Funmi Ogundare
Professor of African Studies at King’s College London, Abiodun Alao, weekend, known as on stakeholders in Nigeria’s college system to prioritise data manufacturing over private pursuits and wealth accumulation, warning that egocentric motives have undermined the aim of upper training establishments.
Alao made this name at a e-book presentation of the previous Vice-Chancellor of Osun State University, Prof. Olabode Popoola, titled ‘Navigating Stormy Waters’, held on the University of Ibadan.
He acknowledged that many stakeholders in the college system lacked a correct understanding of the basic function of universities, which he described because the pursuit and manufacturing of information.
He mentioned universities must be managed with a powerful dedication to tutorial excellence quite than the pursuit of non-public benefit by these entrusted with their management.
“People should realise that knowledge is more important than wealth because when you look after wealth, knowledge looks after you,” he mentioned.
He mentioned his expertise in college administration had uncovered him to the challenges confronting Nigerian universities.
Recalling the disaster that characterised Osun State University’s administration in the course of the former vice chancellor’s tenure, Alao mentioned it emerged from efforts by a decided governing council to curb alleged unlawful actions and practices that had change into entrenched in the establishment.
He defined that the governing council, underneath the management of Prof. Yusuf Ali (SAN), was decided to dismantle what he described as a cash-and-carry economic system working throughout the college.
According to him, the method was tough, however the council remained dedicated to confronting the practices and restoring accountability.
“I witnessed the crisis. Let me even say I witnessed the wild wind that led to the crisis. What actually happened was that the cash-and-carry economy that existed met a new, determined governing council under Prof. Yusuf Ali which was resolute and determined to curb all forms of illegal activities. It wasn’t easy, but we fought it,” he acknowledged.
On stopping recurring crises in universities, Alao who can be the Co-chair, African Community of Practice, argued that conflicts have been inevitable in human establishments and that college authorities ought to concentrate on constructing efficient constructions able to managing disagreements.
He mentioned quite than trying to forestall each disaster, college managements ought to set up institutional mechanisms that may allow them to face up to contradictions and resolve conflicts with out derailing their core duties.
“You can’t stem incoming crises because you don’t know the form an impending crisis will take. What you should have are structures for withstanding contradictions. You must have structures that can make you address conflict,” he mentioned.
He added that conflicts have been a necessary a part of human existence, stressing that establishments should be adequately ready to handle them.
Alao additional cautioned that the pursuit of non-public advantages by college directors, governing council chairmen and different stakeholders had more and more overshadowed the collective duty of advancing data.
In his keynote titled, ‘Academic Leadership: The Realities and Ruptures of University Governance’, former Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University (LASU), Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun, defined that efficient college management required greater than tutorial credentials, noting that vice-chancellors should possess resilience, a transparent imaginative and prescient, empathy, braveness and the flexibility to handle competing pursuits whereas pursuing institutional reforms.
He recognized insufficient funding, strained relationships with workers unions, institutional politics and stress from competing pursuits as main challenges confronting vice-chancellors in the administration of public universities in Nigeria.
He mentioned main a public college was considerably completely different from managing a company organisation, as college directors have been usually anticipated to ship excellent outcomes regardless of insufficient assets and institutional constraints.
He recalled that hardly three months into his tenure as vice-chancellor, a workers union had accused him of committing 175 offences, describing the expertise as a sign of the extreme pressures confronting college directors.
According to him, “While corporate chief executives operate with clearly defined key performance indicators, vice-chancellors are often expected to perform miracles without corresponding resources or the freedom to make critical decisions.”
He defined that the pressures got here from completely different quarters, together with workers unions, college students, authorities, college administration and different stakeholders, every with competing expectations.
On industrial relations, Fagbohun mentioned whereas some workers unions performed constructive roles in college administration, others might make governance tough by putting calls for with out contemplating the establishment’s monetary realities.
He recalled a state of affairs in which he appealed to workers unions to present his administration one yr to stabilise the college’s funds and generate further income to handle excellent wage arrears.
He mentioned though the unions initially agreed, some later demanded prolonged breaks for members on the grounds that staff wanted time to relaxation, elevating considerations about how the college would generate the income wanted to satisfy its obligations if tutorial actions have been disrupted.
The former VC emphasised the funding challenges confronting public universities, noting that directors have been anticipated to remodel their establishments into world-class centres of studying regardless of restrictions on tuition charges and insufficient authorities subventions.
He, nevertheless, maintained that such challenges weren’t insurmountable if the college ecosystem operated harmoniously and stakeholders supported the administration’s imaginative and prescient.
Fagbohun mentioned his administration had explored partnerships with establishments and developed market-driven tutorial programmes to generate further income, including that sturdy relationships with deans and provosts helped maintain the college throughout tough durations.
