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Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, immediate past vice-chancellor of Lagos State University (LASU), says public universities across the country will have to charge N1 million tuition per student in order to sustain financial independence.

Olatunji-Bello spoke in an interview with Punch, where she reflected on her five-year tenure in LASU, which ended on Saturday.

The professor of physiology, who was appointed as vice-chancellor of the university in 2021, said her tenure recorded some achievements and challenges, one of which borders on funding.

She said LASU currently has a monthly payroll of over N1 billion, while its internally generated revenue (IGR) of N13 billion is insufficient to cover salaries.

According to her, universities seeking financial self-sustainability would have to increase their fees substantially to meet the cost of running the institutions.

“Universities can achieve financial self-sustainability. If they can innovate and ensure improvements in the institution, money will come in,” she said.

“But then, if the money comes in, how do you spend it? Right now, LASU does not have financial self-sustainability.

“We may have increased our dedicated revenue, but we cannot survive. Our payroll right now is over N1bn per month. All the N13bn IGR does not cover our salaries.

“So, universities that want to attain self-sustainability will have to increase school fees into millions.”

The professor said while secondary schools charge over a million per term, some universities still charge about N100,000 per year, which according to her, isn’t sustainable.

“So, any public university that wants to sustain financial independence will have to charge school fees of not less than N1 million per student,” she said.

While noting that one can’t have academic excellence without paying for it, the ex-LASU VC urged parents to ensure their children are well-educated by prioritising their fees, adding that “good quality education needs money”.

Reflecting on her stint at LASU, Olatunji-Bello said the students’ union protest in 2024 over a N10,0000 payment demanded for computer-based testing (CBT) remains the lowest point of her five-year tenure.

She, however, described LASU’s ranking as the most subscribed university by UTME candidates in 2025 as one of the highest points.

“When JAMB declared that we were the most subscribed university by UTME candidates in Nigeria; that was great for me,” she said.

“And this year, 2026, we maintained that number one position. And not only did we maintain it, but we were even awarded N25m for maintaining compliance with JAMB regulations.”

She said all through the five-year stint, her administration introduced new programmes at the university, expanded its digital processes and explored other revenue-generating opportunities, which raised the IGR from N3bn to N13bn.

On September 10, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, appointed Badejo Olawumi, another female to succeed Olatunji-Bello in LASU.

According to a statement by Gbenga Omotoso, Lagos commissioner for information and strategy, Olawunmi, a professor of guidance and counselling, was born on August 4, 1962.

Olatunji-Bello’s remark comes amid growing public concerns over chronic underfunding plaguing public varsities in the country.

On September 9, Tunji Alausa, minister of education, urged vice-chancellors of public universities to diversify their sources of funding, saying government resources alone cannot sustain tertiary institutions.

Alausa noted that public institutions are sitting on enormous opportunities through their alumni, research grants, philanthropy, endowments and private-sector partnerships, but many have deprioritised the very structures needed to unlock them.

“To our Vice Chancellors: the era of waiting for the government to fund everything must end,” he said.

“Build the structures. Mobilise the resources. Strengthen your institutions. That is your responsibility, and it must become part of your legacy.”

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Not long ago, one of Nigeria’s most fearless and vocal men of God, Primate Elijah Ayodele, leader of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, made headlines as he spoke his mind like he always does. The highly respected and popular man of prophet criticized a group of bishops who publicly endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in 2027.

Ayodele claimed that the endorsing clerics were acting out of personal interest and “hunger” rather than divine instructions. And clearly, the globally renowned cleric was not just sounding off, he was speaking with a palpable sense of responsibility. Hear him:

“They just want to secure their next meal, and that is why they are singing the praises of the president. The president must exercise caution before expressing joy over the endorsement because it is totally fake.”

Ayodele also rejected claims that the endorsements were based on divine direction, accusing the bishops of invoking God’s name for personal gain.

“They are not doing it based on divine orders or God’s direction; there is no way God would give such direction. They are only lying on God’s name because of food; it’s such a bad thing that these Bishops reduced the name of God to this level,” he said.

As it is with most of his public statements, Primate Ayodele’s remarks gained traction and got to the hearing of the Bishops. Responding to the “hungry bishops” remark during a media appearance, the bishop (identified in reports as Archbishop/Bishop Chianson) pushed back against the claim. He stated: “Primate Ayodele, I need to inform you that I own diamond and gold mines in Liberia, and you can check this. So there’s no way, there’s no hunger in this.”

