‘How I transformed UI alumni body’

Shortly, thereafter, some unsavoury developments made the Otunba Balogun-Ied board to reorganize the ‘company under a new management. The move yielded positive results. It is heart-warming to note that, under successive administrations, the company has continued to grow. However, it seemed to me that the scope for internal generation of revenue had to be broadened. The university can obtain funds from two broad sources: government and non-governmental sources. While arguing and urging for the government to fulfil and increase its financial obligations, it was necessary to explore and target more vigorously the non-governmental sources, which include the Nigerian private sector, our alumni, as well as the local and foreign foundations and funding agencies. Therefore, I initiated measures to address all these potential sources. All my submissions and representations during the budgetary sessions and on other occasions made no impression on the NUC, which continued to group UI with universities which were established more than a decade after it. To make matters worse or, perhaps, as part of its systematic denial, the NUC allocations to the university were made on a single-line basis rather than budgetary headings. In 1992, I set-up two high-powered ad-hoc committees. They were to address the issues of research and long-term financing of the university, respectively. As it happened, the World Health Organization Advisory Committee on Health Research was exploring the possibility of developing, in some member countries, prototype institutions which would fulfil research training, reference and service roles. To that end, Professor B. O. Osuntokun carried out a case study of the University of Ibadan in May 1991. In January 1992, I obtained a copy of the report and set-up an ad-hoc Committee on Research and External Funding for Research at the University of Ibadan. The committee was chaired by Professor O. O. Akinkugbe and its term of reference was. ‘To advise the vice-chancellor on the policy implications of the Osuntokun report and related matters.” The objective was to identify policies and strategies which should be adopted to make the university fully prepared to respond optimally to any approach by the WHO and other external agencies. It was also to increase external funding for research and research infrastructure at the university. Other members of the committee were Professors B. O. Osuntokun, G. B. Ogunmola, E. C. Nnanga, O. A. Bamiro, T. A. Aire, Mark Nwagwu, W. O. Aiyepeku, E. A. Bababunmi, J. O. Obemeata and J. D. Adeniyi (rapporteur).The committee set to work promptly, distributed detailed questionnaire to the academic staff, but did not complete its assignment and did not submit a report. The second committee was the Task Force on Long-Term Financing of the University. It was headed by Professor Afolabi Soyode of the Department of Economics. There were seven other members from within and outside the university. It was to review the pattern of funding and expenditure of the university over the preceding two decades and recommend strategies for progressively decreasing the university’s financial dependence on the government. Its terms of reference were:

1              Study in broad terms the existing university financing structure and patterns from 1970 to date, and assess the adequacy and stability in the context of university mission.

2              Recommend a strategic financing and implementing plan that would best serve the university in the next two decades or more.

3              Make other recommendations affecting university costs and expenditures which, in the light of (2), should be in the long-term interest of the university. For various reasons the task force could not complete its work in the time-frame I had in mind. However, they did a very good job and submitted a comprehensive report. At its meeting on 17 August 1995, the Council considered the report along with the comments of my administration on it.

The Council accepted most of the recommendations in the report, including the creation of an Alumni Office separate from the Public Relations Office and the appointment of a fund raiser. I initiated action on these during my last three months in office. The Alumni Office has been consolidated and expanded by succeeding administrations and now occupies a separate impressive building on campus.

In April 1993, I attended a meeting of 24 selected vice-chancellors, rectors and presidents of universities all over the world held at New York University to examine the global crisis in public education. At the end of the meeting, I paid an official visit to the University of Pennsylvania, with which UI had a linkage agreement. The primary objective of my visit was to see and be briefed on the operations of their alumni relations office. It was an eye-opener. When I returned to Ibadan, I embarked on a strategy aimed at securing and sustaining regular financial support from our alumni. Hitherto our alumni and alumnae had, individually and collectively, made gifts in cash and kind to the university from time-to-time. Without prejudice that tradition, my vision was for an eventual situation in which they would commit to annual financial gifts to UI, no matter how small or large the amount. That would enable the university to estimate and incorporate in its budget annually, funds realizable from the alumni. To that end, I instructed Taiwo Okusanya, the PRO, to establish and regularly update a detailed register of our alumni and alumnae. I also established a magazine, The Premier, to forge a close link between the institution and its alumni. The magazine contained information on developments in the university (including honours, distinctions, benefactions and so on), reports from the branches and chapters of the alumni association, as well as special articles and interviews. It was launched on 17th November 1994 by the pro-chancellor, Professor Iya Abubakar. Its editorial committee comprised Dan Izevbaye (chairman), Niyi Osundare, Adelani Ogunrinade, Sola Akinuli, Sonny Ndekwu, Olarinde Akinleye, Akin Ajibola (editor) and Tunde Adekunle. Unfortunately, The Premier went into abeyance after my tenure. Another initiative following my visit to America was the development of a proposal to establish a University of Ibadan Foundation in London and Washington D.C. to serve as mechanisms for raising and maintaining funds in hard currency to support the activities of the university and, thereby, reduce its dependence on government for financial support. At its meeting on 28 May 1993, the Council approved the proposal in principle. Unfortunately, its implementation was frustrated by several logistical and legal hurdles.

