The re-election of the Governor of Osun State carries with it not only a renewed mandate but also an important responsibility to uphold democratic values, due process and respect for institutions. Many citizens took principled positions, individually and collectively, in defence of their democratic rights. Where lives were lost in the course of the electioneering process, an independent and credible inquiry would serve the interests of justice, accountability and the prevention of future occurrences.
It is against this broader background of respect for due process and institutional integrity that the unfolding controversy surrounding Osun State University (UNIOSUN) deserves careful consideration.
Universities are among society’s most enduring institutions. Their governance must therefore be guided by laws, statutes and principles designed to outlive the individuals who temporarily occupy positions of authority within them. Consequently, any proposal capable of altering the tenure or conditions of service of a Vice-Chancellor should be considered primarily from the standpoint of what is best for the university — not from the standpoint of any particular incumbent.
This is the fundamental issue.
If the existing statutes governing the tenure of the Vice-Chancellor require amendment, the justification for such an amendment must be compelling, transparent and applicable beyond the circumstances of the present office-holder. Institutional rules should never be altered merely to favour — or disadvantage — an individual. A precedent established today may become an inconvenient instrument tomorrow.
This principle does not diminish the achievements, competence or contributions of any serving Vice-Chancellor. Indeed, an administrator may perform exceptionally well and still operate within the tenure framework established by the institution.
Conversely, if there are genuine structural reasons for reviewing that framework, such a review should follow proper consultation and due process and should preferably have prospective application. The question must always be: What rule best serves UNIOSUN in the long term?
That question brings us to the very idea of a university.
Universality lies at the heart of the university tradition. A university must transcend narrow political, sectional and personal considerations. Its credibility derives from intellectual freedom, academic excellence, institutional autonomy, transparent governance and fidelity to established processes. Once university governance becomes excessively centred on personalities, the institution itself risks becoming secondary.
Recent controversies surrounding leadership and governance in other Nigerian universities should provide useful lessons. Whatever the personalities involved, such experiences demonstrate the damage that prolonged disputes over appointments, tenure and institutional authority can inflict on university communities. UNIOSUN should learn from such experiences rather than reproduce them.
More importantly, the debate over university leadership should not distract from the larger crisis confronting Nigerian higher education. Nigeria’s universities continue to struggle with the need for stronger global competitiveness, sustainable research funding, modern infrastructure, international collaboration and an environment capable of retaining outstanding scholars.
The absence of Nigerian universities from the very highest tier of major global rankings should concern policymakers far more profoundly than the tenure of any single administrator. A knowledge-based economy cannot be built without deliberate and sustained investment in universities, research, innovation and human capital.
The challenge before the Osun State Government, therefore, goes beyond determining who occupies the office of Vice-Chancellor or for how long. It is about building an institution whose systems are sufficiently strong to survive changes in personalities, governments and political interests.
UNIOSUN must be allowed to grow on the strength of its statutes, scholarship, research, governance structures and institutional culture.
Individuals will come and go. Governments will come and go. Vice-Chancellors will come and go.
The University must endure.
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