Admission to various higher institutions of learning in Nigeria is metaphorically a tug of war. Year-in year-out, an ever-increasing number of admission seekers duel themselves to exhaustion in order to secure a place in a university of their choice. Some of these desperate admission seekers often go spiritual: attending vigil, consulting oracle and eliciting the support of babalawo and dibia ' all in an attempt to go to school. Their parents are equally involved in the rat race as they, on their part, lobby possible people that could assist their children, as well as providing logistics.Currently, there are 124 universities in the country, 37 federally controlled, 37 state owned and 50 privately established. From these three categories, only the federal universities are open to the children of the poor as both state and private universities charge exorbitantly. An average tuition fee in many of the state universities is about N150,000 while a conservative amount of fee in private universities is between N350,000 and N400,000. Some private universities charge over N1,000,000 per session! Conversely, in most of the federal universities, tuition fee is less than N40,000.In spite of the wide gap in terms of charges, however, the issue of quality education is simply incomparable. While many of the federal universities can boast of worl-d class lecturers, whose intellectual clouts command global respect, a majority of the state and private universities rely on second degree holders, who are just cutting their academic teeth! For example, the nation's premier university, the University of Ibadan (UI) parades over 300 professors as academic staff whereas there are some private universities that could not boast of five professors!Obviously, these are some of the reasons that inform the decision of the admission seekers and their parents. They want quality education at an affordable rate. Any wonder that UI records a yearly admission subscription of about 60,000 when in actual fact; the university can only admit less than 5,000 candidates! Much as the caring Vice Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Folorunso Adewole would have wanted to admit more, carrying capacity of the 64 years old university would not allow more than it requires.Consequently, there is much pressure on all the Principal Officers and their Assistants during admission period. Parents and their children probably did not know that UI has conceptualised, operationalised and institutionalised a transparent admission process that does not allow anybody any room for manipulation. The guidelines are well spelt out. The intention of the university is to admit only the best.In fact, the UI admission model is so strict that even the VC who is the 'Commander-in-Chief' cannot dictate that a candidate of his preference must be admitted when such a candidate has not met the minimum entry requirement. For example, Prof. Adewole's cousin was not admitted last year as a result of competition, yet, the VC could not assist because the system disallows interference. While narrating his experience during admission period, Prof. Adewole said 'I offend many of my friends and relatives during admission because their children could not be admitted. They thought because I am the VC, I have powers to do anything. No, our system does not allow that' If the VC could not whimsically dictate to the system, how does one handle a particular parent who thought he could bribe his way through the institutionalised process and get his son admitted on account of power of dollar' Mr. Sule (not the real name) got my contact from the media and felt I could be an accomplice in his 'money can do all things' game. He wanted his son to be admitted by UI. Good desire, no doubt. But his method was fraudulent!Mr Sule acquainted himself with me so well and we started talking. Unconscious of his game, I promised to help, but on one condition that his son must work hard to pass the UI post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) test. I equally spoke with the son, urged him to gather all pastquestions and study them.As if appreciating my effort, Mr Sule sent me recharge cards, promising to do more when the boy gets in. No sooner the result was released than I went to check Mr Sule's son's result on net. I was dazed with what I saw: 24 per cent. Believing that 24 per cent I saw belonged to someone else, I called Mr. Sule to give me the full name of his son. Alas! It was the same. I was shivering. How do I break this bad news to my friend' With an exaggerated concern of a pseudo parent, I phoned Mr Sule, 'this guy really fumbled. What happened' He scored just 24 per cent! This is scandalous! This is very embarrassing! What frightened me most was Mr Sule's unperturbed reaction.'24 per cent'', he asked casually, 'I will call you back Mr Saanu' While I was still discussing the result with my Internet Assistant, Fatai Arisekola, Mr Sule called again. His next line of thought was as shocking as it was fraudulent. In a rather calm and cool manner, he proposed 'yes, my brother, how much do you think I can send to you' I want you to go and settle those who can inflate the 24 per cent!'For a few moments, I literally went blank. I was left curious and confused, wondering how a man could be audacious as to assault with me with an eyesore.I mustered up courage and began to enlighten him on how money, irrespective of the amount and denomination could not help his case in U.I. Mr Sule thanked me and hangedup. But Fatai seemed to have understood his mindset better than I did. Fatai postulated that he would still call back. He did. Like a victim of a deadly disease, longing for help and healing, he called. 'Hello, my brother, I am sorry disturbing you. I want this boy to study Law in UI and don't mind any amount, even if you want it in dollar, I will give you, just help me to see people, it is possible,' he said to my astonishment.I wish I recoded his voice for EFCC's action. It was at this point that I realised that Mr Sule has deluded himself into believing that he could bribe his way through any system. But he was wrong. Nobody collects money in UI to guarantee admission. In UI, as far as I know, everyone is an auditor of everybody.Nobody wants to lose his job over a dirty lucre. Admission process is free from filth. Why is this man thinking he could bribe people' This type of attitude makes insinuation inevitable. And, my inference from Mr Sule's action is that he must have bought school certificate result for his son at Oluwole Market. He did not know that some institutions like UI are corruption-free.Saanu wrote in from the University of Ibadan.
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