No less than 239 first-class graduates wey UNILAG employ as lecturers don comot from the school within seven years.

Na the former Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, talk this one on Tuesday when he dey speak as guest lecturer for The PUNCH Forum wey dem do for The PUNCH Place, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. The theme na “Innovative Funding of Functional Education in the Digital Age.”

Ogundipe yarn say between 2015 and 2022, UNILAG employ 256 first-class graduates as lecturers, but by October 2023, na only 17 still dey work for the school. He say the rest don resign because the pay no good, work condition no dey okay, and motivation low.

He talk say, “For UNILAG, we decide say make we dey employ people wey get first-class. But wetin remain now no reach 10 percent. All of dem don go. One day, I tell the person wey dey in charge make he give me the full gist.

“For 2015, we employ 86; 2016, 82; during my time from 2017 to 2022, we employ 88. But by October 2023, na only 17 still dey ground. Dem don waka. If we no do something, very soon, in the next 10 years, na only women go dey universities.”

He warn say if government no fund education well, universities go full with only women and people wey no ready go dey enter postgraduate programs.

He still talk say, “Many of us don tire. When you reach house, no light. Federal Government dey talk say dem wan give us N10m loan. Wetin I wan use N10m build? Security post?

“How you wan encourage dem? Many of our young lecturers don tire. The sad part be say two things fit happen soon: women go full universities like secondary schools, and people wey no suppose do postgraduate go dey enter.”

Ogundipe cry out say government no dey fund education well. He talk say both federal and state budget for education no dey reach 10 percent, and UNESCO recommend between 15 to 26 percent.

He beg lawmakers make dem pass law wey go make sure say every first-generation university dey collect at least N1bn every year to fix infrastructure wey don spoil.

He talk say many universities dey depend on money wey dem generate by themselves, and that kind money suppose go into research.

Ogundipe, wey be Pro-Chancellor of Redeemer’s University for Ede, Osun State, still complain say infrastructure, technology, lecturer salary, research support, and digital tools for universities don either overstretch or no dey at all.

Between 2015 and 2025, Nigeria education sector don suffer serious money wahala. Even though government dey increase budget small small, the money wey dem dey allocate still dey below 10 percent most years, e dey float between 4.5 to 7.5 percent.

Because of this underfunding, the effect don show sharp sharp: Nigeria get the highest number of children wey no dey go school for the whole world, dem estimate say e dey between 10 to 22 million. For primary school level, over 60 percent of the money dey go teacher salary, and small or nothing dey remain for building, innovation or better learning tools.

Ogundipe talk say make we no depend only on government money. He suggest say make we try other ways like partnership between government and private people, alumni wey go donate, rich people wey go give, education bonds, using digital platforms well, and linking money to results wey we fit measure.

He talk say UNESCO believe say innovative financing na key to solve the $100bn yearly money gap wey dey stop education progress for poor countries.

He list plenty ideas wey fit help education: like sharing risk and reward for building school infrastructure, investors wey go get their money back only if the school perform well, money wey go support EdTech and new school ideas, using Nigerians wey dey abroad to invest, swapping debt for education, grants for education technology, donations from companies, and training wey go help both business and reputation.

Ogundipe beg both state and federal government make dem increase education budget. But he also talk say private sector, alumni, civil society, religious groups, and donor organisations get big role to play.

He say private companies suppose see education support not just as charity but as smart investment to build tomorrow workforce, talent and market. Make dem invest not only in buildings, but also in people, curriculum and research wey go help Nigeria grow.

To alumni wey don graduate, both home and abroad, he say make una remember say the school wey build una now need una help. Make una give, mentor, donate, advise and speak up for una school and the next generation.

To civil society and religious bodies, he say make una continue to fight for equal chance and better school for everybody. To Nigerian media, he say make una lead the talk, demand change, report with boldness and make education funding top priority.

To international and donor agencies, he say make una partner with Nigeria, but make we also learn to raise our own money and build strong institutions. Finally, he tell every Nigerian say make we see education as sacred trust wey we suppose pass to our children. Our names, our effort, our legacy suppose dey inside library buildings, digital labs, scholarships and lives wey don change.