CLARIFYING THE CONTEXT: WHAT DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR OLATUNJI-BELLO ACTUALLY SAID ABOUT UNIVERSITY FUNDING AND SELF-SUSTAINABILITY
The Immediate-Past Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University, Distinguished Professor Ibiyemi Ibilola Olatunji-Bello, mni, NPOM, has been widely quoted across social media as saying that students must pay ₦1 million in fees for public universities to achieve self-sustainability. This quote, drawn from a recent interview with The Punch newspaper, has since generated considerable reaction online, with many commentators interpreting the statement outside its original context.
It is against this background that we consider it necessary to provide the full context and accurate perspective behind the widely circulated headline.
Distinguished Professor Olatunji-Bello’s remarks were made against the backdrop of Nigerians’ legitimate aspiration for university education that is genuinely comparable in quality to what is obtainable in other parts of the world, a standard that stands in sharp contrast to the comparatively low tuition fees currently charged by public universities in Nigeria.
Her central argument was that delivering the quality of undergraduate education Nigerians rightly desire costs, on average, approximately ₦1 million per student annually. Crucially, however, she did not suggest that this cost must necessarily be transferred wholesale onto students or their parents. This is precisely why, in response to the interview question on institutional self-sustainability, she began by stating: “Universities can achieve financial self-sustainability. If they can innovate and ensure improvements in the institution, money will come in.”
She went on to add: “I enjoin parents to ensure their children are well-educated by prioritising their fees. Good quality education needs money.”
Read in full, her position reflects a broader call for universities to pursue innovation and diversified revenue streams as the primary pathway to financial sustainability, while also reminding parents of the genuine cost implications of quality education, and encouraging shared responsibility rather than assigning that burden to any single party.
We urge members of the public, the media, and stakeholders in the education sector to engage with Distinguished Professor Olatunji-Bello’s complete remarks in their proper context, rather than isolated soundbites that do not accurately reflect the full weight and intent of her position.
Emmanuel Adeyemi
Media Aide to the 9th Substantive Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University
