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| Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello |
Following public outcry and heated debates across social media, Emmanuel Adeyemi, media aide to the immediate-past Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University (LASU), Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, has issued a statement clarifying her recent remarks regarding tertiary education funding.
The controversy stems from a recent interview published by The PUNCH, during which the former Vice-Chancellor reflected on the financial mechanics required to achieve quality higher education in Nigeria. Reports and social media commentary quickly circulated, alleging that Prof. Olatunji-Bello was advocating for public universities to charge students a compulsory annual tuition fee of ₦1 million.
Addressing the issue on Wednesday, Adeyemi expressed concern over the deliberate misinterpretation of his principal’s comments, noting that isolated soundbites had been extracted to create a narrative that does not reflect her true intent or academic vision.
According to Adeyemi, Prof. Olatunji-Bello’s statement was made against the backdrop of Nigerians’ legitimate desire for global-standard university education. She had noted that the realistic operational cost of providing high-quality, world-class undergraduate training averages approximately ₦1 million per student every year.
"Crucially, however, she did not suggest that this cost must necessarily be transferred wholesale onto students or their parents," Adeyemi emphasized in his official press release.
He explained that the former Vice-Chancellor’s wider message was focused on institutional self-sustainability and financial innovation. While addressing the financial challenges higher institutions face, Olatunji-Bello highlighted that public universities must explore alternative revenue streams, alumni networks, research grants, and private sector partnerships rather than placing the burden solely on tuition fees or waiting entirely on state subsidies.
During the original interview, when asked how institutions could navigate structural self-sustainability, she noted: "Universities can achieve financial self-sustainability. If they can innovate and ensure improvements in the institution, money will come in."
She went on to urge parents to treat education as a critical investment, encouraging a shared responsibility approach among governments, university boards, parents, and private stakeholders to fund quality education effectively.
Adeyemi noted that comparing university tuition—which often sits around ₦100,000 annually—with fees in private secondary schools (often exceeding ₦1 million per term) was meant to illustrate the true economic cost of running higher institutions, not to propose an immediate fee hike for struggling households.
The spokesperson urged members of the press, education stakeholders, and the general public to engage with the complete context of Prof. Olatunji-Bello’s interview rather than sensationalized excerpts, reiterating her commitment to accessible, well-funded tertiary education across Nigeria.