IYAMHO (EDO STATE) — A university don, Prof. Christopher Ogbogbo, has called on relevant authorities responsible for academic recruitment in Nigerian universities to prioritise merit by employing qualified intellectuals, rather than allowing political interference to dictate appointments.
Prof. Ogbogbo, who is the Vice-Chancellor of Admiralty University of Nigeria, Ibusa, Delta State, made the call while delivering the 10th Founder’s Day Lecture of Edo State University, Iyamho.
The lecture, titled “Reinventing Academic Traditions in Nigerian Universiies,” highlighted the declining morale within the nation’s academic community despite recent adjustments in conditions of service.
The professor of History at the University of Ibadan lamented that following the last nationwide ASUU strike, many academics had become “battered, bruised and crestfallen,” noting that hope appears to be fading within the university system.
He warned that Nigerian universities urgently require revitalisation or risk losing their relevance.
According to him, Founder’s Day celebrations offer an opportunity to reassess institutional values and recommit to the founding ideals of universities.
He stressed that public lectures, once a vital component of academic tradition, are gradually disappearing from university culture.
Ogbogbo observed that universities often reflect the condition of the wider society, adding that the decay, frustration and erosion of excellence evident in the country are now mirrored within academic institutions.
While acknowledging numerous challenges confronting the system, he attributed many of them to external forces.
“Our politicians and past military regimes have contributed significantly to the current situation. Governance failures, insecurity and chronic underfunding of the university system are externally driven factors responsible for the state of affairs in academia,” he said.
He advised that tradition should not be viewed as an impediment to development, but rather as a framework that enables meaningful and comprehensive change.
He advocated a return to core academic traditions, including merit-based recruitment led by senior academics, preservation of the sanctity of examinations, and ensuring that certificates genuinely reflect students’ abilities.
He further underscored the importance of inclusivity and transparency through committee systems, describing them as a hallmark of university governance, as well as the need to strengthen peer review culture.
External evaluation of lecturers and students, alongside rigorous assessment of postgraduate dissertations and theses, he said, remain indispensable.
In his address, the Vice-Chancellor of Edo State University, Iyamho, Prof. Victor Adetimirin, described the institution’s 10-year journey as a historic milestone, evolving from a vision into a thriving academic community.
“A dream that dared to become structure, a conviction that became policy, and a sacrifice that became opportunity for generations yet unborn,” he said.
Adetimirin noted that the university, which began with 74 pioneer students across three faculties and seven programmes, has expanded to over 5,000 students, eight faculties and two colleges.
Since receiving approval from the National Universities Commission in 2020 to run postgraduate programmes, the institution has awarded 27 doctoral and over 132 master’s degrees.
He emphasised the importance of historical awareness, stating that a people without knowledge of their past are like “a tree without roots,” and commended Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, for sustaining the growth of the institution through increased funding and continued support.
The Vice-Chancellor added that universities must remain centres of fearless inquiry and innovation.
“Edo State University, Iyamho, must remain a place where truth is pursued without fear, ideas are rigorously tested, and future leaders are shaped with competence and character,” he said, adding that the Founder’s Day Lecture provides an opportunity to reflect on past achievements and chart a forward-looking course for the institution.
