My parents bought me shoes I would grow into, not out of —Professor Ayo Ojebode

Professor Ayo Ojebode is the Head of Department, Department of Communication and Language Arts, University of Ibadan. A distinct lecturer who combines wits with sarcasm and a high dose of hardwork and meticulousness speaks with JOAN OMIONAWELE on his life as a lecturer, personal life, among other issues.

What was growing up like, for you?

There was really nothing spectacular in my growing up. I was born in Igboora, Oyo State, one of the most peaceful towns in the world, a town made popular by the fact that it has the highest incidence of multiple births in the world. I grew up among loving parents, siblings, and friends. At that time, we were almost totally unaware of ourselves. I mean, today, we would have been described as poor. I think we had shoes but we did not wear them most of the time, because they were oversize. I think our parents were being smart by buying shoes that we grew into, rather than out of. But this was the case with everyone; so if we were poor, we didn’t know it. If we were different in social and religious terms, we didn’t know it. We kids ate saaraa (offering) in mosques and at shrines. We ate food served during Easter and Christmas. We just were what we were – kids.

I grew up among a large number of people whom my parents called “family”. It was impossible to know who, in that town, was or was not a member of our family. In fact, it was safe to assume that everyone was a member of our family. There was never a time I got into a fight that I was not chided for fighting with a family member. Never! Even when the fight took place in the farthest end of town. There was never a time I brought a friend home that my mother or father didn’t rebuke me for calling him a friend instead of a family member. Often I would be told, “You mean you don’t know that his grandmother and my own great grandmother were cousins, and together they lived in Ofiki village across the river. How can you not know that? You’re the same family o, not just friends.”

Growing up was also for me a period of creativity unleashed. We made all sorts of toys for and by ourselves. We wove our footballs out of discarded rags, straw and fibres – and played full tournament from these! We made for ourselves what we later knew were skating boards – you know, by using spoilt bearings nailed to flat boards. Life was fun. We acted plays which we made up as well as written plays. I was Aderopo in Form Three when we did Ola Rotimi’s The Gods Are Not to Blame led by Mr Alimi  Shittu, an inspiring and energetic man.

I knew a bit of intolerance, I must say. But most instances of intolerance I can remember were from my Mathematics teachers. I probably had a dozen people teach me Math at different times but only one of them. I can remember as being patient enough with me – and with most other kids. He was Mr Ogundijo who taught us Maths only briefly. My Maths teachers seemed to enjoy the mystery they built around the subject and they quickly moved on once two or three kids in the class showed or feigned some understanding of the magic.That was not how I was treated by my English teacher, Mr O. B. Oyekanmi or by Mr O. B. J. Oladeji.

Is your problem with Maths the reason that you ended up in the humanities?

Well, I am in the humanities because that was all there was to be. I attended a new secondary school – we were the third set – which had no science teachers. So, you really could only be in the humanities. Of course, I had a queer classmate who chose science and went on up to become a medical student: Seye Ogundijo was a person with unusual cranial powers. Well… even if we had science teachers, I would have been in the humanities. My Integrated Science scores tell me that – compared with my scores in Arts subjects.

So, how did you end up in communication?

I really have not ended up. My BA was in English Education from the famous Obafemi Awolowo University. My Master’s was in Language Education. At a point I got fascinated not just with language but also with what it is used to do – communication. After some measure of self-education, I realised communication was very fascinating and decided for it. That was a little over twenty years ago. I had always loved writing– I was in the press clubs in my high schools and was a representative of my school at numerous inter-school debates. We called these English language skills – but they really are communication skills.

What was your journey to professorship like?

I joined the university at the lowest rank and rose through the ranks, as you would say. I have the fortune of having the best crop of colleagues and mentors in and out of the country anyone could hope for. I also have had students who provided me with the needed intellectual challenge. You know, students who make you to strive to be current and up to date.

I did not experience any opposition or victimisation or hatred in my career. I have asked for things such as leave and had been denied. But this was no reason for bitterness because I knew, for instance, too many of my colleagues were on leave at that time. You can’t always get what you ask for. I think when administrators make plain the reasons for their decision,especially denial, it makes it easier to accept such decisions.

I also have the fortune of international networking. International networks helped me to know how people elsewhere think and act, and to hone my skills and broaden my horizons. They also boosted my confidence. However, they did not necessarily swell my wallet.

What would you say is the secret of your rapid rise in your career?

I have no secret. I have a supportive family, especially my wife. She gives me all the space I need. I have the luck of meeting good mentors in and outside of Nigeria. I have enjoyed good health and have stayed away largely from distractions, such as politics. If you want a word that sums all of that up, that word ‘grace’. I know in the Western world, our colleagues would give this a snort of disgust but no snort can silence the voice of experience. I believe in God and I am unashamed to state that I am what I am by His grace. You see, that’s the secret which is not secret. And yes, I prefer to live very simply and largely off the limelight. For instance, I bought this wristwatch for N500 and it serves me absolutely well. I am glad to also  be part of an academic culture that is truly academic. In the University of Ibadan, things we hear about such as sale of hand-outs and other such shameful aberrations are not in our character.

Now, let’s talk a bit about your habits. Will you now cut down on coffee intake?

Why should I do that to a lifetime friend and companion?

Some think you’re addicted… and that you can never give up taking coffee.

I give up coffee every evening. Very easy. And I just paraphrased Mark Twain.

What is your view on the educational system in Nigeria and the way forward?

This is a most touchy topic. The educational system in Nigeria needs restructuring. Even the best of schools are no longer educating children but merely training and helping them to pass examinations. There is a wide difference between passing examinations and being educated. I must add that this problem is not peculiar to Nigeria. I was at a discussion recently in Uganda and the same problem was the subject of discussion – bias for national exams at the expense of real education. At the end, our students are good at passing exams but not at solving problems and demonstrating creativity. Even technical colleges have jettisoned their mission and are now focused on making their students pass O’level examinations, go to the university and start searching for an employer. That is not the kind of citizen this country needs at this time.

Our educational policy is a strong and well articulated document with a clear vision and mission for education. While not disputing the claim that it is due for a review, I strongly believe that reviewing the policy is not the solution because that policy has really not been fully implemented.

It is time we brought back and strengthen the school inspection system. It is time we put the educational policy on the table and ask, “where did we go wrong?”. It is time government came out clearly about its failure and inability to provide quality education, and time parents girded up their loins about contributing to financing their children’s education.

What do you think has endeared you to your students? Your promotion caused a big stir on Facebook and also offline among your current and former students.

Well, I would say my students are the ones to give the best answer to that. I must confess that I also felt overwhelmed by the reaction of my students – former and current—to the promotion. And the reaction of my colleagues too, such as the Department of Music that volitionally organised a full concert to mark my promotion. I think, maybe, I strive to help my students to see that they are worth more than they think, they are far more capable than they think, that they matter to me and my career. I want students to leave my class with a “Yes-I-can attitude”. I do not pamper students; I can get quite harsh and unfriendly with a student who, I know, can do much better than he or she is doing. I counsel, I urge, I prod but I also scream at times. I do my teaching with passion. And I make learning enjoyable: if you wear a frown in my class, you must be ready to say why. But as I said, they are the ones who can give the right answer.

Now that you’re a professor, what’s next?

Now is time to begin to work, serious work. It’s time to serve my students and colleagues even more. I have no oars to rest on; I’d rather row harder.

A brief note about yourself sir

I started work in the University of Ibadan in February, 2000. I teach different aspects of communication but my favourites are research methods, development communication and indigenous communication systems. My research has also been around those areas. I am married to a woman, to be specific, and we have four children – all girls.