International Journal on Humanities and Social Sciences (IJHSS, Vol 16, No 1 March, 2020)||gubdjournals.org
THE HISTORY OF THE EMERGENCE OF PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES IN NIGERIA
Simeon Emenike Weli, Ph.D. Faculty of Technical and Science Education, Rivers State University, Nkpolu Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Abstract The demand for university education became so great in Nigeria during and following the oil-boom era that existing universities in the country could not offer admission to all. This and other factors discussed in this work led to the deregulation of higher education to give room to private sector participation. This paper examined the history of the emergence of private universities in Nigeria.
Introduction Private education is a reality and has been growing around the world together with globalization. Private universities are seen as the most vibrant and fastest growing sections of post secondary education in the 21st century (Altbach, 1999). These are some of the reasons why privatization of higher education is quick growing globally, especially in Nigeria. i. There are the deregulation policies of the governments on the provision of education and thus giving adequate opportunities for private participation in education. ii. There is the inability of the public sector to satisfy the growing social demand for higher education, hence the need for the private sector to expand students’ access to higher education. iii. Public education is criticized for inefficiency while the private sector is increasingly promoted for its efficiency in operation. iv. The demand for employment oriented courses and subjects of study had changed and public universities seem unable to respond adequately to this phenomenon, hence it becomes imperative that private sector should increase.
As the time of Third National Development Plan (1975-1980) and up to 1983 part of the Fourth National Development Plan Period (1981-1985), 23 Government Universities existed in Nigeria and few illegal private ones exited in the Southern Nigeria, Namely Imo Technical University, Pope John Paul University and many private Colleges of Education and Technologies. The 1979 constitution returned higher education to a concurrent list; to that effect state government took advantage of that and began to establish universities. Of the 37 Government universities in Nigeria as at 1996, 25 were fully controlled by the Federal Government, while State Governments control 12. Consequently, the 1979 constitution allowed for private ownership of universities, but there was a law or guidelines to regulate the mode of their establishment. As a result, “strange phenomenon began to appear and that is the private sector investing in the establishment of private universities” (Oladapo 1988:64). These universities began springing up in every part of the country, non-approved by the governments and without any appropriate body under government regulation to endorse their approval. As documental by Oladapo, the number of these private universities established or proposed as at January 1984 was 26. The reason for such growth within a six months period, stemmed from the Supreme Court ruling in 1983 in favour of Dr. Ukaegbu in government litigation challenging the legal right of his operating a private university.
Imo Technical University Dr. Ukaegbu in the 1980s established and operated a private university at Owerri in Imo State called Imo Technical University. Owerri is a big city in the former Easter Region where demand for university education was very high in the 1980s. The university was doing well, but was branded illegal and
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challenged in the court. The case went to the Supreme Court which then ruled in 1983 that it was perfectly legal for an individual or private concerns to establish private universities or at least that there is nothing in the Constitution and the laws of Nigeria preventing the establishment of private universities. “The supreme Court however did accept that the National Assembly could legislate on the quality of the programs offered in such institutions” (Oladapo 1988:64).
Military Incursion But as soon as Buhari seized power in a military coup on 31 December 1983, he promulgated Decree 19 of 1984, which became effective from 9 February 1984, which abolished and closed down all private universities. The Decree further prohibited any further establishment of private Universities by person or persons, corporate or incorporate, it provided for the contravention of its provisions (National Universities Commission Annual Report 1995, p.2). However, in 1993, Babangida’s regime preparing to relinquish governance later that year, and possibly contemplating involvement in the business of owning private universities in the near future, embarked on repealing, amending and setting new decrees in respect to higher education. One of such was Education Decree No 9 of 1993 which amends Education Decree 1985 (which set Minimum National Standards for Establishment of institutions) and repealed Decree N0. 19 of 1984 titled “The Private Universities (Abolition and prohibition) Decree 1984”. In the repealing of this last Decree, establishing universities and other higher institutions of learning was no more exclusively for Federal and State governments; rather Local Government, Companies incorporated in Nigeria, and individuals who citizens of Nigeria and who satisfy the criteria for the establishment of a university are entitled to proceed. The repealing decree further provided that application for the establishment of an institution of higher education generally shall be made to the Minister of Education and specially in the case of a University, through the National Universities Commission (ibid, p4).
List of Private Universities in Nigeria
Table 1: List of Private Universities in Nigeria
S/N PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES
1 Achievers University, Owo
2 Adeleke University, Ede
3 Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti – Ekiti State
4 African University of Science & Technology, Abuja
5 Ajayi Crowther University, Ibadan
6 Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin
7 Al-Qalam University, Katsina
8 American University of Nigeria, Yola
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9 Augustine University
10 Babcock University,Ilishan-Remo
12 Bells University of Technology, Otta
13 Benson Idahosa University, Benin City
14 Bingham University, New Karu
15 Bowen University, Iwo
16 Caleb University, Lagos
20 Covenant University Ota
21 Crawford University Igbesa
23 Edwin Clark University, Kaigbodo
24 Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin
25 Evangel University, Akaeze
26 Fountain Unveristy, Oshogbo
27 Godfrey Okoye University, Ugwuomu-Nike – Enugu State
28 Gregory University, Uturu
29 Hallmark University
30 Hezekiah University, Umudi
31 Igbinedion University Okada
32 Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji-Arakeji
33 Kings University
34 Kwararafa University, Wukari
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35 Landmark University, Omu-Aran.
