"Nigeria is The Only Country Where Professors Rig Elections For Politicians But Expel Students For Examination Malpractice."
Prof. Wole Soyinka
Recently, the collation officer appointed by the Independent National Electoral Commission for the Presidential election in Rivers State, Professor Charles Adias, suspended the collation of results over alleged threats to life.
Prof. Adias who is the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Otuoke in Bayelsa State, said this at the resumption of collation at the INEC Headquarters in Port Harcourt, saying the threats were from supporters of an anonymous political party.
He stated, “I have been receiving threat messages and calls to my life and that of my family for two days now. My picture is all over the social media that I was sent to rig the elections in Rivers State."
Does this mean that the Vice Chancellor’s appointment is for election rigging?
Most of the elections results were announced by different Vice Chancellors of Government Universities.
Professorship is the highest level attained in the academic field just as Generals in the Army. There are different levels one will attain before he could finally become a professor and this must have come with lot of studies, researches, knowledge of general understandings from different field of studies which simply means Professors must be vast in knowledge also they must have had about ten years experience in the Professorship before lobbying or being appointed as the Vice Chancellors. it is base on this achievements and trust that they are saddled with the responsibility collating and announcing election results which is a fragile task.
Moreover, this fragile task determines the hope and destiny of a Nation that should not be toyed with.
According to Prof. Charles statement over his reaction to the threat he received from the anonymous political party supporters. “My picture is all over the social media that I was sent to rig the elections in Rivers State.”
ASUU Strike has been an annual academic anniversary since when the Vice Chancellors, Principals of Universities are being used to manipulate election results, it is pathetic that this incident of Vice Chancellors manipulating results for the politicians has been backfiring them as well as other thousands of lecturers serving under them and millions of Nigerian Students who are not involved in the election manipulation for staying at home when the academic session should be ongoing. (Although, it is not all the Vice Chancellors and Professors that are guilty of the allegations)
Does this mean that the Vice Chancellor’s appointment is for election rigging? What is the major aim of government being in charge of Vice Chancellors' appointment? when the best way of choosing Vice Chancellors should be by election amongst the lecturers as they know the most capable ones and the incapable ones, whereas the incapables can sometimes be chosen by the government who knows nothing about the capability of this chosen Vice Chancellors. The appointment can only go to the loyal professors, for the selfish interest of the government.
In February 2022, the University lecturers embarked on strike which mostly comes annually. This said ASUU strike lasted for over eight months, during this period, the Osun State Governorship election was held and the then Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Toyin Ogundipe was called to announce the election results; his positive response was a huge disappointment due to the ongoing ASUU strike. Some may say he answered a call to his appointment, but his primary assignment is to lecture students on Campus as a lecturer and this positioned him to be appointed as the Vice Chancellor. In a sane country or any sane association, such a call should be discarded hence Toyin Ogundipe yielded to the call which termed him as a betrayal to other lecturers that were fighting for their rights. It is seen as an act of selfishness and lack of integrity, most of the Vice Chancellors would yield to such calls just for their selfish interest and to avoid being sacked by their appointer but the sacrifice as a lecturer should be the priority.
Till date, it is certain that any lecturer or ASUU executive of any chapter at the State or National level that has openly condemned this betraying act. It will never be a surprise if the National Chairman of ASUU dumps the precious pressure group chairmanship for an appointment by the Federal Government, this is a shame in the Academic industry.
All Campus Show correspondence in a phone interview speaking with Barr. Wasiu Adeyemi Sulaimon Esq. A one time SUG President of Lagos State University, also criticized the selfish acts by the Vice Chancellors.
In his words” Unfortunately, we can’t expect the professors to reject the appointment, although they are being bribed with little money and it shows the lack of integrity in them as Vice Chancellors. Being a professor is not an easy task and if they cannot be trusted enough to be called for the collation of election results, who else should be appointed to do so? Can we replace them with touts or bus drivers? Professors should be role models to students. Talking about students, some of the current students' unions seem timid and have failed in discharging their duties to represent the interest of the students.
“ The foundation is rotten, we should hereby revisit how most of them attained their Professorship. If they have paid a right sacrifice to acquire their Professorship and are being influenced negatively by the governor or by the president, then they ought not to be given that position or they resign honourably instead of denting their reputations. Moreover, VC’s should be prosecuted for faking results.“ he said.
Therefore, the Vice Chancellors and other professors should live an exemplary life that should prove them as learned and capable of leading in an academic and formal settings. They are expected to use their experiences to better the society in order improve the nation's building.“
If professors cannot stop the corruption, it is a shame that nothing has been achieved in their lines of duty to solving societal problems.”