THE BENEFITS IN CONTINUITY IN GOVERNANCE

“This mission will continue, and this light will endure” were the concluding words in Governor Kayode Fayemi's farewell speech to Ekiti people in October, 2014. When Governor Willy Obiano of Anambra State took over governance from Governor Peter Obi, I wrote an article advising him on the importance of continuity in governance. I noted that politicians are noted for vengeance and abandoning projects hither to initiated by their predecessors and starting new ones. Governor Ayo Fayose at a church service in Ado Ekiti lately said, “I won't take vengeance, vengeance belongs to God. Be assured, I will be warm to you” and I will continue from where Governor Fayemi stopped” (sic). In a plea for continuity in governance, Wale Denx of the Punch said, “in the last decade, a state has had successive confused governments that worked hard to erase any trace of previous governments particularly in its educational policies”. In the same paper of Saturday 25th October 2014, a governorship candidate in Lagos State postulated, that come February 2015, Lagos State will have a governor that will continue the great works of its predecessors. The need for continuity in governance is what I am placing before Nigerian politicians. They need to learn a lesson from how this is achieved in Universities.

In a university system, one government transits into another with no remarkable difference or ceremony. The ceremonial gown of a preceding Vice-Chancellor becomes the toga of an in-coming one. The Vice-Chancellor's lodge does not change or wear a new look. There are usually no changes in the car/driver, domestic and official staff. There is beauty in university administration. That is why I want to use the University of Lagos as my CASE-STUDY.

Globally, a university puts in place quinquennial plans usually in tranches of 5 years, 'to last 25 years'. The plans are strictly adhered to. This structured 'Q plans' cannot just be changed or abandoned unless there is a new development in technology that could enhance their success. Since majority of our politicians are products of Universities and Polytechnics, one therefore expects them that they learn from the governance of where they graduated to serve as a guide in administering this country.

My allusion to the University of Lagos is simple. The unique thing that the reader should note is that 'Unilag was conceived more or less as two separate institutions: The Main university and the Medical School at Idi-Araba as an autonomous unit within the university, yet managed by one Vice-Chancellor! I worked at the University of Ibadan in late 60's till early 70's, before moving to University of Lagos that endeared me to the governance and leadership style in a university system. The legacies left behind by Prof. Eni Njoku in 1964 were vigorously pursued by Prof. Saburi Biobaku until he left in 1972. Prof. J. F. Ade Ajayi, left Unilag in 1978 leaving behind most of the structures now on the main Campus and the College of Medicine. His era of “to be or not to be” in Unilag was wonderful. The 'Q'plans' in Academic/Administration he left behind were assiduously pursued by Prof. Kwaku Adadevoh (1978-80) and Prof. Akin Adesola (1981-1988). Prof. Nurudeen Alao, a quintessential gentleman, took the baton and ran a great race before handling it over to Prof. Jelili Omotola who improved on the linkage of The Town with The Gown in the act and art of administration. His governance style infected, all Nigerian Universities like a disease organism, for good. This is the style globally in universities. One can scarcely see any abandoned project within any university. The reason being that, none can afford to waste the meager funds allotted annually for their running.

I have written many articles since the passage of Prof. Tokunbo Sofoluwe whose immediate predecessors were Prof. Tolu Odugbemi and Prof. Oye Ibidapo-Obe. Their tenure added extra concrete academic and structural floors on which Tokunbo stood for continuity in governance.

Since Prof. Rahaman Bello was appointed Vice-Chancellor in November, 2012, the 'continuum' I am preaching has been on course. I am not taking on the role of NUC for my assessment. I want to state with all fairness that I have been impressed with my findings in celebrating his two years in office.

Shortly after assumption of duty, the issue of the swamp, about half of the entire University land that had been unclaimed because of the huge cost of sandfilling, the need for upgrading of the green areas, increase in hostel accommodation, recruitment of quality staff to replace retiring and retired officers both in academic and administration were issues he worked on based on the 'Q'. plans' of Unilag. Two years into his administration, therefore, Unilag can tell Nigerians that the 'Mission had continued and the light had continued to glow.

I have observed during visits to the campuses at Akoka and Idi-Araba that most activities like, record keeping, examinations, administration including prompt payment of salaries and transcript processing are conducted through the e-system. There is a large reduction in paper consumption and a lot of time is saved through good management of Senate and administrative meetings. Inaugural lectures are delivered within ONE ACADEMIC hour, if we are to adopt the words of late Prof. Adesola.

One of the issues of concern to me while still a staff of the university, was that of large classes. I had this problem while handling Course GEG: 401 in the Faculty of Engineering and EDU: 301 of Faculty of Education. With all the Faculties recording large number of students annually, the problem of effective interaction between the lecturers and the students is almost becoming a thing of the past. Also, there is an increase in the number of lecture theatres. I understand too, that there has been an increase in the use of Teaching Assistants (Research Students) for tutorials in the redistribution and handling of large classes for effectiveness. This is one of the benefits of continuity in governance.

Globally, Universities have distinguished functions. I believe this is why Prof. Rahaman Bello has intensified on the improvement of the traditional functions of teaching, certification, research, publication, storage and retrieval of knowledge, and e-media etc. The entire business venture of the university is now under one Management Board with a CEO as Managing Director as in any business venture. The administration is pursuing these programmes with vigour and with the support of the University Council under the leadership of Prof. Jerry Gana. A politician in governance, would probably have abandoned all these.

Recently, Unilag with six other Nigerian Universities established a Joint Universities Preliminary Examination Board (JUPEB). The idea is to jointly operate a single preliminary examination that will admit students into 200 level; because the six Universities offer same courses at the Foundation/Diploma levels. Unilag has introduced the BA (Chinese Studies) to compliment the European Languages of English, French, German, Russian already in place there. Main Nigerian languages are taught too. Who-ever takes over from Prof. Rahaman Bello sometime in 2017, cannot, I repeat, cannot just abandon the 'Q' plan' already in place there. That is the practice globally, our politicians should learn from this.

However, fire outbreaks in the university lately, the students request in reduction of registration and examination fees and strengthening of the security system deserve urgent attention. Work on the new hostels should be intensified. People, look foreword towards seeing those multi-purpose high-rise structures now springing up on the swamp reclaimed area at Akoka. I appeal to our politicians to adopt the university style of continuity in governance for the development of this great nation. God bless Nigeria.

ANDREW AROLOYE: Wrote from [email protected]