ENUGU— STUDENTS of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, yesterday briefed leaders of thought in the area and blamed the outbreak of the students’ protest in the institution on the Vice Chancellor, Professor Bartholomew Okolo.

They told the leaders, who facilitated the release of over 85 students detained by the police on Monday that Okolo rebuffed the leaders of the students’ union over 20 times, when they made moves to dialogue with him on the planned fees increases.
“Such efforts were over 20 times but at the end, the Vice Chancellor not only rebuffed us but also made himself completely unapproachable, unadvisable and his stand, non negotiable,” the aggrieved students told the leaders.

At the briefing which took place at Nsukka Civic Centre, the students disclosed that in one of their telephone calls to the VC, “he told us in unmistakable words that education is not for the poor and this highly provocative statement contributed in no small measure to fuelling the already angry emotions of the predominantly poor student population of the university.”

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/01/21/riot-education-not-for-the-poor-says-unn-vc/

But i guess he was rich during his scholarship days in the university after the civil war. That generation is the reason why we are where we are today. Lets kill them all.

over throw that generation

generation of ungrateful imbeciles

Those students are being economical with the truth.

All we have to go by is the words of the Students. I hope vanguard knows that this statement remains unverified hearsay unless the students recorded that call.

This is one of the reason Nigeria has failed as a country.

Professor Okolo exposed his naivety, ignorance and illiteracy. He failed to understand the failure in class systems around the world. He is one of the generations of leaders in Nigeria today who have failed woefully. People like Prof Okolo are educated illiterates in our society today. They have nothing good to offer, yet they are in leadership.

Poor or rich, we are all Nigerians. UNN was not made for the rich alone.

University of Nigeria, Nsukka is a Nigerian university unless Professor Okolo want everyone to understand and believe otherwise.

That man should be flogged for making such a statement. I can swear that this idiot of a man went to a missionary school when he was much younger and didn't even have to pay school fees.

What type of brash journalism is this?
That statement was not even made directly by the VC to the press.
Mod,please change the title on the front page.

if u read the profile of whoever made this statement,u d be shocked to see that his primary
education was from the missionary free of charge,secondary education perhaps by state govt (FOC)
university on schlorship by FG,free tuition,free accommodation,free quality 3 good meals a day,
upon graduation,3 coys beged for his signature.2 yrs into the job,FG scholarship for masters degree,
free everything all the way.

Now having benefited from the then organised nigerian govt freebies,what do they give to younger generations,
''educaction not for the poor" telephone not for the poor"bottle water is N100,so fuel per litre should cost more"
ungrateful and wasted generation.

May shonpon na the god of chicken pox strike him dead in Jesus name amen.

one would have tot a man of such high educational background
shd know aw to handle simple matters like this. this is wot u get when pple occupy positions, not on the basis of merit, but state of origin.
the likes of okolo by such unguided statements is arrogantly taken us
back to the dark days of the military when pple like david mark said
communication is not for the poor. its a big shame

The idiot is not ashamed of his self , Oloshi

Well the truth is that education is not meant to be cheap- when you dilute it and you want to have free education for everyone, what you get is what you have in Nigeria today, worthless piece of crap called certificates from the so- called public Universities, This is not about sentiment nor is it about playing to the gallery- Anything of good value and quality do not come cheap and education included. You can see the differences between pubic schools in Nigeria and private schools. I think if the prof made such statement as quoted in the thread- he should have been more tactful and not sound like he dislikes the poor, however the substance of the statement is that people will have to pay for what is good if they want it, simple!

he suppssedly got a scholarship to study
that's why the douchebag is ther ranting.
How much did is f.ucking poor farmer of a father paid to send him to school?
Now he has the guts to vomit poo from is mouth.
I dont blame you, dem don make you, VC now.
Useless greedy nigerian.
Oloshi ayan jati jati

otukpo:

THE VC MUST BE A LUNATIC TO SAY THAT.

HOW MUCH DID HIS FATHER HAVE FOR HIM TO GO TO SCHOOL.

AM SURE HE IS ONE OF THOSE THAT ENJOYED SCHOLARSHIP.

HE MUST BE SICK AND OUT OF HIS MIND.

WICKED AND GREEDY PPLE

You are right jare.The VC needs to have his brain examined

It seems the VC is trying to mimic the amount of money paid as school fees in Western countries. In the US, for e.g, Out-of-state tuition costs at least $4500 (~ N500,000 or more); In-state tuition is about $2000 (~ N300,00O or more) per year.
This means that many parents will have to start saving for their kid's college tuition right from the day the child is born 
But at least, when you visit these schools, you will see and understand immediately why the tuition is so high: they have good system of education with the best labs, research, infrastructure, professors, libraries, bathrooms, in-campus buses, housing, dorms, insurance, etc

So if Nigerian Universities should start accepting this same amount of school fees, can they boast of the same level and quality of education as Western Colleges?

No be only to talk for mouth say 'Education is not for the poor'. If them give am the money, wetin e go carry am do? That is the big question.

That's not unheard of. A one time Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo (Uniuyo) also said it. It is surprising because these are the same people that went to school courtesy of their local communities. Vagabond Criminals (VC) indeed!

Emperoh:

That statement is no big deal!!!
Ilochi Okafor SAN made such a statement on assuming office as the Vice Chancellor of UNIZIK in 2003
He got the students rage and yet came off it unscathed. . . .people were still surcharged for damage incurred during the riot
and still paid the new fee.  ,  . i see a similar scenario here. . . .who is better off?

Yes o! I remember Gomwalk, UNN VC in 1995/1996 did the same thing. He increased school fees by some outrageous percentage and students went on riot. They burned cars, broke windows, beat the guy up and put him in the hospital.
The students went home for 8 whole months. When school resumed, they had to pay reparation fees as well as the increased school fees.

In 2001/2002, Mbanefo, the new UNN VC did the same thing again. And the students reacted as predicted. They rioted. Again, another sit at home for 6-8 months or so.   When they returned, guess what? They paid the increased school fees and even had to legally squat another student on every bed. ie. one bed for two students. Imagine?

It's as if the VC's are doing this increase-school-fees thing on purpose. the reparation fees helps to enrich them even more than the school fees, so go figure!

I doubt if Bartho hav conscience. He believes he can lead UNN better by being egocentric.

The VC is a douche bag if he ever made such an utterance.

Lets hear from the VC before we render judgment.

nijaprince:

Lets hear from the VC before we render judgment.

if he said it, he will deny
if he dint, well no one wants to know.

Truth is really education comes with a price, wether we like it or not. but when the situation is such that a proposed price increase causes so much rancour, we have a problem. Even in developed countries, u are told as you get acceptance into college that tuition may increase every year due to inflation and the like.

If he said that, he is a cruel and venal man.

wtf thats an irresponsible statement to have been made by a vc

Another foo.l in office as VC,or slowpoke according to Seun

May God help us All

Education is not for the poor.
Communications is not for the poor.
Healthcare is not for the poor.
Infrastructure (power, roads, water, etc) is not for the poor.
Food is not for the poor. . .

. . . etc, etc is not for the poor. So what are the poor left with? The opportunity to die like dogs?