It is no longer news that the University of Benin has been embroiled in a crisis of monumental proportions since the past six months over the selection of a substantive Vice-Chancellor. However, it must be brought to the fore that the current crisis goes beyond the selection of a Vice-Chancellor. Regardless of the outcome of the selection process, the present crisis challenges the very essence of University traditions and principles and has the dangerous possibility of compromising the future growth and development of the University of Benin.
Let me explain in some detail. A University anywhere is a community of scholars and students engaged in research, teaching, learning and service delivery. What the best Universities in the world strive for is to recruit the best students and staff from any part of the world to propel their teaching and research programs. In turn, high quality teaching and research emanating from such Universities provide the tonic for community engagement, and is the basis of the development of most emerging economies. A Vice-Chancellor epitomizes the highest ideals of a University and the occupant of the post should be someone with the tallest vision, to whom all brilliant minds in the institution would look up to. He should be someone who would be respected by his academic peers both nationally and internationally, which in itself will draw immense attention and recognition to the University. Such a Vice-Chancellor should necessarily be selected based on time-honored merit criteria, with the possibility that anyone with the appropriate and most viable credentials should emerge as Vice-Chancellor.
The most dangerous trend the crisis in UNIBEN has taken so far is the open discussion and endorsement of ethnicity. Not only is ethnicity being touted as the major and sole criteria to be used in appointments and promotion to senior academic and administrative positions in the University, ethnicity now determines the pattern of personal and group relationships in the University. This is a sure dangerous trend as in future, it will discourage first class academics from other parts of the country from coming to the University of Benin. Ethnicity will also discourage international students and scholars from the University, which will reduce the international staff/students component in the University, a major criteria now being used to rank Universities globally. We must not create the impression that other ethnic groups or nationals are not welcome in UNIBEN, or that were Obama to be in the University, he would probably not rise to the post of Dean or Vice-Chancellor.
Another way that ethnicity will affect the future growth of academics in the University as well as the University itself is that once ethnicity is used to appoint a Vice-Chancellor, it will create an indelible impression in the mind of young academics that what you need to do to grow in the system is to cling to ethnic pattern of relationships, to play politics and to attend ethnic meetings. This will inevitably lead to poor academic and research outputs, which will make such scholars unmarketable outside the University of Benin and reduce the overall growth and influence of the University. We would have ethnic champions everywhere, those who will fight for ethnic rights and privileges rather than those who will come to a reasoned conclusion on an issue based on logical arguments. Such academics will eventually lose out because in today’s globalised world, some of the most endearing and rewarding relationships that academics can build are those that cross continents, regions and boundaries rather than those that are situated within clans and lineages.
Part of the ethnicity agenda is the current externalization of the affairs of the University, which also portends a bad omen for the University. Affairs of the University of Benin are now being discussed and interfered with by all manners of people, including those who know what the university is and those who do not. Indeed, the University of Benin matter is now being discussed in beer parlours and markets by politicians, traders, imams, priests, juju priests and indeed, by anyone who has a direct or indirect relationship with the university, with each purporting to have a solution to the logjam.
These external influences have two major adverse effects on the University. First, it will compromise the academic autonomy of the University such that decisions which should normally be based on rigorous debates and arguments will in future be likely based on primordial sentiments, which will not augur well for the growth and development of the University. It would for instance mean that in future, a decision which normally should be taken by Senate or Council may first be discussed by an external stakeholder group before it is tabled before the University committee. Debates will then be tainted to favor the decision previously reached at the external stakeholders’ meeting.
Secondly, the involvement of external influences will lead to compromises being made which will not augur well for the University. It will lead to corruptive influences within the University, which will greatly compromise the quality of governance in the University. For example, there is no reason why the same external influences that assisted someone to become a Vice-Chancellor, will not also insist on influencing appointments, promotions, admissions and contract awards in the University, a situation that would greatly interfere with the fortunes of the University. The same corruptive influences that are today endangering the Nigerian state will take over the University and manipulate it negatively to personal and group advantages but to the detriment of the University.
Indeed, the whole essence of University autonomy which ASUU has repeatedly canvassed for is now in danger of been systematically eroded at the University of Benin. University autonomy has now been privatized at the University of Benin, and is now being sold to unpatriotic and self-serving elements, who are bent on putting the fortunes of the University into their private pockets. The academic community has been cajoled and intimidated, and now looks servile, humbled and timid. This is certainly not what a true academic community devoted to excellence in teaching and research should be.
As a patriotic alumnus of the University of Benin, I am deeply worried for the University. In all we do, we must think of the greater good of the University rather than our personal or sub-group interests. Ethnic or other parochial sentiments will probably serve the short-term interest of some individuals, but it will certainly not serve the long term interest of those individuals, the University and the community. A Vice-Chancellor who emerges from the ongoing selection process must not be made to feel that he or any particular group owns the office, or that he owns any specific allegiance to anyone. A University deserves a Vice-Chancellor that will best represent its interest and that will efficiently manage its resources in accordance with its strategic plans. Such a Vice-Chancellor should emerge as a consensus candidate from among the University community after passing the acid tests that are known to the University traditions and practice. That way, he will gain national and international respect and will be answerable to the immediate academic and administrative needs of the University, rather than to the parochial desires of some individuals or groups of individuals. Collectively, the University must reject arbitrariness and the erosion of its foundational principles, philosophy, and precepts in the conduct of its major functions.
That we have a University of Benin today that has been adjudged as being the best University in Nigeria is due to the hard work, perseverance and resourcefulness of its founding fathers, and the fact that they were able to resist primordial pressures that have always reared their heads in governance of the University. The present generation must do no less; otherwise, they will be exposed to the harsh judgment of history.
P O UADIA, PHD
Professor of Biochemistry
World Bank’s Robert S. McNamara Fellow
Rockefeller Foundation Biotechnology Career Fellow
