Don’t Turn Federal University Lokoja Into Ethnic Property, Group Warns VC

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By; ADAMA JOHN, Lokoja

A concerned group has warned the Vice Chancellor of Federal University Lokoja not to turn the institution to an ethnic entity, saying that the VC must address the issue of reckless and abnormal increase of tuition fees, rather than chasing shadows, using his kinsmen.

The group was reacting to a statement credited to a group, The Mediators Forum, saying that the call for Federal University Lokoja VC to be sacked is reckless.

The representative of the parents, Alhaji Usman Isezuo, said it’s unfortunate that some persons in the name of a tribal association is now coming to speak for the VC, even when they never participated in the agitation for an indigenous VC of the institution.

According to him, they left the issue of hike in school fees and are ranting over a mundane issue of ethnicity.

“What we are saying in the agitation, is that in the whole Northern states, Akinwumi is the only VC that has come up with the idea of an abnormal tuition fees increase.

“For the avoidance of doubt, we are not saying that the institution can’t increase school fees, but what we are saying is that this increase of over 300℅ is not only reckless but inhuman, insensitive and without any recourse to the present economic realities in our country.

“If we may ask, who is professor Akinwumi trying to impress. He came and increased acceptance fees from N10,000 to N20,000 within his first few months in office, no one complained. Now, he wants to increase accommodation from N20,000 to N60,000 and tuition fee from N55,000 to N188,000.

The group cautioned Prof. Akinwumi to guard against  those whose stock in trade is to ill advise, saying his predecessor, Professor Miri did not  act like this before the people revolted against her.

“Your ethnic group will not help you in this matter.

“If tuition fees were kept out of the reach of the poor people, can Prof. Akinwumi get to where he is today? He should know that God Almighty is watching, no matter the amount of empowerment or donation to the church.

“Our advise to him is to visit other universities established within the same period and other old generation universities to understudy them.

“We are also aware that he is boasting that he will go ahead with the increase, saying that the people can’t do anything, someone appointed him, we will also get to the person” the group said.

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