Town And Gown Relationship: A Synergy For National Development In Nigeria

Abstract

Town and gown relationship is beneficial to both the university and community. Cordial relationship of the university and its community results in peace, stability, security and progress. Whereas the community benefits from the university in terms of economic gains, social and community services, the community provides the university with the needed peace and security to operate. This paper attempts to explore critical areas of collaboration and linkages between the duo. The paper discovers that town and gown have of recent become increasingly connected in common use of facilities such as electricity, telephone, transportation and road network. In order to sustain this synergy the paper recommends that university programmes and policies should be planned according to the needs of their communities, a forum for friends of the university should be established, and that for universities to accomplish their missions, adequate funding should be provided.