This is a reply to a write-up by Mr. Francis Akhigbe at page 16 of The Guardian of 25th March 2016 under the title: “Another Wrong Investment in Edo University”. Mr. Akhigbe, being somebody I hold in high regard and esteem, I would have preferred pretence that I didn’t see the write-up. However, my reply is based on the need to set the records straight. Personally, I hold the view that you do not need to reply to an unjust comment by an unjust person otherwise you will be unfair like him. But if you fail to reply to an unjust comment by an unjust person, he will feel fair and just in his own view.
Contrary to the view of Mr. Francis Akhigbe, it is indeed a thing of joy that another university has been added to the already existing tertiary institutions in Edo State. It is another right investment in addition to the already existing projects. Considering the present financial position of the state government, the governor should be commended for the establishment of a world-class university in Iyamo, Edo State. Moreover, there is no “total neglect of the already existing government tertiary institutions” in Edo State. Therefore, his assertion that “one can only conclude that the establishment of Edo University, Iyamo is not just uncalled for, it is retrogressive, untimely, a misplacement of priority and meant to serve the personal interest of the comrade governor” is baseless. I am not aware of what is more called for, progressive, timely, proper placement of priority and meant to serve the interest of humanity than the establishment of a new university anywhere, anytime and by anybody.
The governor never neglected Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma. On the 24th of November 2015, the governor commissioned a 500-capacity lecture theatre, a Moot-Court Building abandoned since 1991 and six other projects constructed by the government in Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma. The complete projects are Workshop Building for the Department of Building and Studio for the Department Fine and Applied Arts; a Moot Court Building in the Faculty of Law abandoned since 1991; Furnishing of the Moot Court in the Faculty of Law; 500 capacity lecture theatre at the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences; 2-in-1 Laboratory Block for the Department of Medical Laboratory Science; Furnishing of the 2-in-1 Laboratory Block for the Department of Medical Laboratory Science; Library Building in the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences and Department Building for the Department of Agricultural Economics, Emaudo Annex. During the event, Oshiomhole said: “I am happy to be here to commission a number of projects that this university has been able to put in place from the N500 million that we approved for the university to embark on a number of projects.”
Mr. Akhigbe equally stated that for “a governor to even contemplate establishing another university where you already have five, three polytechnics, two colleges of education, five schools of nursing and midwifery, one school of physical education, one institute of construction technology means that the governor not only lacks direction and focus, but he is also wasteful and insensitive to the needs of the people.” There is no justification whatsoever for this statement. Some of the institutions he included are owned by private entities and the federal government. The governor has satisfactory direction and adequate focus and there is nothing wasteful about the venture. In fact, the university has been established because of the sensitivity of the governor to the needs of the people. By establishing a new university, he has opened up the place for further and rapid development. Moreover, the establishment of the university has generated employment for the unemployed.
Edo State Government owned tertiary institutions are not and will never be glorified secondary schools. The truth is that some secondary schools in Edo State are like universities. If Mr. Akhigbe has not been there, I suggest he should visit Edo College, Idia College, Saint Maria Goretti College, etc and see how a secondary school can look like a university. It is true that many academic institutions in Nigeria lack adequate funding, facilities and personnel. The whole academic sector does not require perfection before the state can establish more. In the write-up, Mr. Akhigbe widely asserted that the “governor functions not only as the over-all chief executive, but also as Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Head of Service (HOS), Commissioner, Accountant-General, Auditor-General and even the Head of Board of Parastatals.” If this is true, the governor must be a magician in governance. The assertion is most reckless, unkind, pathetic and mischievous. In pathos and horror, such a comment is unparalleled in fiction. The governor does not in any way usurp the functions of his appointees. He oversees all what are done by his subordinates because he takes responsibility for the conduct of the executive branch.
When the management of Ambrose Alli University requested for cash from Edo State Government for the accreditation of all the courses in the university and upgrade of teaching facilities, the governor released money. The inadequacy of the money released has been justified by Mr. Akhigbe in his article. It is because of the financial position of all states in Nigeria as a result of global crash of the prices of petroleum products. He also stated that as “at today, all the courses in education failed accreditation and those that were fully accredited before now have been reduced to interim accreditation as a result of lack of facilities and man power.” This is very far from the truth. In Ambrose Alli University, all courses in the Faculty of Education enjoy full accreditation by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Moreover, he claimed that since he became governor of Edo State, no employment or replacement has been done in the university to fill the existing vacancies. This is false. In 2012, more academic staff members were employed in the Faculty of Law. Last year, more professors (though associate/adjunct) were employed in the Faculty of Law. The Faculty of Law boasts of some of the best researchers in Nigeria just as it boasts of one of the best E-Law Libraries in Nigeria. A university that boasts of some of the best researchers is not and cannot be consigned to the status of a glorified secondary school. For the avoidance of doubts, a scholar in the Faculty of Law successfully developed and published ‘The Filtration Theory of Law’, ‘The Planetary Legal Theory’, ‘The Association and Inclusivity Theory of Law’, the trailblazing ‘Introduction to the Study of Legalogy: The Fusion of Science and Law’ and the ‘Principles of Criminotherapy’.
