Vice-Chancellor of Wesley University Ondo, Prof. Samuel Sunday Obeka, has appealed to faith-based universities to consider slashing their fees considering the present economic situation in Nigeria.
Obeka also described as mischievous and spurious the allegation that the university owed its part-time lecturers salaries running to two years.
The Vice-Chancellor said WESLEY university owned by the Methodist Church was the first faith-based university in Nigeria to announce the reduction of its tuition fees by 50 percent, as part of its efforts toward contributing to the development of humankind.
Speaking at a press conference in preparation for the university’s 11th Convocation ceremony /Bishop’s reception and revival in Ondo State, tagged ”Faith of our Fathers”, the Methodist Church Bishop encouraged other faith-based institutions in the country to reduce their tuition fees as a humanitarian service to the poor.
Obeka said “There are a lot of economic challenges facing the people in Nigeria, we don’t need to make things more difficult for them. As a faith-based university, we are leading by example, which is why we have cut down our fees by 50% for some of our academic programmes. This is also done in fulfillment of the inception promise of our great university to give opportunities to all Nigerians for professional and academic development, thereby contributing to national development.
“Wesley University feels it is proper in times like this to reduce school fees while even federal institutions are increasing theirs.
“We have reduced fees for quite several academic programmes by 50% tuition fee. In the school of postgraduate studies, we have reduced all programme fees by 50% in the College of Natural and applied sciences such as geology and mining, mathematics, and other programmes. Also, all agricultural programmes have a 50% waiver.
This is to encourage our students, especially in times like this. In view of hardship occasioned by the oil subsidy removal which we are all conversant with,” he explained.
Responding to the allegation of owing emoluments of the part-time lecturers, the Vice-Chancellor said the general public needed to know they no longer encourage part-time lecturing at Wesley University.
His words “In the past, we used to have part-time lecturers who were engaged on a semester basis. Later, as a result of the decreased commitment of some of the part-time lecturers, management was not comfortable with the arrangement and had to disengage them. So, in line with the National Universities Commission’s
(NUC) the directive, we now have visiting lecturers instead. It is very unfortunate that some of the part-time lecturers are treading the path of blackmailing the university.
“I am not disputing that the university did not have challenges, but it is becoming a thing of the past. There have been lots of improvements in the university under my leadership and I thank God, the leaders of Methodist Church Nigeria, and our partners for their contributions to support our university. Before now, the university was a technology-only focused institution, but today it is a full-fledged conventional university, offering over 50 undergraduate courses and some postgraduate courses”, he added.
“To strengthen our academic programmes, we brought in some of the part-time lecturers who are serious and committed to full-time lecturing positions. They are doing well and enjoying promotion in the system. I can tell the world that Wesley University management does not owe any part-time lecturer any emolument, to the best of my knowledge. It is very important to note that before now, a committee was set up to look into the matter when I took over as the Vice-Chancellor because this is not the time, some claimed part-time lecturers are accusing the school of owing them emoluments”.
Obeka said some of the findings are very heartbreaking, there were no proper records or details of the activities of the part-time lecturers claiming owed emoluments.
“We are praying to God to forgive them for tarnishing the good image of the university by publishing lies against the management under my leadership established over a decade ago,” the Bishop said.
The Vice-Chancellor assured the general public that the university was doing fine and preparing for her 11th convocation ceremony.
