The Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, has voiced his alarm over the escalating ethnic and religious bias in Nigerian universities, particularly in the northern region.

In an interview with Arise TV, Bishop Kukah lamented that numerous universities in the North have denied the Christian community the right to establish worship centers on campus. He also denounced the declining diversity and merit-based hiring practices within these institutions.

“A mosque was built at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I recently delivered a lecture in Calabar, where the Chief Imam of the University extended his congratulations,” Kukah noted. “However, in stark contrast, Usman Dan Fodio University, Bayero University, and other northern universities have barred the establishment of churches on their campuses.”

Kukah stressed that this religious intolerance is manifested in public life and has dire implications for the integration and development of students. “If universities fail to foster inclusivity and allow the construction of religious spaces, we face a serious problem,” he warned.

He further highlighted the decline of diversity and meritocracy in Nigerian universities, as ethnic and religious factors increasingly influence hiring decisions. “Once upon a time, Ahmadu Bello University employed lecturers from around the globe. Sadly, our universities have now become breeding grounds for ethnic and religious bias,” Kukah said.

“Federal universities are dominated by local candidates, and the presence of places of worship on campus has become a contentious issue,” he added. “I have contacted the Minister of Education and have a letter from the Nigerian University Commission, but northern universities have refused to implement the recommendation to allow for the construction of churches.”