Concern Parents of Federal University Lokoja has warned the Vice Chancellor of Federal University Lokoja, Kogi state not to turn the institution to an ethnic entity, stressing that the VC must address the issue of reckless and abnormal increase of tuition fee rather than chasing shadows, using his kinsmen.
Reacting to the statement credited to a group, The Mediators Forum, saying that the Call For Federal University Lokoja VC to be sacked is reckless, the representative of the parents, Alhaji usman Isezuo, said it’s unfortunate that some persons in the name of a tribal association is now coming to speak for the Vice Chancellor, even when they never participated in the agitation for an indigenous VC of the institution.
According to him, they left the issue of hike in school fee and are ranting over mundane issue of ethnicity.
“What we are saying in the agitation, is that in the whole northern states, Akinwumi is the only Vice Chancellor that has come up with the idea of an abnormal tuition fee increase.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we are not saying that the institution can’t increase school fees, but what we are saying is that this increase of over 300℅ is not only reckless to use their words, but inhuman, insensitive and without any recourse to the present economic realities in our country.
“If we may ask, who is Professor Akinwumi trying to impress. He came and increased acceptance fee from N10,000 to N20,000 within his first few months in office, no one complained. Now, he wants to increase accommodation from N20,000 to N60,000 and tuition fee from N55,000 to N188,000 and he expects parents to keep quiet. Did Professor Angela Miri the immediate Vice Chancellor acted like this before the people revolted. Your ethnic group will not help you in this matter.
“For those who do not have any child in FUL today, who are championing the said increase in school fee, posterity will not forgive you, for sponsoring the drop out of any child when it happened.
“If tuition fee was kept out of the reach of the poor people can Prof. Akinwumi gets to where he is today? He should know that God Almighty is watching, no matter the amount of empowerment or donation to the church.
“Our advise to him is to visit other universities established within the same period and other old generation universities, he will see that this effort is in futility.
“We are also aware that he is boasting that he will go ahead with the increase, saying that the people can’t do anything, someone appointed him, we will also get to the person.
“On a final note, we advise Professor Akinwumi to toe the part of honour by soft pedalling on the issue of abnormal tuition hike, because his ethnic group will not be able to save him when the chips are down.
