Educational - Ozean Publications

European Journal of Educational Studies 2(2), 2010European Journal of Educational Studies 2(2), 2010ISSN 1946-6331© 2010 Ozean PublicationTHE INFLUENCE OF AGE, OWNERSHIP AND TYPE OF UNIVERSITY ONRESOURCE SITUATION IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIESAjayi, I.A.* and Abiodun-Oyebanji, O.J.*University Of Ado-Ekiti, NigeriaDepartment Of Educational Foundations And Management, Faculty of Education*E-Mail Address For Correspondence: abiodun.oyebanji@yahoo.com______________________________________________________________________________________________Abstract: This study examined the influence of age, ownership and type of university on resource situation inNigerian universities. A descriptive survey design was used in the study. Data were collected from 900 academicstaff using stratified, purposive and simple random sampling techniques. The data were analysed using frequencycounts, percentages, means, standard deviation and t-test statistics. The three hypotheses generated were tested at0.05 level of significance. The study revealed that there was significant difference between the resource situations ofstate and federal universities in favour of federal universities. There was also significant difference between first andthird generation universities in terms of resource situations in favour of first generation universities. However, therewas no significant difference in the resource situations between conventional and specialized universities. It wasrecommended that the proprietors of state and third generation universities should improve the resource situationsin their universities in order to make them compete favourably with federal and first generation universities.Key words: Age, Nigerian Universities, academic staff, ownership______________________________________________________________________________________________INTRODUCTIONThe strategic position occupies by university in national development cannot be over emphasized. Universitieswhether privately or publicity owned, specialized or conventional, federal or state operate with the aim of achievingthe objectives of training high-level manpower for the various sectors of the economy and also engaging in teachingand research all aims at ensuring development at every level of human interaction. It is also expected of theuniversity to explore solutions to the country’s problems and assist the larger society to achieve its objectives in theareas of human, social and economic development (Ogbodo and Nwaoku, 2007).However, as important as the role of university in any nation’s development, it seems as if universities in Nigeria arenot living up to expectation in performing these nobles roles due to poor resource situation which appear to beconfronting them. Resources constitute a wide and all embracing concept. Areola (1982), Oni (1995), Levaicic(1995) and Faniran (1997) have all grappled with the task of attempting a definition of resources. They all seem toagree that resources are entities existing within man’s environment that can be applied or used to satisfy humanneeds, wants and sustain human existence.From Adeola (2005) point of view, resources are considered from three perspectives as a means of satisfying somewants or deficiency, as a stock or reserve (fixed or otherwise) from which one can draw its own support, and also asa collective means, possessed by a country as a form of natural endowment to be used for its own support or defence.Oni (1992) and Akomolafe (2005) also opined that resources are those inputs that go into the running and operation93