In 1993, I attended a meeting of Donors to African Education (DAE) Working Group on Higher Education in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. At the meeting, we were introduced to the concept of strategic planning. With the progression of time, it became clear to me that, in order to knit the foregoing elements together, the university needed a strategic plan. Therefore, in January 1995, I setup a strategic planning committee under the chairmanship of Professor G. B. Ogunmola. It was to carry out extensive consultations and discussions with all the stakeholders and prepare a strategic plan. The committee was still working hard on its remit when my tenure ended in November of that year. It submitted its report to my successor who proceeded to set up another committee for the same purpose under the chairmanship of Professor Femi Kayode.

Creation of the Faculty of Public Health

In 1988, the Senate rejected a proposal from the College of Medicine that only medically-qualified persons should be appointed to head clinical departments. The proposal was aimed particularly at PSM, a multidisciplinary department. Providentially, I was present at the Senate when the proposal was tabled and debated. My contribution to the debate facilitated its rejection. It is not entirely surprising and probably not a mere coincidence that the matter was resurrected during my tenure as vice-chancellor. This time the move started from outside the university. In accordance with extant regulations and practice, I approved the recommendation of the provost, College of Medicine and appointed Professor J. D. Adeniyi as HOD of PSM for three years with effect from 1 August 1993. Adeniyi, an expert in health education, was not medically qualified. At that time, I was unaware of the shameful shenanigans of some members of the department which had preceded the provost’s recommendation and had continued after Adeniyi assumed the headship. On 24 December 1993, I received a letter (Ref. MDCN/13A/Volll/172), dated 23 December 1993, and titled, “Withdrawal of Accreditation to Train Medical Doctors and Dental Surgeons”, which was written by the acting registrar, Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and addressed to the vice-chancellor, University of Ibadan. Among other things, the letter stated that

. . . if the appointment of a non-medically qualified trained academic staff as the head of a clinical department, namely Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, is not reversed on or before 7 January 1994, the accreditation of the college as a training institution for medical and dental graduates shall stand withdrawn from that date.

I was amazed at the content, tone and timing of the letter. I sent a copy of the letter to the provost, Professor B. o. Osotimehin, for his comments. He decided to come and discuss it with me. Daily, from 25 to 28 December, I held consultative meetings with several people, including the DVCs, Osotimehin, Adeniyi and the university solicitor. On 29 December 1993, I wrote to the acting registrar of MDCN to acknowledge receipt of his letter and, to state, inter alia, that:

The issues raised in your afore-mentioned letter bear directly on that procedure and its governing regulations, the review of which can be carried out only by the appropriate organs of the university. Early steps are being taken to present your letter to these bodies for appropriate action, but it is clear that all of them cannot possibly meet before the 7 January 1994 deadline conveyed in your letter. Therefore, I wish to respectfully request that the MDCN should exercise patience and allow the university sufficient time to deal with this important matter which has far-reaching implications nationally and internationally.

On 2 January 1994, I went with Osotimehin to see Dr. M. P. Otolorii chairman, MDCN, at his residence in Lagos. In the course of our extensiv discussions, he emphasized that the deadline of 7 January 1994 could not be shifted. Therefore, on 3 January, I wrote to inform the MDCN that: “ … an act of good faith in the interest of innocent students,” but without prejudice to the outcome of deliberations by various organs of the university, Professor O.A. Adebo, a surgeon and dean of the Faculty of Clinical Sciences and Dentistry, had been appointed director of the medical/ professional programmes (undergraduate and postgraduate) of the department of PSM pending resolution of the matter.

On 31 January, the Senate approved in principle the splitting of PSl into 2 or more departments. Adeniyi resigned as the head of PSM on 4 February 1994 for reason which I found acceptable in the circumstances. It was a demonstration of maturity and deep concern for the best interests of the students and the university. Subsequently, I appointed Adebo as acting HOD of PSM with effect from 7 February 1994 till further notice.