From: WOLE BALOGUN, Ado-Ekiti
As corruption allegations currently rock some Nigerian Federal Universities, Vice Chancellor of the Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti, Prof. Samuel Oye Bandele, has advised the Federal Government to ensure a stiffer security scrutiny for prospective nominees for the management of Nigerian universities before appointment.
Prof. Bandele gave the advise on Tuesday.
He said the measure would ensure that those with criminal, corruption and immoral acts are exposed by the Department of State Services (DSS) before they gained entry into such plum seats and start perpetrating evils.
The VC also revealed that governors of Gombe and Oyo states, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo and Senator Abiola Ajimobi, respectively, as well as the Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, would be conferred with honourary degrees , as part of the activities lined up for the celebration of the university’s 22nd convocation ceremonies .
Bandele , who spoke in Ado-Ekiti during a pre-convocation press conference , said the university is graduating a total of 10,200 degree graduates with 37 of them coming off with first class honours, while not less than 398 will bag Ph.D, Masters, Professional Masters and Post Graduate Diploma degrees.
His words, “The Federal Government must screen very well whoever wants to occupy the management positions in universities, I mean all the positions, not only the VC position.
“This will enable the DSS to ascertain whether those who are being appointed to fight corruption are even corrupt themselves. There should be a critical procedure for these people , so that criminals won’t find their ways into such exalted positions”, he added.
The wife of the Governor, Mrs Feyisetan Fayose, also commissioned the N70 million Water factory built by the university, describing the entrepreneurial policy of the institution as outstanding.
The VC disclosed that the business innovations will help in shoring up the internally generated revenues of the institution.
Bandele revealed that the university has also commissioned its block industry while tremendous and appreciable works have been done on its bakery factory, which he said will commence operation soon.
The VC continued, “In pursuance of strengthening the internationalization agenda of this university, we are into Memoranda of Understanding with the University of California, Faculty of Agriculture, Auburn University, Alabama , USA and University of Nottingham University, UK in agriculture , engineering and sciences.
“The collaborative efforts would give opportunities for staff exchange in engineering, science, , mathematics and agriculture and also encourage bulk lecturing where an academic staff could come from abroad and lecture EKSU students”.
Bandele said the dream of making EKSU a full-fledged residential institution is gradually being realized with the 20,000-bed space hostels being constructed that would accommodate large number of students’ population .