Former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi has revealed the reason he decided to donate ₦20 million to the University of Calabar School of Dentistry.
He explained that he made the donation to alleviate the burden on students.
Obi lamented that the government had neglected what he described as students’ most basic educational needs, while political leaders lived in opulence.
Speaking at the Calabar Airport, the former governor of Anambra State said, “The situation in UNICAL is a direct reflection of failed leadership. We cannot continue to allow our children to bear the brunt of our political blunders.
“We spend millions on luxury for political office holders, yet young Nigerians pursuing education lack the most basic tools. It shouldn’t be so.”
According to Obi, the situation at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Calabar, was a glaring case of leadership failure in Nigeria’s education sector. He said the ₦20 million donation was to support the upgrade of critical infrastructure in the faculty.
“This token is to help procure 15 additional dental chairs, a key requirement set by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria for expanding the faculty’s student intake,” he said.
He urged the authorities to consider the plight of the affected students, whose academic progress had been severely hampered by inadequate facilities.
Obi called on other well-meaning Nigerians and leaders to support institutions like UNICAL, insisting that the country’s future depends on how well its citizens are educated and empowered.