UI AT 63: PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES

President Goodluck Jonathan had in 2009 (then the Vice-President) correctly captured the befitting description of the Nigeria's premier university, when he said the University of Ibadan (UI) belongs to every Nigerian.

According to President Jonathan, "every family in Nigeria has benefitted from UI. If you are not a UI graduate, somebody from your family must have graduated from UI. If nobody from your family attended UI, then, one of your family members must have been taught by someone who was taught by a UI graduate. In other words, UI belongs to all Nigerians."

Obviously, nothing could be truer than this assertion. I would like to corroborate the President's position by adding that anybody who has ever read the literary works of Professors Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe and John Pepper Clark (who are all UI graduates anyway), has equally drunk from the ocean of intellectualism, flowing from Ibadan to different parts of the world. Indeed, without any embroidery, UI, as one has said repeatedly, is a national patrimony that must be treasured by all Nigerians.

At 63, it is still young compared to many older universities across the globe, some of which are as old as 500 years. It is not doing badly given its enviable antecedent.

Against this background, there are still prospects and challenges facing the Nigeria's oldest university. Let us consider the gleaming and the gloomy sides of our dear university with a view to sharing both its joy and toil, after all, light is yoke when it is shared.

Judging by various positive developments in the university, engineered by the current Vice Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Folorunso Adewole, it is evident that UI is fast moving towards becoming a world-class institution. For the first time in many years, the university has substantially expanded the scope of its documentation. There are various publications on different issues affecting the University. Surprisingly, UI produced annual report, similar to the standard practice in private sector. In the glossy annual report, Prof. Adewole gave various account of his stewardship, including all the contracts awarded, the cost, the contractors, the completion period, payment up to date as well as the progress recorded.

This is incredible. Observers were dazed with the level of transparency, creativity and accountability that this novel idea of annual report advertised. Clearly, this is a radical departure from the past practice where contents of this annual report would have been shrouded in secrecy. The credit goes to the VC, Prof. Adewole who seems to be shocking the university community with an enviable unique approach to university administration.

Apart from the annual report, Prof. Adewole has equally made available other new publications such as profile of the recipients of the university's honorary degree, a compendium of his many of speeches, report of the disaster wreaked by the August 26 flood in UI among others. Obviously, information flowed freely from the transparent Adewole's regime.

Another heart-warming development coming from UI is the award of automatic post-graduate scholarship for all first-class graduates of the university. Prof. Adewole had promised, while campaigning to become the VC, to give post-graduate scholarship award to first class students. The promise was greeted by sheer cynicism, as some of his detractors described the promise as a political gimmick. But with the promise gaining full expression, the enigmatic VC has recorded yet another credit, difficult to dismiss.
As noted by The Nation newspaper's editorial of 24 November, 2011 "encouraging the best graduating students to stay back and pursue post graduate studies has been an old tradition in the academia until Nigeria's educational system became seriously dysfunctional about two decades ago." Prof. Adewole is by this gesture, reviving the cherished old tradition, thus, setting pace for other universities. At a time that the country is in dire need of quality manpower to take charge of a legion of universities dotting our landscape, Adewole's initiative, designed to produce adequate scholars for our needs, should be generally applauded and emulated.

But despite his missionary zeal to truly transform UI with his agenda of enthronement of good governance, improvement in academic activities, infrastructural upgrade and enhancement of welfare of staff and students, Prof. Adewole is confronted with some challenges that call for collective collaboration and support.
One of the major challenges militating against meaningful development in UI is electricity problem. Although, this is a national albatross, a university of Ibadan status ought to have overcome this challenge if all the considerable technical expertise are harnessed and synergized. The VC wanted a short-term solution upon his arrival on board: at least to serve as a palliative measure, he wanted to buy gigantic generators that could serve the university community. But he was told that it would take close to seven months before he could take a delivery of his desire. Power outage is still creating helplessness in the academic community albeit amidst spirited effort of the silent achiever.

While Prof. Adewole is fighting hard to actualize what he has conceptualized for the uplifting of the 63 years old institution, vicissitude of life appeared to have slowed him down with the flood disaster of August 26, 2011. The flood which delivered debilitating blows on the institution destroyed property worth close to N10billion. The fish ponds were washed away, bookshops, library, teaching and research farm were badly damaged. The UI is still writhing in pains as a result of the disaster.
It is certainly appropriate at this point to call on all those who have benefitted from UI, including the alumni and alumnae, friends and well-wishers as well as philanthropists to come to the aid of this highly priced university. By a way of donation, Ibadan will appreciate every little contribution that may come its way at this point in time. Interestingly, a 400 level student of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, Mr. Akinkunmi Ajisafe who was probably touched by the UI plight did the unusual recently. Ajisafe went into his small saving account and donated the sum of five thousand naira into the UI Flood Disaster Relief Fund. Prof. Adewole thankfully received the donation as it was publicized all over the campus.
A challenge: if a student could donate, what are the UI graduates of many years waiting for? Ironically, there are thousands of successful UI products all over the world. They must come to the aid of UI. Prof. Adewole has much innovative ideas to greatly transform the university to a world-class institution. But he is incapacitated by paucity of funds. This is when UI should harvest the fruits of its labour. All over the world, alumni play critical role in the affairs of their alma maters. UI is equally waiting for its products. Let us come back to Ibadan for a flashback. Let UI alumni remember the university that made them and history will be kind to those who respond to this call.

