Tinubu promises to increase university education from four to eight years

BY: News Peddlers 

Bola Tinubu

Mr Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, promised on Thursday to double the duration of university education in the country from four to eight years, saying Nigerians should elect him to enable him to carry out his promise.

"Those of you in school, write it down," Mr Tinubu told Nigerian youth on Thursday afternoon during a campaign stop in Osogbo. "If you spend more than eight years in school, you're a bastard. You'll be in school for the next eight years."

Mr Tinubu's remarks could be interpreted as insensitive in a country beset by unnecessary academic year delays caused by strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other tertiary education bodies.

Mr Tinubu's pledge represents a change from long-standing academic programmes in Nigerian universities, which typically last four years, with the exception of highly specialised studies such as law and medicine, which last five and six years, respectively.

The remark has fueled further criticism on social media from Nigerians who believe Mr Tinubu's deteriorating physical health has impaired his mental awareness and that he should be barred from running for the country's highest office.

A spokesperson for Mr Tinubu's campaign did not respond to requests for clarification on his remarks.

In recent months, Mr Tinubu has made remarks that appeared to disparage Nigerian youth. While running for the ruling party's presidential nomination, he promised to conscript 50 million Nigerian youth into the military, saying they would thrive on corn, cassava, and other farm produce while protecting the country.

He did not, however, explain how his proposal would help modernise the country's military infrastructure, which has been ranked as one of the most backward in the world.

Peoples Gazette