The head of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Sunday Echono, has expressed concerns about the negative impact of politics and corruption on the selection of Vice Chancellors in Nigerian universities. He pointed out that external influences, such as political interference and financial incentives, are undermining the quality of higher education by compromising the integrity of the leadership selection process.
Echono highlighted how the involvement of politicians in sponsoring Vice Chancellor candidates has localized university administration, diminishing the autonomy of these institutions. He also raised alarm over the trend of financial inducements targeting members of governing councils, turning the competition for leadership positions into a profitable venture.
The TETFund boss emphasized the need for universities to have greater autonomy to shield them from political interference and ensure transparency in the selection of leaders. He called for accountability at every stage of the process to uphold integrity and meritocracy.
In his address at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri’s convocation lecture, Echono stressed the importance of strengthening university autonomy and implementing clear selection criteria to restore credibility to the leadership selection process. He received recognition from the university community for his contributions to the development of FUTO.