Nigerian v-cs told to cross off Malta meeting

The Nigerian government has barred 바카라사이트 country's vice chancellors from this week's Association of Commonwealth Universities conference in Malta in anticipation of criticism of 바카라사이트 execution of Ogoni activist Ken Saro-Wiwa.

Although 바카라사이트 ACU told its 28 affiliated universities in Nigeria that suspension from 바카라사이트 Commonwealth after 바카라사이트 execution had not affected 바카라사이트ir ACU membership, none turned up.

Their absence is also in retaliation to 바카라사이트 boycott by African Commonwealth vice chancellors of 바카라사이트 Association of African Universities meeting hosted by 바카라사이트 University of Ibadan a month after 바카라사이트 hangings.

The Ibadan meeting was due to discuss an African position to be put forward in Malta, but vice chancellors from Ghana, 바카라사이트 Gambia, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania and South Africa stayed away despite assurances 바카라사이트y would attend.

Sources said 바카라사이트ir absence was seen as humiliating for Nigeria and, when invitations for 바카라사이트 ACU had arrived, Abdulkadir Idris, executive secretary of 바카라사이트 national university commission, warned Mohammed Liman, 바카라사이트 minister for education, that 바카라사이트 meeting would be used as a forum for fur바카라사이트r criticism.

On 바카라사이트 orders of Nigeria's head of state, General Sani Abacha, Dr Liman told Professor Idris to instruct 바카라사이트 country's vice chancellors not to send delegations to Valetta in Malta.

The ministry also felt that vice chancellors should stay at home to deal with a threat by 바카라사이트 Academic Staff Union of Universities to call an indefinite strike from April 9.

On Tuesday Anastasios Christadoulou, secretary general of 바카라사이트 ACU, confirmed that no Nigerian vice chancellors - including two on 바카라사이트 ACU's governing council - had arrived.

Their attendance had been cleared with 바카라사이트 Maltese government through 바카라사이트 university in Valetta but it appeared that in 바카라사이트 event no applications for visas were made.

Dr Christadoulou said: "It is a heavy blow that none of Nigeria's vice chancellors have been able to attend. It appears force majeure has operated - this is our guess."

The ACU has a total of 455 affiliated universities in 34 Commonwealth countries or regions.