The National President (Worldwide) of the University of Ibadan Alumni Association, Professor Gabriel Nyityo, has called for increased funding of public universities in the country.
Nyityo, who said this shortly after the election of Professor Emmanuel Emasealu and others as new executive of the Rivers State Chapter of the Association in Port Harcourt, said public universities need to be properly funded to enable them undertake more researches.
He observed that while some public universities are doing their best, some are set up as public infrastructures in communities.
According to him, “a university is a university, each one thriving in excellence, whether public or private, but in this tradition we first have public universities, and tradition die hard. So, we are always inclined to feeling that public universities are better because they have the capacity, both human and physical resources, and a good number of them are doing very well.
“But then, they are also public universities that are setup like social infrastructure facilities for rural dwellers. Those kind of universities, unless they upgrade, they remain social amenities for rural dwellers and so they are not global.
“However, there are also excellent private universities. Some are very small, but contributing their best and also big and they are also contributing their best.
“Though in Nigeria we do know that much of the research-based post graduate research are being done by public universities, so they are still leaders”, he said.
Nyityo also said while public universities are doing their best, their private counterparts are also doing their best, stressing the need for government to put more money in the public universities to enable them discharge their responsibilities to the society.
He said the University of Ibadan, which is the first in the country, will continue to lead the way in terms of innovation and breakthroughs in technological research, and described the Rivers State Branch as the most vibrant in the country.
Meanwhile, former Senator Andrew Uchendu, , and the former Vice Chancellor of the Rivers State University (RSU), Professor Simeon Achinewhu, have hailed the emergence of Prof Emmanuel C. Emasealu as the new Chairman of the University of Ibadan Alumni Association (UIAA), Rivers State Branch.
The duo, who spoke shortly after the election, said the Rivers State Chapter of the Association has chosen the right person to pilot its affairs.
They also called for support to enable the new executive succeed.
The election was observed by the President of the University of Ibadan Alumni Association (UIAA) Worldwide, Prof Gabriel Nyityo, and other national officers that included the association’s 1st Assistant Secretary, Chief Uchemadu Abosi, and a former UIAA President.
It would be recalled that Prof. Emasealu, who was recently inducted into the Academy of Letters, leads a new Rivers UIAA executive team that includes, Mr. Mitayire Ajari as Vice Chairman; Barr. Goodluck M Ezikwa, Secretary; Barr. Chinedu Asuzu, Assistant Secretary; and Obiageli Egwudike Igwe as Treasurer.
The rest are, Christiana Lango Kalu, Financial Secretary; Kelechi Nwaucha, Public Relations Officer; Victoria Owoleke, Social Secretary; and Barr. Sarah Emmanuel-Apia, Legal Officer.
The new Rivers UIAA Chairman, Professor Emmanuel Emasealu, later told reporters that the association is blessed with professionals and prominent alumni, who have and are still contributing to the development of the state.
“In the first place, I would like to observe that UIAA worldwide was very much represented at this occasion.
“That is a statement, a very loud statement about the seriousness of the association.
“Two, I would like to state that we have a group of committed individuals, notable figures in society”, he stated.

By: John Bibor