‘Culture Of Absurdities’ — Ex-Education Minister Condemns Vice Chancellors’ Wives Trip To Turkey Amid ASUU Strike

A former Minister of Education, Prof. Tunde Adeniran, has slammed wives of vice chancellors of Nigerian public universities for planning a trip to Turkey amidst the strike action of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The women under the aegis of ‘Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities Spouses’ are planning to travel to Istanbul on a five-day conference and are to pay N1.5 million each for the trip.

A letter addressed to Vice Chancellors across public universities in the country had indicated that the trip was for “Leadership and Management Masterclass and Fellowship Induction for Spouses of Vice Chancellors, Women in Academics and Higher Education Leadership”.

But reacting in a letter he wrote to the Vice Chancellor of the Niger Delta University and Chairman of the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, Prof. Samuel Gowon Edoumiekumo, the ex-minister said the Vice-Chancellors’ spouses are insensitive and their association has no value whatsoever.

Adeniran wrote, “I came across a forthcoming program of the CVCNUS as advertised in the social media and I felt I should convey my opinion on it to you as a colleague and a very concerned citizen.

“I see it as an unnecessary fad springing from Nigeria’s culture of absurdities,” he said.

He added that for the women to gather under the umbrella of that committee was reminiscent of the military tradition of wives of officers association.

He accused them of being utterly insensitive to the situation in the country by organizing a conference whose objective he described as ‘suspect’.

“The association appears ill-conceived and may inadvertently contribute to depleting the resources of the universities
that are presently grossly inadequate. With this infatuation, it is logical to expect, very soon, the Association of Spouses of Provosts, Deans, and Heads of Departments.

“My dear VC, if some people have forgotten the essence of a University, I
i am sure we are aware that the Academic Staff Union of Universities are currently on strike and that negotiation with the Government has stalled.

“Our children are at home with no assurance that the Universities will soon be opened for academic activities”, he said.

The former Minister pointed out that given the above situation, the planned trip makes no sense.

“Given this situation, where is the sense in anybody organizing a conference for spouses with the attendant costs that would invariably be borne by the universities?” he asked.

He noted that if the association is allowed to stand, the nation should brace up for the sprouting of all manner of spouses’ associations.

“In my considered view, the Committee of Vice-Chancellors has been doing its best to add value to the administration of Nigeria’s University system. I am sure they can only get better under your able
leadership.

“However, the association of their spouses has no value to add and no reason for existence. If anything, it would lower the high esteem in which the Nigerian public holds the Committee of Vice-Chancellors,” he concluded.

THE WHISTLER earlier reported the planned trip of the VCs’ wives, where a statement by the Secretary-General of the Committee showed that each of the women would pay a sum of N1.5m to attend the programme, along with other details on the trip.