OAU: FORGING AHEAD IN A NEW DIMENSION

Every step towards progress comes with various pains spanning sacrifices, hard work, criticisms, antagonisms and societal limitations, amongst others. This births the maxim “No pain, no gain”. Obviously, Obafemi Awolowo University is set to reap the fruits of a new phase of gains and we can connect dots of the tensions surrounding the appointment of the new eagle.

It would not be possible for Great Ife to become the Nigerian version of the most cherished Harvard University which some envisioned if the basic rules guiding a higher institution of learning are not adhered to. And, I must commend the Governing Council of the institution for upholding the principle of fairness and justice as regards the appointment of whom the successor of Prof. Ogunbodede (whose tenure expires this month) is. Right now, the clamour should be to call on the vice-chancellor to build the school to a standard that Harvard University itself would be jealous of. 

Had the Governing Council chickened out in the face of the interrupting drama that surrounded the outcome of the selection, a perennial injury would have been stamped on the image of the university and on the weight of the certificates of both the present students and the alumni both home and in the diaspora.

The appointment of Prof. Simeon Adebayo Banire as the 12th substantive vice-chancellor of the university has once again helped emphasize transparent selection process informed by objectivity in appointing university administrators and I do hope this would serve as a standard for other higher institutions of learning across the country.

Prof. Banire as much as I know, is not just qualified in academics and administration but also in character and deeds. He is someone who does not have any apparent stain on his character. And with this recent call to serve, it is my utmost belief that he will influence policies and minister to the intellectual health of the ivory tower in maintaining the image of the university and positively setting it on the global map among the comity of varsities. The tasks are enormous as the university system in Nigeria is fast losing its global stature. And there is a lot to still do. A historic university like Ife needs a vice-chancellor with a golden touch; one that would up the sleeves of the digitalization and development of the university’s academic system to the global class OAU actually belongs. The dreams of the old must now be actualized like a rising spring of the new.

Great Ife is at a point when all members of the community; students, staff and alumni, as well as the host community, should synergize and unite in seeing the university as an asset in which they are stakeholders. Putting sentiments apart, we can all harness our interests and amass our strength to support the new administration to achieve milestone success that would dignify our identity and give us the undisputable bragging rights among our peers across all spheres.

Great Ife remains great and this greatness should not be frustrated by divisions, personal interests, and vendetta.

Kazeem Olalekan Israel (GANI), Ibadan