Whenever the lion’s den is mentioned, what easily comes to mind is the Biblical story of Daniel whose unwavering belief in God saved him from being devoured by hungry lions. But in this context, the “Den” metaphorically refers to the environment of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where fertile minds are groomed and nurtured to challenge and subdue societal problems like hungry lions. It confers a sense of pride and deserved intellectual arrogance on students and alumni of the University of Nigeria whenever they are called lions and lionesses, a name that has its root in academic excellence and fearlessness of the Institution’s graduates in the face of daunting societal challenges.
When the University of Nigeria was established at the wake of Nigerian independence in 1960 by the Eastern Nigeria government, the founding fathers of the Institution were anxious to put their vision to work. They could not wait longer to jump-start the process of restoring the dignity of man, a dignity that was mangled by poverty, deprivation and the dehumanising effect of slave trade and colonialism. They were in a hurry to commence the training of leaders who will solve Nigerian problems and help spark the cultural renaissance of Africa, a continent that was seen by the Western lords as incapable of leading itself and solving its own domestic problems. The need to realize their vision was so urgent that the great men, led by Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, could not wait for skyscrapers to be erected before the University took off. Instead, lectures were held in prefabricated buildings. But, it was a case of treasures in earthen vessels as the quality of graduates produced by the Institution was more sophisticated than the environment where there were trained. Expectedly, the University’s excellent academic record earned it an enviable glory in Nigeria and beyond.
However, the Nigerian civil war that started in 1967 punctured the progressive march of the University. By the time the war ended in 1970, the University was in ruins, its laboratories were despoiled, its fledging infrastructure was reduced to rumble and some of her leading academics died in the war. Things in the university completely fell apart, and then it was a battle to revive the soul of the Institution.
Rebuilding the Den therefore became a daunting task which begged for urgent and comprehensive attention. Successive administrations of the university made efforts to address the challenge, but it was not until 1982, under the administration of Prof Frank N. Ndili, as Vice-Chancellor, that a significant effort was made to jump-start major infrastructure development in the priority phase of the institution’s development plan. Some projects were initiated, including the new university library building, Faculty of Arts buildings, Division of General Studies buildings and some staff residential quarters.
However, after the regime of Prof. Ndili, there was a lull in major infrastructure development until 2004 when Prof. Chinedu Nebo became the Vice-Chancellor. Prof Nebo’s administration completed the new Nnamdi Azikiwe Library, which is reputed to be the biggest academic library in Africa. He stabilized the academic calendar of the University and executed a number of development projects.
On June 9, 2009 the baton of leadership of the University was passed on to Prof Bartholomew Ndubuisi Okolo, Professor Okolo took over the administration of the University at a time it became imperative to change the traditional role of teaching, learning and research adapted by the University, to those driven by information technology, in order to keep the Institution afloat in the globally competitive academic terrain. The challenge therefore was not only developing physical infrastructure but also the essential cyber infrastructure that will help advance research generated by faculties and students of the University.
Many pessimists thought that the problems of the University would overwhelm Prof Okolo, but little did they know that he came prepared for the job. As an insider, who had been in the services of the University since 1986, he knew where the problem lay, and as a widely travelled scholar; the Vice-chancellor understood how the environment of a 21st century university should look like, and was ready to replicate laudable innovations in other universities in the University of Nigeria.
On assumption of office, he articulated his dream for the University of Nigeria in a vision statement thus; “to create a functional, globally competitive and research focused University of Nigeria which is not just an Ivory tower, but responsive to the needs of society while delivering world class education and knowledge”. This vision was anchored on four cardinal goals which include; improving the state of Infrastructure, enhancing staff competence and output, fostering new strategic alliances and creating enabling environment for sustained excellent performance.
Four years after, Prof Okolo’s administration has pursued the four points agenda with amazing rapidity which justifies his anger at the deplorable state of infrastructure in the University.