He cautioned vice-chancellors towards permitting institutional politics, ethnicity, non secular affiliations and factional pursuits to affect administrative choices.
“University administrators must resist pressure to favour particular groups and ensure that appointments and other decisions are based on merit and institutional needs,” Fagbohun acknowledged.
He suggested vice-chancellors to keep away from confronting each criticism or responding to each provocation, stressing that the flexibility to take care of focus amid hostility is crucial to efficient management.
“You need a thick skin. You cannot be responding to everything that happens,” he mentioned.
He additionally recognized empathy as an necessary management high quality, urging vice-chancellors to grasp the challenges confronting college students and workers whereas being trustworthy about what the establishment might afford to supply.
In his remarks, the e-book reviewer and Vice-Chancellor of Edo State University, Iyamho, Prof. Victor Adetimirin, mentioned Nigerian universities should confront the weaknesses, intrigues and institutional failures undermining their improvement if the nation’s greater training system is to beat its present limitations.
The e-book, he famous, chronicles the writer’s experiences in college administration and the challenges of navigating institutional governance.
He described the publication as a brave and forthright account of the realities of college management, noting that it supplied insights into points that usually stay unreported by the print and digital media.
“The author demonstrated courage by documenting uncomfortable experiences and setting the record straight on developments within the university system,” he acknowledged.
He mentioned the writer recognised that sweeping institutional issues underneath the carpet would solely worsen the state of affairs, stressing that significant reform required an trustworthy evaluation of the weaknesses confronting Nigerian universities.
Adetimirin famous that regardless of the variety of universities in Nigeria and the numerous vice-chancellors who had efficiently accomplished their tenures, few had documented their experiences and the teachings learnt whereas navigating the challenges of college administration.
Earlier in his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Peter Olapegba, acknowledged that the e-book provided precious insights into the complexities, challenges and duties related to college administration, significantly the tough choices and competing expectations confronting institutional leaders.
He famous that management required imaginative and prescient, braveness, knowledge, resilience and strategic pondering to navigate institutional challenges and stay targeted on long-term targets.
According to him, the publication goes past documenting the writer’s stewardship on the college, offering alternatives for reflection, studying and data sharing amongst college directors, students and others in the governance and improvement of upper training in Nigeria.
He mentioned one of many enduring foundations of management was the buildup of experiences, together with trials, classes and occasional disappointments, including that documenting such experiences would offer precious classes for others.
“As one who appreciates the demands and responsibilities of university administration, I recognise the courage it takes to lead an institution and the willingness required to reflect honestly on that experience and share insights with others,” he mentioned.
The VC counseled the writer for the contribution, expressing confidence that the e-book would encourage discussions on institutional management, college governance and the way forward for training in Nigeria.
In his remarks, the chairman of the event and Chairman of Bi-Courtney Group, Wale Babalakin (SAN), urged lecturers and college directors to uphold integrity, self-discipline and objectivity in the discharge of their duties, saying these dedicated to institutional excellence should be ready to confront resistance.
He additionally careworn the significance of documenting skilled experiences and data in books to information youthful generations and protect classes that might strengthen establishments.
He mentioned people who pursued real reforms in the educational atmosphere usually confronted opposition from individuals who introduced themselves as students however have been extra in undermining institutional progress.
He described the college atmosphere as one which required mental depth, onerous work and absolute integrity, noting that the flexibility to tell apart serious-minded students was important to constructing enduring establishments.
Commending the writer for documenting his experiences, Babalakin mentioned data gained by years of service must be dedicated to writing in order that others might study from it.
According to him, “The purpose of life should include guiding others through the experiences and lessons acquired over the years.”
In his response, Prof. Olabode Popoola, mentioned his five-year administration rescued the establishment from imminent collapse, rebuilt its constructions and strengthened its monetary sustainability, accountability and tutorial tradition.
He added that his administration was pushed by a dedication to the event of the establishment, Osun State, Nigeria and humanity.
The Professor of Forest Economics and Sustainable Development defined that he accepted the appointment as a result of he believed he had one thing significant to contribute to the college, including that his ambition was to remodel the establishment and set up a system able to sustaining its progress past his tenure.
He mentioned: “The university was in a difficult situation when I assumed office, prompting me to initially adopt persuasion as a means of addressing the challenges and securing the cooperation of stakeholders.”
However, he mentioned when persuasion failed, he needed to take tough choices, even when such actions meant stepping on toes.
Popoola disclosed that he had documented his actions all through his five-year tenure, explaining that protecting data of his stewardship had change into a private follow each time he occupied public workplace.
“The book is an expanded account of my administration and the developments that took place at the university,” he acknowledged.
