Oronsaye's Report: What Government, Nigerians Should Know About Army University And Avoid Merger

“Education is the best friend. An educated person is respected everywhere. Education beats the beauty and the youth"- Chanakya

Arguably, the Nigerian Army University Biu conceived as a research-intensive and innovative institution for the transformation of the Nigerian Defence System to a 21st Century technology-driven force has become the toast of many as the first public university to contend with first class private universities in the country. And the reason is not far-fetched. 

Withing five years of debut, the institution has impacted the national socio-economic development framework through the provision of creative and innovative solutions in a rapidly changing and knowledge driven world.

And has successfully built five strong haven of faculties namely Arts, management and social sciences, natural and applied sciences, computing, Engineering Technology and Environmental sciences and has become the darling of many as first choice in JAMB.

NAUB provides a conducive teaching and learning environment in an environment once volatile and considered a hub of terrorism and ignorance. This university was able to achieve that by attracting high quality teaching and research staff, together with talented students; thus ensuring the availability of the much needed entrepreneurial ‘space’ as the platform for bottom up innovation. 

This facilitated the grooming of graduates during the first convocation with distinctive competence inducing key in the  21st century world of works skills that will distinguish them, and their degrees as top performers in the global  scene.

This unique university has become a centre of excellence for learning, research, and technological development that promotes excellence, ingenuity, creativity, and distinctive competence in intellectual outputs.

One of the uniqueness of the Federal University known as NAUB is the ability to fuse practical career preparation with a focus on creating positive change in our world.

Thus, such a lofty project of the founding fathers built on solid foundation should be preserved and not scrapped.

The mandate of the Nigerian Defence Academy is very specific: to produce young officers with first degrees for the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Navy, and the Nigerian Air Force. In some cases, the NDA assists the Police, Para-military agencies such as the Customs, Immigration, the Prisons, and Civil Defence Corps, as well as other security agencies to conduct training for their officers. On the other hand, the Nigerian Army University Biu is meant to produce skilled manpower (selected civilians and soldiers) with distinctive competence capable of meeting the security and technological challenges of the nation.

Secondly,  the admission policy is based on 75% civilian and 25% military/Paramilitary, security agencies, etc. The 75% civilian component will be spread to all 36 states of the Federation as well as FCT. 

Furthermore, the logistical challenges of merging two institutions with distinct cultures, academic programmes, and operational frameworks can not be underestimated. Integrating NAUB and NDA into a single entity would require significant restructuring, resource reallocation, and strategic alignment, posing a risk of disruption and inefficiency in the process.

While collaboration and partnership between educational institutions can yield benefits, it is crucial to recognise and respect the individual identities and purposes of NAUB and NDA. Preserving the autonomy and distinctiveness of each institution is essential to ensure that they continue to effectively serve their respective mandates and contribute meaningfully to the advancement of education and national security in Nigeria. A merger between NAUB and NDA would not only be impractical but could also undermine the unique strengths and contributions of these vital institutions.