36 Lead City University, Ibadan
37 Madonna University, Okija
38 Mcpherson University, Seriki Sotayo, Ajebo
39 Micheal & Cecilia University
41 Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja
42 Novena University, Ogume
43 Obong University, Obong Ntak
44 Oduduwa University, Ipetumodu – Osun State
45 Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos
46 Paul University, Awka – Anambra State
47 Redeemer’s University, Mowe
48 Renaissance University, Enugu
49 Rhema University, Obeama-Asa – Rivers State
51 Salem University, Lokoja
52 Samuel Adegboyega University, Ogwa.
53 Southwestern University, Oku Owa
54 Summit University
55 Tansian University, Umunya
56 University of Mkar, Mkar
57 Veritas University
58 Wellspring University, Evbuobanosa – Edo State
59 Wesley University. of Science & Technology, Ondo
60 Western Delta University, Oghara Delta State
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61 Christopher University Mowe
62 Kola Daisi University Ibadan, Oyo State
63 Anchor University Ayobo Lagos State
64 Dominican University Ibadan Oyo State
65 Legacy University, Okija Anambra State
66 Arthur Javis University Akpoyubo Cross river State
67 Cn Hill University Eiyenkorin, Kwara State
68 Coal City University Enugu State
68 Clifford University Owerrinta Abia State
69 Admiralty University, Ibusa Delta State
70 Spiritan University, Nneochi Abia State
71 Precious Cornerstone University, Oyo
72 PAMO University of Medical Sciences, Portharcourt
73 Atiba University Oyo
74 Eko University of Medical and Health Sciences Ijanikin, Lagos
75 Skyline University, Kano
76 Greenfield University, Kaduna
77 Dominion University Ibadan, Oyo State
78 Trinity University Ogun State
79 Westland University Iwo, Osun State
The Early Approved Private Universities in Nigeria Following the decree, by May1999, the National Universities Commission received a total of 60 applications from prospective proprietors requesting approval for their respective universities. In all, registration was granted to three and certificates of approval presented to the proprietors. Babcock University in Ogun State is owned by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Babcock was the first white America Seventh-day Adventist missionary to Nigeria in around 1914 who settled in Erunmu in Ibadan where he carried on missionary activities (Aborisade 1999). Madonna University in Anambra State is owned by the Catholic Church and Igbinedion University in Edo State is owned by Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, a multi-millionaire businessman from Edo State. Babangida, an ex-Nigerian military Head of 91 | P a g e International Journal on Humanities and Social Sciences (IJHSS, Vol 16, No 1 March, 2020)||gubdjournals.org
State, received partial approval to continue operating his Heritage University in Kaduna State “Explaining the non-granting of certification to Heritage University, the education minister, told the gathering of business and educationists that Heritage University based in Kaduna has only been given provisional approval but will not be presented with registration certificate until a time it is deemed fits to do so” (Ugbolue 1999).
Reasons for the Establishment of Private Universities in Nigeria The positive impact and role that private universities had on the socio-economic and educational advancement of Nigeria can-not be exaggerated (Isibor, 2011; Osho, 2012). The sporadic cases of strike actions, irregular academic session, insecurity, cultism and so on, were the bane of public universities. Subsequently, Nigeria universities certificates lost their once highly rated credibility in foreign countries. All these factors led to Federal Government deregulation of Nigeria university system to give room to private sector participation. Some of the gains of private universities include; i. The entrance of private universities has brought stability into the system. ii. The inability of JAMB and the existing public universities to be able to absorb the teeming youth population that needed university education is another factor. This assertion was supported by Ajadi (2010) who was of the view that private universities have also reduced admission pressure on public universities. Private universities have closed this gap. iii. Private universities have also raised academic standard and moral values in the nation’s ivory towers. iv. It has equally improved quality delivery of education. v. They have restored sanity and discipline into the system and have reduced industrial action drastically in the system. vi. The private universities have proved to be a big challenge to the public universities in some areas they have made remarkable success. vii. Establishment of private universities has also brought about employment opportunities to Nigerians. viii. The institution of private universities has aided government in the funding of education.
Conclusion It is on record that as of 2020, there were 79 private universities (see table 1 above) in Nigeria, 43 Federal Universities and 48 public. Names of some Private Universities in Nigeria are; Achievers University Owo, Adeleke University Ede, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, African University of Science and Technology, Abuja, Ajayi Crowther University, Ibadan, Al-Hikimah University Ilorin, Al-Qalam University Katsina, American University of Nigeria Yola, Augustine University, Babcock University, ilishan-Remo, Baze University, Bell University of Technology, Otta, Benson Idahosa University, Benin city, Bingham University, New Karu, Bowen University, Imo, Caleb University Lagos, Caritas University Enugu, Chrisland University, Covenant University Otta, Crawford University Igbesa, Crescent University, Edwin Clark University, Kaigbodo and many more.
References Oladapo, I. O. (1988). The Emergence of State and Private Universities. In A.U. Kadiri (ed.), 25 years of Centralised University Education in Nigeria, Lagos: National Universities Commission, pp.59-72. National Universities Commission, Abuja (1995). Annual Report, p 2, 3, pp 45-47. Aborisade, Olademeji (1999). Additional Universities: hope for the New Candidate”. Nigeria Web, letters and Viewpoints on Nigeria, Friday, 14 May, 1999. Ugbolue, Henry (1999). Government Stops IBB’s Varsity. P. M. News, May 10, 1999.
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