In this world we live in, there are compelling evidences that human beings are born equal in the eyes of the almighty God and mankind but in reality some people are simply greater than others in accomplishing their goals, making such people to stand out amongst equals. Although Professor Oshiodin is a Vice Chancellor like all other Vice Chancellors of the Country’s University but his chancellor’s Hat fits him better than the other Chancellors’.
His achievement as the Vice Chancellor of University of Benin in his short time at the helm of the university’s affairs has put him in a league of his own. This is not coming from me but by his students and work colleagues. But let it be known that a university is an institution of higher education which confers bachelors and higher degrees. It is therefore a place where qualitative education and high standard learning takes place in the most sedulous manner that benefits the mind and equips one for a future career and self-development in life.
A university therefore is different from most profit oriented organisations and instead it focuses more on a human and development which has implication for human capital investment. Whilst other forms of organisations have as their head, a managing director, as operational and administrative overseer, a University has as its head a Vice Chancellor (Vice Chancellor, whose responsibility is to make sure that the institution is efficiently and effectively run with the interest of the students and staff at heart at all times.
Therefore the driving force for a V.C. is not profit orientation but learning orientation and to create an environment and an atmosphere that is both conducive and amiable for the students and staff to succeed in their endeavours. This means the students can study in the best atmosphere and environment to maximise their knowledge for future assignments ahead and the lecturers are favoured with the opportunity to strive inteaching, and to carry out research and development that would propel the university in science and technological development that could enhance the image of the institution locally, nationally and internationally while at the same time creating a motivational environment for the non-academic staff to carry out their functional duties without any hindrance what so ever.
The quality of a Vice Chancellor cannot be equated and measured in the same vein as that of a managing director, who is concerned mainly with maximizing the company’s profit. A Vice Chancellor must be someone of academic excellence and must combine it with other characteristics and must possess rare qualities such as leadership by example, charisma, love and affection, must be humble, accessible, approachable, a strategist, stylist, coordinator, creative, innovative, inventive, assertive, diligent and must be corrupt - free and learning oriented. A great University is one that can identify with its jurisdictional populace and is able to fill the void of its local jurisdiction both in terms of providing the course(s) needed to enhance the local populace chances to effectively compete in the open market in all works of life and if possible creating employment for them. Therefore a good University must have the interest of its local jurisdictional people at heart at all times and should cater for their aspirations and needs and be able to tailor the courses of the university to be meaningful, relevant and useful to them.
Professor Osayuki Oshodin is the Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin and his appointment has yielded a huge dividend in the annals of the history of the university. He is a local renowned academia omniscient with an exemplary character. Professor Oshiodin’s image is beyond any myth. His management’s style is a marvel that gladdens the souls and minds and is admired by all. He brings to bare his educational frontier and uses his academic expediency to harness his management acumen. He is an educationist and as a class room lecturer he was respected and revered as a saint for his devotion to detail, duties and teaching, and his affability marvelled his students and colleagues alike. He is kind, delectable, dedicated and loved by everyone. It did not surprise the mind a bit that Professor Oshiodin in less than three years as the Vice Chancellor of University of Benin has marvelled and captivated everyone with his charm of management style and achievement. He leads by example and others are quick to learn under him and their cooperation has been very exquisite in Professor Oshiodin’s achieving his enviable success in the shortest possible time.
Professor Oshiodin’s style of management has brought him instant fame and praises in Edo state, nationally and outside Nigeria. He has excelled in human development, structural reformation, image building, human capital investment, infrastructural development, and management by example, leadership by example, human relations, academic and student discipline, research and development, innovation and creativity and hygiene within the university. A visit to the University of Benin will reveal an astonishing aural atmosphere and an epic development in an on-going construction and completion of new buildings.
The morale of lecturers is at all-time high, the students are looking very happy, eager to learn in an atmosphere and environment that is neat and clean and the image of the University has soared within the country and the world over.
The University has become a dominant force in the country, winning various and different academic accolades and competitions one after the other. The University of Benin is rated number one in West Africa making her a household name and consequently a world player. Since Professor Oshiodin ascended the apex position, the University has climbed from over 5000th position in the world’s university league table to just over 3000th position in the world ranking making the University the top university in Nigeria and amongst the best 15 universities in Africa, displacing Ibadan University from number one spot in Nigeria for two years running. The students are quick and eager to associate themselves with the name ‘Uniben’ because of its image.
