…As Others Mock It for Opening Bread Bakery
Safiu Kehinde
Heavy criticisms have trailed Lagos State University’s opening of a bread bakery with several netizens expressing displeasure over the institution’s decision to monopolise bread market on the campus.
Critics say an academic environment is least of institutions that should promote monopoly.
The school management had, last week, unveiled the institution’ s bread brand which, according to a statement released in their official Twitter handle, will be the only bread in the University’s main campus, Ojo.
The twitter page had displayed the Vice Chancellor, Prof Ibiyemi Tunji-Bello displaying loafs of the bread.
Babatunde Irukera, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protections Commission stressed that the monopolistic tendency attached to the bread brand is against the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission Act (FCCPA) which does not exempt the institution if violated.
“I am afraid this presents a potential violation of competition law. Under the FCCPA, it’s an offense to limit competition in this manner, LASU is not exempted because govts are also subject when they engage in commerce. I assume this statement doesn’t convey what it says.” He commented.
A UK-based Nigerian pro-democracy activist, Kayode Ogundamisi, while commenting on the development, called the management “clowns” for making bread bakery their focus in the face of many innovations that should occupy their minds.
In a sarcastic manner, he wrote, “ LASU: One of Nigeria’s research-intensive universities that is committed to research as a central part of its mission just made an earthshaking breakthrough: They opened a bakery to bake “LASU-BREAD”! CLOWNS!
More twitter users have voiced their displeasure over the management’s monopolistic statement with one handler, Sodiq Omoola, tagging it as “anti-competition practices.”
“Anti-competition practices should not be encouraged in a citadel of learning. I hope there will be no restriction for other traders who sell bread from other vendors” Sodiq Omoola tweeted.
Similarly, another Twitter user with the handle, Drchi, decried absent of competition, lack of innovation and drive for excellence, which the school management is allegedly encouraging.
“Encouraging monopoly in a citadel of learning!! When there is no competition, there is no innovation….no drive for excellence ; just vibes and in the name of the father, the son and the holy ghost. No wonder we have thousands of Professors professing nothing. Mtcheww” Drchi tweeted.
Another Twitter user Sophie Achike, made light of the development as she joked about the possibility of the school management making the bread mandatory for students.
“I’m waiting for when Lasu will make this bread compulsory for students to buy. Show your receipt before clearance 🤣” She reacted.
For Ezra Olubi, the bread might not be of good quality as he considers the development as a mere desperation by the school management to boost its Internally Generated Revenue.
“You can tell the bread won’t be of good quality right out of the gate or will have its quality degrade over time since the drive behind this enterprise is to increase internally generated revenue and the school is desperate enough to ban competition to achieve it.” He tweeted.
While concerns about the monopolistic tendency of the brand lingers, some netizens chided the management of prioritizing bread production over the promotion of research and innovations which Dr. Uzoma Ajegbo tagged as ‘worrisome’.
Her words; “Isn’t it worrisome that a UNIVERSITY is being applauded for opening a bakery when their counterparts outside the country are focused on researches and grants to increase IGR?”
Similarly, another Twitter user, Leah Razor, ridiculed the said achievement of the University where their counterparts are partnering with big tech companies in order to make their students meet their students with the requirements of the global economy.
“Universities are partnering with Adobe and Microsoft so that students can access learning tools with their university emails to advance learning and meet basic requirements to integrate into the global economy but no worries, let us eat bread. Malt & fruit one dey?” He commented.
However, the bread bakery, to some netizens, is a welcome development which has the potential of increasing the IGR of the institution.
“If the bread is consumed by only the university community it will boost their IGR and also give place of work for the students who want to go for IT…I’m so impressed by this development” a Twitter user, Ebube Iyanuoluwa, had commented amid several criticism.
For another user with the handle, Big Papa Wolf, monopoly, unlike what was painted by most netizens, does not imply ban on competitors as he gave instance of Obafemi Awolowo University’s bread brand.
“Monopoly…Lol. When Great IFE did this, it didn’t need to ban it’s competitors. It was the best at inception, plus people just bought because the brand OAU. People love anything Great IFE. They hate the school, the management, but not the brand,” he said.