Senior Advocate of Nigeria and human rights activist Mr Femi Falana has described the six years of Governor Abiola Ajimobi led administration as a total failure in the area of education in Oyo State.
Mr Falana made the statement yesterday while delivering a lecture on ‘THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION AND THE CHALLENGE OF KNOWLEDGE PRODUCTION IN NIGERIA’ at the 2017 class of philosophy graduation of the Dominican Institute, Samonda Ibadan.
He said ‘ How can a Governor that said he is a progressive person , who believe in the legacy of late Obafemi Awolowo treat students by saying ‘I am a constituted authority, you have to come and beg me before I reopen the Schools.’ Falana also mentioned that,’ Ladoke Akintola university that is supposed to be one of the best University in the World has turned to glorified secondary school under his watch’. He added that ‘Oyo State was 26th in last year’s WAEC’.
Mr. Femi Falana said ‘Oyo state as a pace setter state has nothing to show in the last 6 years in education’, adding that ‘Oyo State owned institutions go in and out of strike’. Similarly, Mr. Falana mentioned that ‘No tertiary institution owned by Oyo State has been in there best in the last six years ‘.
Education he said has to be accessible, adaptable and available to every Nigerian child at least to junior secondary level as stipulated in the Child Rights Act of 2004.
He also said ‘Some Governors in Nigeria think they are doing Nigerians or their people a favour by giving free education. It is not a favour it is their right as a citizens’.
Speaking further, Mr Falana said that our past and present administrations have failed in terms of providing qualitative education by not adhering to UN standard of 26 percent of the total budget allocation to education.
‘We cannot continue like this, we must all hold our leaders, governors and the ruling class accountable if Nigeria must move forward.’