The clerics maintained that their endorsement of President Tinubu was based on their own assessments, scorecards, and leadership evaluations for the country, rather than a quest for financial favors. But Primate Ayodele neither believes him nor agrees with his defense.

In a private telephone conversation with the Prime Citizens Publisher, Primate Ayodele re-emphasised his earlier remarks and position on the matter. “First and foremost, I still maintain my earlier stand, the Bishops’ endorsement of Tinubu has no spiritual backing, they went to endorse the President on their own and for selfish reasons. And I have no apologies for saying this,” he stated with conviction.

“I am not going to dignify them with any response, we are not mates,” he further added. “What I have accomplished spiritually, they will still need a very long period of time to achieve. I am not a career Bishop like many of them are, I am not desperate for money like them or looking for handouts from the government. God has blessed me more than enough and he is still blessing me.”

“They are like juniors to me, I will not engage in war of words with them, rather we will call them into a room and speak sense to them. We will lecture them on how to get involved in matters of national interest. There is still a lot they need to learn about how to deal with politicians.”

If there is one prophet presently in Nigeria that has established himself clearly as an oracle, one that foretells accurately what the future holds for different prominent individuals and the country at large, that prophet is no other than Primate Ayodele Elijah, the founder and leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual church.

Over the years, he has distinguished himself as different from the rest of the crowd. He is a different breed of prophet. What stands him out distinctly is his ability to hear from the Lord and make prophecies long before they happen. This is why he has earned the right to declare that the endorsement of President Tinubu for a second term has no spiritual backing whatsoever.

Primate Ayodele has been a consistent critique of The President Tinubu administration. Whenever they are doing well in terms of their policies and reforms, he tells them so and when they are not meeting the expectations of the people, he also lets them know. He has no grudge to bear with President Tinubu unlike what many think, what he has a problem with is clerics lining up to Aso rock to collect handouts using the name of God.

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——As The Lawmaker offers Bursary to 84 Outstanding Students, Certificates In ICT To 1000 Others

The four-day grand finale of the Free training on information and computer technology, ( ICT) Programme sponsored by the Member Representing Enugu East/Isi-Uzo Federal Constituency, Hon. Prof. Paul Sunday Nnamchi, came to a successful conclusion on Sunday, 20th September, 2026 at St. Therese Parish, Phase Six, Trans-Ekulu, Enugu.

The programme, designed to equip young people with essential digital skills and improve their capacity to thrive in today’s technology-driven world, featured Bursary Awards to 84 outstanding students and presentation of certificates to over 1,000 students and youths drawn from communities across the constituency.

Highpoint of the colourful event was the presentation of a special “Award of Excellence” to Hon. Prof. Paul Sunday Nnamchi in recognition of his commitment to youth development, education and community empowerment by the St. Therese Parish, of Catholic Church, Phase Six, Trans-Ekulu, Enugu.

Presenting the award on behalf of the parish, Very Rev. Fr. Franklin Udeze expressed profound appreciation to Prof. Nnamchi for his numerous contributions to human capital development and what he described as his outstanding performance in the National Assembly. He prayed that God would continue to bless, guide and strengthen him in his service to the people.

In his response, Hon. Prof. Nnamchi appreciated the parishioners, youths and students for the honour and recognition, noting that God’s grace and their prayers had been his strength.

He stated further that, “one of his primary objectives in the National Assembly is to ensure that students across Enugu East/Isi-Uzo Federal Constituency acquire computer literacy and essential digital skills”.

Prof Nnamchi also emphasized that the world had become increasingly technology-driven and that young people must be adequately prepared to participate meaningfully in the global community.

Earlier, the Programme Coordinator, *Engr. Igwe Daniel Nwachukwu, praised the parents and guardians for entrusting their children and wards to the programme and for supporting their participation throughout the excise.

He encouraged the beneficiaries to make meaningful use of the knowledge and skills acquired, stressing that the true value of the programme would be demonstrated through their ability to apply what they have learned to improve their lives, create opportunities and contribute positively to society.

Delivering the Vote of Thanks on behalf of the beneficiaries, Miss Avian Chimeziterem expressed sincere appreciation to Hon. Prof. Nnamchi for remembering young people and providing them with such a valuable and impactful opportunity.

She thanked the lawmaker and resource persons for investing in their future and assured that they would make good use of the skills acquired during the one month intensive computer training programme.

The successful completion of the 4th edition, which trained 2,927 students marks another significant milestone in the lawmaker’s drive to promote digital literacy, youth empowerment and educational development in Enugu East/Isi-Uzo Federal Constituency.