Professor Osayuki Oshiodin is born into a great Allele affinity. His allele and appoggiatura would make you to appreciate this enviable and delectable personality the more. The pulchritude of Vice Chancellor Professor Osayuki Oshiodin is vivid, and if you knew his allele you would accept and appreciate this intelligent renowned academia omniscient the more. He definitely stands great amongst equal. On Chief Clark’s inflammatory remark about the Edos, the Chief unmistakably identified a vacuity of leadership in the University of Benin before the appointment of Professor Osayuki Oshiodin. He however somehow ascribes this very cruelly to say the least. To quote him: “There are those who feel that the University was built for the Benin or Edo people; and therefore, the position of the Vice- Chancellor and other principal officers must be held by people of Edo origin at all times, while there are others who feel that the university was built for the whole state”. Perhaps Chief Clark was misinformed of the spooky innuendo claims- that blighted the image of the University for some time. I am not so sure if Chief Clark meant to hurt anyone’s feeling by his remark! The Edos have never claimed they must at all- times become the Vice- Chancellor of University of Benin and to occupy other principal positions. Chief Clark, may have been misinformed and the Edos demand unreserved and unequivocal apology for his allegation and stance on the issue.
The Edos perspicacious reaction should not be mistakenly taken as a weakness but for the chief Hon Doctor’s elysium service to the great Bendel state of Nigeria now Edo- Delta also the Edo people may have regarded the Chief’s remark as gobble gook made by a buckaroo and therefore not worthy of any remark or reaction. Thank God that Mr. Clark’s stratagem failed, because that claim is capable of devilry reaction. Chief Clark as a ‘Son’ of the soil by extension is not known as a loquacious person but should never the less desist from making lexis remarks that could arouse tribal xenophobia.
The Edos only stated that since the inception of the University of Benin, which is situated in Benin City, the heartland of Edo people, that there has never at any time been an Edo person appointed as the V.C. of the University. They called for the recognition of this fact and the appointment of an Edo person after over forty years of the University’s existence. What is wrong with this request Chief Honourable Doctor Clark! Would you say that the Izon’s quest to have total control of the natural resources in their domain is borne out of greed or tribalism?
Thank God that rationality finally prevailed and the appointment of Professor Oshiodin as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin, Benin City has been vindicated beyond all reasonable doubt. The way he is managing and running the University is there for all to see. He has proven to be in the world of his own and great amongst equal. This not a saying, it is real.
I recently interviewed some students/lecturers of the University. One lecturer said to me: “If I am not mistaking I have been a lecturer here for almost twenty five years having lectured for six years somewhere in the country before I came here in 1989. As for the V.C. Oshiodin; marvellous, the V.C. Oshiodin is in a league of his own. We get paid before the 20th or the 23rd the most every month”. “Look at the University” he continued, “There is a new lease of life and fresh air all around and sense of belonging in the university. He is greatest amongst equals”. Note the word greatest amongst equals is not mine but I have borrowed it because it is real.
Another one said, shame we did not have this kind of Vice Chancellor before now. A Vice Chancellor of this kind is one in a life time”. One Osaheni, a student said: “This is my sixth year in this university”, she went on, “what can I say, he is a gem, a father and a Vice Chancellor. who cares much about the welfare of his students and other people”. One Chioma, a law student says, “I can now see why they wanted him, a local as the Vice Chancellor he has really done very well”. One student simply said, “Excellent, splendid, great, may God bless him”. One Lecturer puts it simply: ”Oshiodin has always been good and we knew he would not disappoint”.
At this point I almost shed tears because I have never at any time been so captivated or overwhelmed by the love and affection that was being displayed for this delectable man, Professor Oshiodin but one thing I have always harboured is that a good name is better than a bad name and consequently you reap whatever you sow. There is no doubt the University is on course for greater things to come. Nigeria is a place where biological loyalty holds sway and Professor Oshiodin is misplaced in that polluted dictum that blithe or blurs the mind for achievement but the Professor combines his general allele and affability to making sure the University of Benin becomes great in the world and the envy of Nigeria’s and Africa’s universities while bearing in mind the interests and needs of the local jurisdictional people at all times. He is indeed greatest amongst equals.Â
