>> On A total of 12 candidates gunning for job of vice chancellor of Benue State University addressed Academic Staff Union f Universities ASUU September 1.
>> They include in the way they appeared: Professors Joseph Kerker, Armstrong Adejoh, Yakubu Ochefu, Msugh Kembe, Nicholas Ada, and Toryima Varvar.
>> Others are: Professors Saint Gbilekaa, Joseph Fiase, Julius Ashiko, Francis Wegh, Peter Ortese and Targema Iorvaa.
>> It was a special ASUU session with a set committee headed by Prof. Akaa Imbwase of faculty of law, while members include: Profs. Mike Ode, Nancy Agbe, Edward Omudu and Drs Cecelia Ojabo (now commissioner for health), James Apam and Regina Ode.
>> Prof. Imbwase had noted that any of the 12 candidates may become the next VC in a few weeks to come, and uniform questions were asked them by ASUU.
>> The questions were suggested at an ASUU congress as a collectivity.
>> Each candidate was asked to state why he wished to be VC, how as VC he will lead BSU to tackle staff pensions and health insurance crisis, how to redeem the image of BSU from delayed results, sexual harassment, sorting to non-marking of scripts.
>> They were also asked to tell how they may generate revenues to meet BSU’s needs, how they may develop ICT to meet modern academic challenges and how they may tackle death ans security threats on lecturers by students.
>> Among the 12, Prof. Francis Wegh was absent but sent apologies which were taken.
>> Joseph Kerker a professor of ethics said having worked 23 years with BSU going through the rank and file, having worked closely with all the past VCs and the current, and having won four popular elections as dean faculty of arts, chairman ASUU BSU, member of council from congregation ans president of BSU senior staff club, he stood a good chance to also be elected BSU’s VC.
>> Kerker further said he was not claiming he had all the ideas but hoped to lean on the entire university community to take BSU to a desired higher height.
>> Armstrong Adejoh a professor of diplomatic history said he considered BSU as a project he is committed to with focus on advancing knowledge.
>> Adejoh had joined BSU 1992 as lecturer II and became a professor in 2002; was pioneer ASUU BSU caretaker chairman, served as first department of history examination officer, was head of department of history for a total eight years, dean of students for four years and is currently dean of the PG school.
>> Adejoh said he should be trusted with VCship having advanced knowledge, working through all levels with commitment and done community service p to being the BSU Catholic chaplaincy chairman.
>> Yakubu Ochefu a professor of economic history said as VC he would take BSU to new horizons of internally generated revenues, as he projected that BSU needed about N133 billion in the next five years but is currently in a bad financial state.
>> Ochefu decried that globally BSU was ranked about 14,000th saying he will work toward taking it within the global ranks of 1000 if elected VC.
>> Ochefu would achieve 50% internally generated revenues and institute a N1biliion endowment fund for BSU, establish a BSU microfinance and churn out more innovative ideas to move the university forward.
>> Msugh Kembe a professor of statistics said he had 7 year experience as lecturer with College of Education Katsina Ala and 23 years at BSU; was exam officer, a head of department, a deputy dean and now dean of faculty of science with footprints to show.
>> As dean Prof. Kembe has successfully raised undergraduate enrolment in science from a few tens to hundreds and introduced six new science programmes in he faculty and hopes to expand the university the more if elected VC.
>> Nicholas Ada a professor of science education said he would make BSU a university with international outreach, build a world class ICT unit, train and maintain staff, provide security , produce high quality graduates, provide all the 684 staff of BSU with laptops and ipads to encourage them to embrace ICT, provide staff welfare, lead by example, close multiple accounts and create a single account for the university, and develop BSU’s river banks into a tourist resort.
>> Toryima Varvar a professor of African studies said he had worked with BSU for 20 years beginning 1995 as assistant lecturer, becoming a professor in 2011.
>> Prof. Varvar served the university as pioneer ASUU-thrift chairman, and has been dean of faculty of arts.
>> If elected VC Varvar would make BSU to be among the first 200 universities globally improve imparting of knowledge, improve ICT including its presence in every lecture room, attract renown academics and stop the moving away of trained staff, encourage revision of academic programmes to make graduates to create jobs and be more relevant to society, build more lecture halls and offices and hostels, beautify BSU’s environment, guarantee staff welfare and close existing gulf between BSU staff and management.
>> Saint Gbilekaa a professor of dramatic arts and pioneer staff of University of Abuja, was head of department of theatre arts, dean of PG school for four years, dean of faculty for two years and chief of staff with Benue State government for seven years.
