It is most unfortunate that Ebonyi State university that ranked between 3rd-5th best state University in Nigeria between 2003-2010 has been mindlessly reduced to a mere lesson Centre by a careless and a supposedly governor of a state.
When a purpose of a thing is not known abuse is undoubtedly inevitable. University as a citadel of learning is by all intents and purposes not primarily established as a profit making venture as maybe assumed by the misguided “Leviathan”. On assumption of office by the erstwhile governor of Ebonyi State, Senator Sam Egwu, PhD, in 1999, knowing the peculiarities of the state, quickly established and funded the university to the envy of all. That both the South-South and the South East admission seekers took huge advantage of. He introduced and funded Ebonyi State scholarship board, brought fees to #19,200, and significantly sent hundreds of Ebonyians on post graduate studies in Europe and America and today, its fruits abound as we now have medical doctors and PhDs in their numbers.

The academic staff of the university as at 1999-2010 where basically drawn from Anambra, Enugu, Imo, and Abia State respectively, because Ebonyi state had very few persons with post-graduate qualifications (Masters) which is the minimum requirement to qualify one as a university teacher.

Fortunately, because of these conscious efforts of the first democratically elected governor, Senator, Sam Egwu, PhD, the narrative has changed for good as we now have many husbands and wives as Professors and PhDs, two to three PhDs in a family and has even gotten to the point that many of our PhD holders who have interest in teaching are now scattered across universities in Nigeria to the glory of God.

The import of this piece stems from my personal encounter in Ebonyi State University recently. I was privileged to go to the administrative building of the ivory tower, the office of the Vice Chancellor to be precise, and behold the windows and doors were very wide opened, and when I asked what was happening, one quietly told me that there is no money for diesel as the state has drastically reduced the subvention that comes to the institution. Alas! In case you don’t know, the word ‘university ‘is from the latin word “universus”, “universitate”, meaning “whole, entire.” So think a university as a world of its own-an institute of higher education where you live and study. It can stand for “universitas magistrorum et scholarium, which stands for “community of teachers and scholars”, has no light? I quickly bowed my face in shame because I went along side scholars of high reputes many of which are retired university don and mentors scattered across Nigerian Universities. Light is one of the conditio sine qua non for a university to exist, and it is not in the office of the Vice Chancellor? haba ma’na!.

Worst still, few days ago, I got to know that the principal officers of the University in exception of the Vice Chancellor has no official car, Jesus Christ! That is; the two deputy vice Chancellors (Academics and Administration), Registrar, Bursar, and the University Liberian. Tell me any clime where things are done the way it is done here. From where I went to (UNIZIK ) after my sojourn in EBSU as an undergraduate, heads of units all goes with good, I mean brand new cars for efficiency, even down to Anambra State University, and other university you may think of. EBSU has been strangled, EBSU is dead to say the least! Brain drain! Brain drain!! Brain drain as many of the departments do not have up to 7 lecturers!!!

He has also gone ahead to withhold the salaries of the university staff for four (4) good months now, arguing that they must have to sacrifice twenty percent of their salaries for the purpose of fighting COVID-19. And I ask, how much was he able to slash from his own personal salary, those of his household, and the unaccounted-for security vote? Is it by force to give? Sir, are you aware that your time is speedily ticking? You have destroyed our only inheritance while your children are in Europe and America studying.

I challenge you sir, to rethink your stance on the University that you have destroyed, and turn a new leaf. How do you sleep with your two eyes closed when thousands of Ebonyians (EBSU staff) starve alongside their dependants? Always know that what you arrogate to yourself and family members are all our collective wealth and we will surely ask questions when the time comes. Leave academics alone! University is not TAs and EAs you appoint today and dissolve tomorrow!

I tell you today sir, not as a prophet, but certainly what would happen: those clapping for you now will surely take a bow, not by your permission, but as an affront on your person, even in a meeting you will be presiding, and nothing will happen. Think of COVID-19 that suddenly surfaced and pierced the world’s powers’ illusion of certainty and control. Aren’t you afraid?

It was Martin Luther King Jr., who asserts and I quote“…in the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” And “…One who condones evil is just as guilty as the one who perpetrates it.”

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The governor should not allow this to mess up his good works