One of the greatest ways of immortalizing one' name is to give back to the university that made one. Yes, some have done well for UI, but they can still do more. Thousands are still hiding, let them come and donate so as to make UI truly the first and the best.

CLARION CALL ON UI ALUMNI

It is no longer news that the Premier University of Nigeria-the University of Ibadan (U.I), fondly called "the first and the best" will be 64 years old this year.

As usual, there will be a big celebration in honour of a great university that has produced quality manpower for the nation and beyond. But how can there be a festivity without an active participation of alumni and alumnae who came to Ibadan from different parts of the country and African continent, academically thirsty, wanting to drink from the intellectual soothing spring, and at the end of their academic voyage, they were manufactured with gold for the world to buy?

It is against this background that this clarion call is being made to all who hold the certificate of the university, to all whose employers and employees benefited from Ibadan, to all whose children and relatives attended Ibadan, that this is the time for everyone to come together in celebration and appreciation of an institution that has touched our lives one way or the other. Interestingly, they are everywhere; research has confirmed that there is no country across the globe without a U.I. product.

With the benefit of the information and communication technology, if you have access to this information in any part of the world, and you are connected to U.I, then you have to look back. You say look back for what? Looking back at your great Alma Mata with fond memory of good gone old days when you were green and raw at Ibadan! Have you forgotten Agbowo, Sango, Mokola? Don't you remember Queens' Hall? What about your own hall of residence? Have you ever brought your wife, children or husband to U.I. for reminiscence and retrospection? Hey! You need to come back for a flashback. And, this 64th anniversary provides an opportunity for a reunion with faces of the old.

On a more serious note, there is a need for every alumnus to reflect on what U.I. has done with a view to giving back. This is a university that has supplied the manpower requirement of the nations; yet, it is deficit of many basic needs. Given its historical pedigree, U.I. has no reason to be poor. Its wealth is in the quantity and quality of its products. This is a time U.I needs every assistance as government alone cannot do it.
However, be informed that some people have been looking back with fantastic support. Mr. Gamaliel Onosode, an alumnus and immediate past pro-chancellor has come with an overwhelming support. Prof. Tam David West renovated the gate of his hall of residence,Kuti, while Chief Jim Nwobodo, one day stormed his own room, gave money to the present students occupying the room and repainted it in commemoration of his exploit at Ibadan. There are many more that this writer cannot mention!

The question is, what can you do for U.I? The university, had certified you, as being worthy in character and in learning, today, you are successful. What are you giving back? There are many things you can do! You could just come to U.I., build a structure, such as a lecture theatre, name it after yourself or your father. With this, you have established your name in perpetuity because no one will ever change it. That is a social investment that will outlive you. There are many projects begging for finance, come around to bank goodwill in a community of scholars.

You need to come and support the effort of the present vice-chancellor, Prof. Isaac Folorunso Adewole who has been re-engineering the old institution with modern technology. The university is lucky to have had Prof Adewole at this crucial stage. The amiable and unassuming vice-chancellor who is working very hard to make UI better than how he met it is very transparent that he gives account of every kobo donated to the university. His transparency and hard work have been generating goodwill that has now impacted positively on the old structures on campus. This Pediatrician turned administrator could be assisted to actualize what he has conceptualized for U.I. with more donations from alumni. Prof. Adewole is bubbling with many brilliant ideas on how to transform U.I., but money has been hampering him. He has developed a model which is going to internationalize U.I., but where is the fund? That is the essence of the write-up.

Alumni could team up to make a meaningful donation. It will be acknowledged and judiciously utilized. You will see the result. Resolve to do something for U.I. now. Determine to donate today. You cannot build your reputation on what you are going to do later, do it now. Nothing is small. A small gift is better than a great promise. If you love your institution, you must give. You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving. Nobody has ever been honoured for what he receives but rather what he gives. Philanthropy, like charity, must begin at home, U.I. is your home, look back and do something in the spirit of the season.

As an alumnus, this is one of my own little contributions to let you know that U.I. needs private power generating arrangement as electricity in Nigeria has become a national shame. Power outrage frustrates both students and staff members. If power supply could be guaranteed, Ibadan will be greater than it is. Unreliable power supply gives birth to water shortage on campus. Lack of water precipitates dirty habit among students, dirty habit inhibits sound scholarship, what can you do to ameliorate this situation? Get in touch with the Advancement Center; express your willingness to help. He doubles his gift, he who gives it in time. The wise man does not lay up treasures, the more he gives, and the more he has. Support U.I.to move up as it still towers above all.