The National University Commission, on Monday has threatened to with draw the licence of the university in two weeks if the university fails to close down it's Law faculty (program) and Post Graduate School allegedly run illegally.
The commission has also declared all certificates obtained by students from the two programmes illegal and would not be recognised for the purpose of employment or further studies, saying students undergoing courses in the programmes mentioned above do that at their own rick.
TRENDS by Bukchris got inside gist that the management had previously denied the development and asked students not to panic as the move was politically motivated. The Chairman of the university's governing board Prof. Jide Owoeye in a meeting with the students of the affected faculties was quoted telling students they had gotten some very invalid information. He also said the development was as a result of the rift between himself and the NUC's chairman.
Student of the affected faculties staged a peaceful protest in the university blocking the main entrances to the university campus and flying placards asking the university management to manage the situation to the best of their ability as they have invested millions, their time, and efforts into the program.
Professor Bichi said the NUC was miffed and embarrassed that in spite of several directives given to the management of Lead City University to close down the Law Faculty and the School of Postgraduate Studies, the institution had gone ahead to graduate students from the two schools.
Handing down the warning, he said: “The National Universities Commission maintains that the Postgraduate School and Faculty of Law of the Lead City University are illegal and must be closed down immediately. Failure will leave NUC with no option but to begin the process of closing down Lead City University.”
Meanwhile, the Director of Corporate Affairs and Communications of the institution, Dr Abayomi Owolabi, described the NUC’s position as not in the best interest of the development of the nation’s education sector, accusing the NUC’s executive secretary, Professor Okojie, of deliberately trying to frustrate the efforts of the institution. He appealed to the NUC boss to have the interest of the students and the nation at large at heart in the way he is handling the issue.
“It is our fervent hope that the appropriate authorities will call Professor Julius Okojie to order at this time. We are shocked and we regret the contradiction between the current posture of Professor Okojie and President Goodluck Jonathan’s much acclaimed policy of expanding access of Nigerians to university education,” he said.
Watch out for pictures from the protest here on TRENDS by Bukchris.
