The latest news coming out of Owerri has confirmed that Governor Rochas Okorocha has sacked the Acting Vice-Chancellor of Imo State University, Prof B.E.B. Nwoke. This is the second sacking of an Acting Chief of the university by the same governor. While details of such decision remain unclear with no chagrin to wait for its emergence the contours on its implications are bare. Subsequent paragraphs will attempt to shed light on some of the implications as well as on apparent contradictions of the current government on education.
In the first instance it is nothing short of lunacy to expect praise and congratulations in repeated sacking of Imo State Acting Vice-Chancellors without serious excuse. It is abnormal, questionable and disrespectful of citizens. It is even worse than Argentina sacking 5 presidents in 3 days during their economic crisis few years ago. Unfortunately the first victim of this inglorious act is the governor who has without incentive damaged the little reputation remaining in his portfolio. Of course the same applies to Imo State and the university. This is clear indication that the governor is not a serious players and above all has no clear understanding of the strategic roles and functions of a university.
For a governor who pledged the growth of the state as his priority, dismantling huge legacy of state architecture is no worse than incest. There are few things Imo State is known for at the global stage, education seats at the top. Not just producing high quality citizens with world-class education but possessing world-class educational outposts. Now the governor has risen to the occasion to prove his critic right of his strategic imbecility. The subtext is that the university cannot have a substantive vice-chancellor under his watch.
Instead of extending performance and excellence which requires huge resources to enable it engage in research in broad swathes of specialisations, this university has been reduced to the state of glorified high school only fit for producing at best conveyor-belt products who are condemned to struggle in graduate life. Why is this the case? Well, various administrations refused to inject necessary resources and investment through strategic myopics of previous governors which the current one simply and happily rehashes.
Some of highly needed resources include uninterrupted staff salaries, state-of-the-art-library stocking current publications in hard and soft copies, subscriptions to leading journals from around the world especially from emerging economies, equipment of laboratories, active connection to regional/global research communities and providing funding for research institutes especially on Igbo Language, Igbo Culture and Igbo Knowledge preservation. On the last subjects the governor made recent noises about using Igbo Language in public discourse without back up. Of course it is common knowledge that our language is not received by us as a vehicle of intellectual engagement and research, medium of written transmission and dissemination of knowledge talk less of being the parallel medium of documenting day-to-day activity of governance. Poisonous virus of colonialism clung unto by the stupid!
There is strong tradition of contradiction in the current government which allows one the luxury to juxtapose soundbits and real policy implementation. It seem more likely that we are exposed to experimentation in governance or even further a disinteresting governance charade without pretence whose time has come. Total rejection of citizens and above all intellectual activity is both obvious and a product. It is unprecedented and we are living with it. One wonders the level of decadence this government will stoop next. Nevertheless it remains clear that this government will not even get close to challenging the honourable legacy of Chief Same Mbakwe's legacy in progressive education.
Unfortunately, one cannot be in two places at the same time. Imo State cannot be a great state or serious player in the global South without an active heartbeat of productive intellectual life situated in its own space. Imo State University must be a world renowned research university that attracts the best from around the world. Only serious governance, clear vision and strategic investment will deliver. This government will not deliver. At a time of serious positive changes in global South linked to internally generated resources, advancement in governance and liberation from imposed shackles, this government is rather retrogressively playing blindness to reality at the expense of citizens. The 3rd Acting Vice-Chancellor will not doubt be unsurprisingly shown the door in time.
Every society has its good, bad and ugly. Sadly what we are witnessing is the rendition of ugly governance script of our humanity through mismanagement of expectations in Imo State University whose time has come and fortunately whose time to go will also come.
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