In the area of infrastructure upgrade, the administration has completed many structural projects, and more than 7 kilometres of link roads spread across the campuses. Some of the completed projects include; new university main gate, Presidential Guest House Complex, Nsukka Campus ( 3 buildings containing 7 suites & 18 rooms, administrative block containing kitchen, bar & restaurant , Gymnasium and Swimming Pool), International Scholars Village, Nsukka Campus (83 rooms en suite, restaurant/bar), Rehabilitation and upgrade of School of General Studies, Nsukka Campus, Remodelling of information and Public Relations Building as well as Department of Economics building, remodelling & expansion of Personnel Building, Nsukka Campus, Construction, furnishing & equipping of Shell-CEMAC Building, Enugu Campus, Centre of Excellence for financial studies at the Enugu Campus, among others. Besides the completed projects are legion of on-going projects, many of them in their final phases of completion, such as the new administrative building at Enugu campus, School of Postgraduate studies complex, Institute of African Studies complex, just to mention but a few.
In creating enabling environment for sustained excellent performance, the administration has extensively landscaped the University surroundings, equipped laboratories with state-of-the-art apparatus, installed Hitachi smart boards in lecture theatres and classrooms, planted trees and flowers to give the institutions environment the desirable ambience, keep naming.
At the last count, the University management had sent more than 40 of its young staff abroad for further training as part of its vision to enhance staff competence and output. Also, many workshops and conferences have been organised for both academic and non academic staff. Just recently, the university administration collaborated with UNESCO to train academic staff on the use of mobile phones to generate instructional materials and deliver lectures to students.
Similarly, the Prof Okolo-led administration has forged more than 30 collaborations and partnerships with other universities in the world to facilitate staff and students exchange programmes, research and training, faculty visits, and curriculum exchange. Some of the collaborating institutions include: University of Maryland, USA, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, University of Hokaido, Japan, Michigan state university, University of Holy Spirit, Brazil, among others. Of equal importance is the administration’s partnership with the private sector which has led to the construction of multi-billion Naira buildings, including the on-going Ifeanyi Uba Data Centre, Shell CEMAC Building at Enugu campus, Prof. B.I.C Ijeoma Dept of Sociology building, among others.
Interestingly, the effort of Prof. Okolo’s administration has not gone unnoticed by staff, students and guests of the University. They have applauded his administration’s effort to improve the quality of academic activities and the ambience of the university environment. For instance, the former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo could not hide his amazement at the level of construction works in the University when he visited in 2011. He remarked that the Institution was a “big construction site”.
Also, the Senate Chairman, House Committee on Education, Senator Uche Chukwumerije, after inspecting some projects at the university, said; “My impression about the oversight visit here is one of a very massive transformation going on here, and it confirms the general impression I share with the people that leadership is pivotal in any social phenomena. Whatever you talk about the flow of history, whatever you talk about changes in any larger environment, the catalyst is always the quality of leadership.
“Coming back to Nsukka after some years, when I was here to deliver a lecture, I could not believe this is the same place I have been to five years ago. There is a massive change in infrastructural facility, in landscape and in general environment. For the first time, I feel that University of Nigeria, Nsukka, is at last coming back to its former glory as one of the first generation universities in the country,”
Similarly, the Chairperson, Clean Project Ltd, Dr (Mrs) Virgy Anohu, said “my greatest respect and gratitude go to the VC, Prof Bartho Okolo whose transformative agenda is intimidating, genuine and reformative. He and his team have shown that they have a vision, and have courageously pursued this vision translating to the restoration of the dignity of man in UNN. I thank him for giving us back an institution all of us are proud to be associated with”.
There is no doubt that the University of Nigeria has a bright future, if the tempo of the current infrastructure delivery is sustained, in few years time the world class aspiration of the Institution will no longer be a vision but a reality. It is therefore imperative for all lovers of development and disciples of excellence to join forces with the university administration and be part of its success story to global prominence.