>> Prof. Gbilekaa said he was a reservoir of university administration, that BSU as established not as a conventional but professions based university and if elected VC he will tilt the university towards realizing its set goals and would run it with participation of the private sector, enhance research and teaching through entrepreneurial efforts, expand IGR base of BSU, develop linkages and regularly dialogue with BSU staff and students.
>> Joseph Fiase a professor of nuclear physics worked with Ahmadu Bello University 1988-1992 when he was invited to join BSU to start the physics department as senior lecturer and deputy dean of science.
>> Prof. Fiase left and worked also with University of Botswana for six ears before finally returning to BSU where he worked as acting dean of science, dean of PG school and head of physics department.
>> If elected VC Fiase promised he would provide strong, purposeful and dynamic leadership, a well focused, equipped, and problem solving based, world class player in teaching and research. He would ensure staff salaries are paid timely, pensions schemes and retirement schemes put in place and staff benefits paid, to enable staff stay on rather than move away.
>> Fiase also promised to be a listening VC, to take BSU to the top 1000 globally and the best 10 in Nigeria, improve on ICT presence, power supply for improved teaching and research, improve science programmes, establish a faculty of engineering, and pharmaceutical sciences and food science and technology.
>> He decried BSU was owing staff N3bilion and this needs funding and for that he would reposition BSU’s consultancy services for improved IGR set up a fund and invite wealthy persons to contribute, make 2% LG funds to be sent to BSU and put it in a deposit account from which only interest shall be used for development purposes; and he would run BSU with fear fo God.
>> Julius Ashiko a professor of French said he had been in the university system since 1977 at ABU? Zaria as graduate assistant and was invited to BSU in 1993 and has been HOD language and linguistics, dean of students, member of BSU governing council, dean of PG school and DVC administration.
>> Prof. Ashiko, a pioneer council member of French Village Badagry, decried that: BSU used to have a crème of academics but the university has not met their basic needs and some of them have left , and he would do his best as VC to stop exodus of academics from BSU.
>> Ashiko said he would ensure infrastructure continues to grow, to support ICT development for competence and good service, to look into the human condition like retirement and death benefits, and to work in harmony with all staff.
>> Peter Ortese a professor of guidance and counseling has been at BSu since 1992, a pioneer graduate assistant becoming a professor in 2009.
>> Prof. Ortese worked with many mentors who have exposed him to knowledge of management.
>> A VC Prof. Ker made him secretary of his committed to map out strategies for him to run BSU, and with the road map Kerr become the best rated VC of state owned universities.
>> Another VC Prof. Sorkar made Prof Ortese secretary of his blue print development committee and served as coordinator of sandwich programme – and these rich experiences have exposed Ortese to understand well how to manage BSU.
>> Ortese again found out from the current VC that personality matters in management, and has planned to touch all aspects of BSU management, improve conditions of service and job satisfaction and keep staff in their duty posts so that rather than staff leaving more shall be attracted into BSU.
>> As VC Prof. Ortese would ensure staff matters are a priority and need not protest before being paid salaries and allowances, provide staff incentives, reduce staff work load, ensure results are e-networked and promptly released, build faculty edifices, adequately fund departments and faculties, use ICT as instruments of creativity and learning, produce creative and resourceful graduates, introduce more science courses and use science to solve problems, use sandwich, distance and consultancy services to enhance IGR of the university, make creativity, innovation, transparency and accountability to be key words of BSU’s administration.
>> Targema Iorvaa a professor of health education and heal promotion aid he served BSU at lower and higher levels and performed creditably and should be elected to the highest office of VC.
>> Prof. Iorvaa joined BSU in 1995 and was made an exam officer, coordinator of sports, coordinator of PGDE and was elected dean of faculty of education and elected chairman of committee of deans and directors of BSU and secretary general of committee of deans of education nationally and was nominated to represent deans on the council of teachers’ registration in ABuja.
>> He led BSU to NUGA games to take first in football and second in judo, and spearheaded granting of official cars to deans and directors.
>> Iorvaa initiated building of a block for faculty of education, reestablishing the rationalized department fo physical and health education programme, spearheaded mounting of a masters programme in human kinetics and health education, served at federal university Dutse on sabbaticals when he started the department of human kinetics and health education engaging 14 academic staff for the department.
>> He has enhanced promotions of many academic staff under his purview.
>> Iorvaa promised to provide purposeful, dynamic and focused leadership rather than a weak one, if elected VC of BSU.
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