instilled in students an educational culture where prolonged strikes were expected rather than exceptional; a four- or five-year academic program can stretch to six to eight years, with staff and students as the primary victims and the nation the ultimate loser. The 2009 FGN-ASUU imbroglio has a long history, culminating in 13 months of cumulative industrial action between 2010 and 2025 and 21 months between 2015 and 2023, amounting to a loss of two years and ten months of academic activities on the university campuses. The costs and consequences of the FGN-ASUU crisis in those years were devastating and indescribable, and they contribu...
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Nigerian Universities on the Rise Again: Salute to the FGN and Academia

 Nigerian Universities on the Rise Again: Salute to the FGN and Academia By Prof. MK Othman The most gratifying news for the Nigerian university system was the release of the 2027 Times Higher Education (THE) Rankings results last week, which placed some Nigerian universities on a higher pedestal than some African, European, and United States universities. We can vividly recall that in the 2020 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, only Covenant University, Ota, fell within the top 500 globally. By the 2023 edition, a broader Nigerian movement was evident, recording the largest improvement in average overall score in Africa among countries with at least five institutions ranked: Twelve of our universities were ranked in the 1000 band, which was twice the previous number; the Universities of Ibadan and Lagos were in the 500 band. The 2026 rankings, released in October 2025, listed 24 Nigerian universities, with the Universities of Ibadan and Lagos, Covenant Univers...
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My Odyssey to Saudi Arabia and Crying for my Nigerianness

 My Odyssey to Saudi Arabia and Crying for my Nigerianness By Prof MK Othman Two holy cities, Makkah and Madina, in the heart of Saudi Arabia, are the most cherished and pious towns, visited by millions of Muslims. Each visit brings greater contentment and an irresistible desire to return again and again. During each visit, one cannot help but be amazed and stunned by the incredible, supersonic level of infrastructural development. We must salute Saudi Arabian authorities, who are fully aware of the enormous spiritual responsibilities placed on the country as the world center for Muslims. For a Muslim, performing Hajj, which is performed only in Makkah and Madina, is not just a personal choice but an obligatory duty for those who are able. The nostalgia of standing before the Holy Ka’aba, the divine house of Almighty Allah, is so powerful that one can't help but raise their hands in prayer to return to that moment. Yes, whenever you're saying goodbye to Saudi Arabia, one of you...
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Beyond the Dance: Lessons from Osun 2026 for Nigeria 2027 II

 Beyond the Dance: Lessons from Osun 2026 for Nigeria 2027 II By Prof. M.K. Othman “What really happened during the 2026 Osun gubernatorial election, and what are the implications for the 2027 national elections?” was posed as the closing sentence of the first part of this piece last week. Before then, it is important to understand the context and complexity of the Osun gubernatorial election as a rare scene happening in Nigeria’s political space – a lesson for 2027.  The context makes the outcome more interesting. Adeleke was originally elected governor on the PDP platform but left the party amid its prolonged leadership crisis and joined Accord in November 2025. Before his arrival, Accord was an unknown party and hardly an electoral colossus in Osun: it had no members in the State House of Assembly and controlled no local government councils. To be fair, however, it would be misleading to portray Adeleke as a lone man carrying an empty political shell. Much of his political ...
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Beyond the Dance: Lessons from Osun 2026 for Nigeria 2027

 Beyond the Dance: Lessons from Osun 2026 for Nigeria 2027 By Prof. M.K. Othman   I have been itching to write about the 2026 Osun gubernatorial election. Still, work pressure, political sensitivity, and the Nigerian tendency to condemn people based on their names, ethnicity, religion, etc., kept me from writing until the desire became irresistible. When the campaign for the Osun election was at its peak, I told one of my wives (don’t mind my polygamous nature) that I am keenly interested in the process and outcomes of the Osun election; she waved it off as a non-event: reelection of a dancing governor? What does he do except dance at the slightest opportunity? How can he win against the ruling party at the center? Well, I ignore her being apolitical and knowing very little about the dancing nature of the southwest leaders. My leader-figure from the southwest, whom I respect so much and have written about twice in my column and my book, “Three Decades of SAA: Fight Against Hun...
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Nigerian Road Accidents: “New Norms” Adoption and Docility of FRSC Officers

 Nigerian Road Accidents: “New Norms” Adoption and Docility of FRSC Officers By Prof MK Othman A few years ago, on my way to Sokoto, I met a stern-looking Road Safety Officer at the rail crossing of Tsafe town, Zamfara State, who demanded my vehicle’s particulars, which I delivered promptly. After examining the particulars, he demanded a triangle and a fire extinguisher, which I provided. When he found nothing amiss, he tried to operate the Extinguisher and, in the process, broke the pressure head. We looked at each other, and he profusely apologized.  While the scene was being played, an overloaded commercial car passed by, its passengers and goods crammed in at three times the vehicle's capacity. The Road Safety officer pretended not to see the vehicle by looking the other way. I collected my particulars and drove away without uttering a word. Another time, a Road Safety officer stopped me in Funtua, Katsina State, and demanded to see my driving license, which I handed over ...
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