ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi –
An Associate Professor of Political Science, Federal University, Lafia, Nasarawa state, George Genyi, has stated that Nigeria has become “repressive and authoritarian” with corruption at its highest level.
He stated this while speaking at a ‘state of the nation summit’ organized by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Bauchi zone, with the theme: ‘Nigeria: The State of the Nation’ which was held at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi.
He said: “In many places, as Nigeria has turned out to be today, the Nigerian state has grown to such a level that it is not only corrupt, it is not only celebrating fraud, it has become repressive and authoritarian.
“Any small effort at challenging what they are doing as a follower, you first, have to think of what will be the outcome at the end of the day, and that is how repressive the Nigerian state has become. Let’s stop pretending about it,” he said.
Talking on restructuring, Genyi said that the regions in the country cannot grow at the same pace because they do not have the same capacity and resources.
He said: “No leadership should compel a part of the country to grow at the same pace with the other. I am a student of history, Northern Italy is more developed than Southern Italy and if you go to Germany, it is the same story.
“Allow each section of the country to grow at their own pace and they will realize what is most important for them to exploit and promote their growth.
“Don’t force every part of this country to grow at the same level, they will never be because they do not have the same capacity in terms of resources, in terms of human and others. That’s the way we need to restructure this country.”
According to him, if the country must move forward, the government has to have discussions with all the regions.
“I think we should begin a conversation, why are you afraid of talking? Just come and sit and talk, it is your problem. Societies don’t grow without conversations and when they converse, they find the elements of conversion and explore their resources to be able to move forward.
“We must have this conversations about this restructuring, if we do not, we will just be wasting our time,” he stated.
The Associate Professor opined that the university is not a place to generate money, but a place to generate knowledge advising lecturers that, “if you are not capable of that, please, walk away.”
He also lamented the current recruitment process of lecturers into universities across the country pointing out that it has been compromised and politicized.
Genyi said: “And this thing is compromised by the system because the quality of new generation of academics have no business in the university and they are employed by the system in a manner that is not acceptable as an employment process.
“Many of you get notes from politicians to come here, the Vice Chancellor can’t even stop you. I know a situation where somebody was interviewed in the university, he scored 40% not even 50% and the committee said ‘not employable’.
“A Vice Chancellor took his red pen, cancelled it and wrote: ’employable’. That guy was later dismissed from the university for sexual abuse. This are the kind of things happening in our universities today across the country. How do you control such an individual and then you turn around and blame ASUU.”
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