FG Inaugurates Governing Councils Of University Of Ibadan, Four Others
BY TEMI OHAKWE, ABUJA – The Federal Government on Monday inaugurated the Governing Councils of five federal universities, four of whose
Councils were dissolved by the Visitor for their inability to discharge their duties in line with the provisions of the law.
The affected universities are, the University of Lagos, the University of Port Harcourt, the University of Ibadan, and Maritime University Okerenkoko.
The fifth university is the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, which had no Council since the expiration of the tenure of the Dr Yemi Ogunbiyi-led Council three months ago.
The newly appointed Chairmen are Chief John Odigie-Oyegun as Chairman of the Governing Council, University of Ibadan, Chief Lanre Tejuosho, Chairman of the University of Lagos Council, Senator Andrew Uchendu, who is now the chairman of the University of Port Harcourt, Chief Oscar Udoji as chairman of the Obafemi Owolowo University, Ile-Ife and Dr Elias Eddi Courson, Chairman of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenko
Inaugurating the Council members in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, said the Council Chairmen were selected after considerable assessment of circumstances which led to the dissolution of the four Councils and the need to ensure stability, continuity and rebuild confidence in the institutions.
Adamu, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry of Education, Mr. Sonny Echono said; “The drive to revamp the quality output of higher education in Nigeria rests on the shoulders of prominent citizens like the individuals that have been selected”.
He urged the Councils to adopt best practices and comply with statutory guidelines in the performance of their supervisory functions and cautioned them against conflicts capable of undermining the smooth running of the institutions
Responding, the newly appointed Chairman of the University of Ibadan, Chief Odigie-Oyegun pledged on behalf of his colleagues and other members of Councils to play significant pact in ‘breathing fresh life into Nigerian tertiary institutions”.
He said; “I promise on behalf of my other colleagues that this team will not be part of the problems of our universities but we will build on existing success”. Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Prof Rasheed Abubakar said that the task before the Councils are enormous and that the challenges of the universities are legendary.
