Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has clarified that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not associated with the University of Nigerian Languages, Aba (Establishment, etc) Bill, 2024.

Kalu, who sponsored the bill alongside eight others, stated that it seeks to upgrade the National Institute for Nigerian Languages (NINLAN), Aba, into a full-fledged university, with no mention of Tinubu’s name.

During a visit by NINLAN’s Governing Board in Abuja, Kalu emphasized that the bill focuses on enhancing the institute’s curriculum, improving funding access through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), and expanding its societal impact. He urged the public to stop linking the president to the bill, highlighting that the main goal is to ensure the institution’s growth and the preservation of Nigerian languages.

Kalu further expressed the importance of protecting Nigerian languages as part of the nation’s identity, adding that amendments to the TETFund Act might be considered to support specialized institutions like NINLAN.