NSUK VC Appointment: Time for Nasarawa North to Produce The Next

The tenure of the current Vice Chancellor of the prestigious Nasarawa State University, Keffi Professor Suleiman Bala Mohammed will soon elapse with preparations on top gear for the appointment of a new one for the state-owned university. 

While it is an open field for every interested professors to indicate their interest in the position, it is only morally right that in doing so, we look down memory lane with recourse to the zones that have produced the Vice Chancellor across the state since the inception of the University.

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With hindsight of history, since establishment of the University by Nasarawa State Law No. 2 of 2001 to March 2024, two out of the three geo-political zones of the state have produced the Vice Chancellor of the University with an exception of one geo-political zone.

Lafia zone has been privileged to occupy the office of the Vice Chancellor under the reign of Professor Mohammed Akaro Mainoma while Keffi zone has also been lucky enough to have produced the current Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Suleiman Bala Mohammed whose tenure is coming to an end in April 2024.

As the tenure of the incumbent Vice Chancellor elapses and as the government is making necessary arrangement to appoint a new Vice Chancellor for the University, there could be no better time than now for the Nasarawa North zone to be considered for the position, if at all, justice, fairness and equity is something to hold on to.

In this connection, the exigency of adopting rotational power sharing mechanism has become expedient to accommodate all sections of the state. Appointment of Vice Chancellors by zones is not new especially in State owned Universities in Nigeria. The unwritten rule reflects in the appointment of Vice Chancellors in Plateau State University Bokkos, IBB University, Lapai among others.

The contribution of professors from Nasarawa North to the development of Nasarawa State University cannot be overemphasised. The zone has the highest number of Professors in the University to a staggering ratio of 2:1 in comparison to other two geo-political zones of the state: Keffi zone (11), Lafia (8) Akwanga zone (22).

The concentration of senior professors with international exposure and experience in Nasarawa State University is from Nasarawa North and some of them served the University at various levels from Heads of Departments, Academic Directors, Deans of Faculties and Deputy Vice Chancellor. Despite their numbers, the current appointments in the University does not reflect their academic strength or recognises their contribution.

Looking at the four statutory positions of the University Principal Officers, (Vice Chancellor, Registrar, Bursar and Chief Librarian), none is from Nasarawa North. The position of the current Deputy Vice Chancellor Administration is a nominee of the Vice Chancellor and not by Council Appointment through interview.

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The feeling of marginalisation by the good people of Nasarawa North, summoned in me the irrepressible urge to make a case for the zone to have her stake by allowing any suitably qualified candidate from the zone to emerge as the next substantive Vice Chancellor of Nasarawa State University. There is a dire need for all concerned stakeholders to come together and develop a workable mechanism that would give equal opportunity to all the zones with reference to the Vice Chancellor’s appointment and ensure its quickest adoption.

This if done, will give all sections a great sense of confidence in the administration of His. Excellency Engr. Abdullahi Alhaji Sule, the Executive Governor of the State, as a true believer in the democratic path that sees the society as a system of power rotation which preserve all the component segments and its cohesion. This will further be a justification to his detribalised nature, spirit of fairness and equity; a picture he so represents very well.

However, what is important at this point in time is for all relevant stakeholders, most especially the stakeholders from Nasarawa North to receive this agitation as a major necessity and demand of the good people of the zone, in which case, endeavour to convert the demand into acceptable exercise and make it a possibility. In all honesty, there is a compelling need for a paradigm shift for equity, fairness, cohesion and justice and more importantly to give opportunities to other credible and intelligent Professors from the zone to come on board and deliver their ideas for the overall growth and development of the institution.

For the purpose of clarity, this agitation is not in any way nursing any grudge against the zones that have benefited in producing the Vice Chancellor. Thus, it captures the brutal fact that for any of the two zones to re-produce the Vice Chancellor as against the interest of the Northern zone only amount to being inordinately selfish and against the idea of fair play and togetherness. The major preoccupation of this piece is to seek the shift of the position to Nasarawa North in a manner that would give the entire component a stake and to enhance the stability of the institution in particular and the state at large.

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It is hoped that the relevant stakeholders would embrace this clarion call for the entrenchment of equal stake and justice for all.

Synoptically, this open letter would not be complete without making a passionate appeal to the Nasarawa State Government for inclusion and consideration of notable Professors from Nasarawa North who are serving in the University for the said appointment in order to boost their sense of belonging in the scheme of affairs in the institution.