Moreover, Mr. Akhigbe stated an obvious fact that the governor sent two executive bills to the Edo State House of Assembly. One was to upgrade the College of Education, Ekiadolor to the status of a University to be called Tayo Akpata University of Education and the other bill was for the establishment of a new higher institution called Edo State University of Science and Technology, Uzairue. According to Mr. Akhigbe “there is no particular town or village called Uzairue. Uzairue is a clan that has about 11 villages or towns among which are Jattu, Iriaokhor, Afashio, Afunwa and Iyamo. In terms of population and size, Iyamo is the smallest, but that is the comrade governor’s village.” He continued that the governor later sent another bill to the Edo State House of Assembly seeking to amend the Act establishing the Edo State University of Science and Technology, Uzairue to Edo State University of Science and Technology, Iyamo-Uzairue. I am unable to understand his worries about the amendment to the law and the specific location of the school. To me, it is immaterial whether it called Edo University Uzaire or Iyamo-Uzairue. Even if the name has not been changed to Edo University, nothing stops the university from having all courses in a full-fledged university. For example, the Rivers State University of Science and Technology has a Faculty of Law. Moreover, Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma has never been located in Ekpoma metropolis. Its first campus was in Emaudo with facilities in Ujoelen, Irrua and Illeh. Currently, the main campus is located in Ujemen with campuses in Emaudo and Irrua. Yet the name remains Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma. Is Mr. Akhigbe now suggesting that the name Ujemen should be used to substitute Ekpoma in a probable ‘Ambrose Alli University Amendment Bill’?
Mr. Akhigbe observed that the bills for the upgrading of College of Education, Ekiadolor and for the establishment of a new university in Uzairue were passed on March 27, 2014 by the Edo State House of Assembly which the governor assented to at the same time. He wondered how the “Iyamo University that had no single block on ground is now ready for academic activities while Ekiadolor with existing facilities, teaching and non-teaching staff listed for upgrading, has not been able to take off as a university”. He claimed these are very curious circumstances that only Oshiomhole is in a better position to explain even when Mr. Akhigbe has himself observed that the states in the country are in a precarious financial position. To have achieved a great thing with so little in face of the current financial meltdown deserves commendation and not condemnation. Moreover, it makes better economic and policy sense to immediately erect structures in the new university instead of concentrating on the one already with structures.
Governor Oshiomhole was quoted to the effect that “until we have a country where the governor’s child can go to a public school, then we have not gotten there”. This statement does not change the status of the university as the right investment in which both the public and private sectors have complementary business interests for the purpose of efficiency. However, it is right for the people of Edo State to know the private investors. He also challenged the comrade governor for the sake of transparency and accountability to explain to Edo people the actual amount for the projects, the identity of the private investors and the amount the private partners have invested in these projects. This is normal. We all want transparency and accountability in governance and management of scarce resources. The government is not hiding the identity of the private investors. Mr. Akhigbe will get the answers that he seeks if he directs his questions to the right sources instead of the pages of newspapers.
I sincerely advice Mr. Akhigbe to acknowledge the laudable projects the governor has executed in Iyamo and other parts of Edo State. Instead of condemning the governor, he should commend him for projects done so far and challenge him to execute more projects in Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma. The governor’s attention should be equally drawn to the deplorable road condition in Ekpoma. All roads in Ekpoma are deplorable. The governor should not leave the precarious conditions of the roads for the records of history. There is still time for the governor to redeem Ekpoma as he has done in many parts of the state. It is equally good to call on the governor to, as a matter of urgency, complete the abandoned administrative block and the 500 capacity Law Auditorium (since 1991) in Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma. Generally, he has done justice to the university.
In addition to the street light and some primary and secondary schools renovated, Ekpoma people earnestly yearn for the dividends of democracy in the age of change. Meanwhile, the governor should continue with his mass literacy and other development projects. He doesn’t need the consent of anybody to do what is good and progressive.
Sunday E. Edeko, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Law, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma
E-mail: [email protected]. Tel: 08057267619
