President Goodluck Jonathan had in 2009, as the then Vice-President, correctly captured the befitting description of the Nigeria's premieruniversity, when he said the University of Ibadan (UI) belongs to every Nigerian. According to President Jonathan, 'every family in Nigeria has benefitted from the UI. If you are not a UI graduate, somebody from your family must have graduated from UI. If nobody from your family attended UI, then, one of your family members must have been taught by someone who was taught by a UI graduate. In other words, the UI belongs to all Nigerians.'Obviously, nothing could be truer than this assertion. I would like to corroborate the President's position by adding that anybody who has ever read the literary works of Professors Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe and John Pepper Clark (who are all UI graduates, anyway), has equally drunk from the ocean of intellectualism flowing from Ibadan to different parts of the world. Indeed, without any embroidery, UI, as one has said repeatedly, is a national patrimony that must be treasured by all Nigerians.At 63, though it is still young be compared to many older universities across the globe, some of which are as old as 500 years, it is not doing badly, given its enviable antecedent.Against this background, two major events unfolded recently, which vividly illustrated the prospects and challenges of Nigeria's oldest university. Firstly, the University celebrated its 63rd Foundation Day with fanfare. The second event was the silent commemoration of the first year in office of the incumbent Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Adewole, where stock-taking was painstakingly done. Those who witnessed the two events saw UI in its true state of hope and hopelessness.Let us, therefore, consider the gleaming and the gloomy sides of our dear university with a view to sharing both its joy and toil, after all, light is yoke when it is shared. Arising from its Graduation and Foundation Day ceremonies, it is evident that the UI is fast moving towards becoming a world-class institution. For the first time in many years, the University substantially expanded the scope of its documentation. There are more than six different publications on different issues affecting the University.Surprisingly, the UI produced an annual report, similar to the standard practice in the private sector. In the glossy annual report, Prof. Adewole gave various accounts of his stewardship, including all the contracts awarded, the cost, the contractors, the completion period, payment up to date as well as the progress recorded. This is incredible.Observers were dazed with the level of transparency, that this novel idea of annual report advertised. Clearly, this is a radical departure from past practice, where contents of this annual report would have been shrouded in secrecy. The credit goes to the VC, who seems to be shocking the University community with an enviable unique approach to university administration. Apart from the annual report, Prof. Adewole equally gave the audience other new publications, such as profile of the recipients of the university's honorary degree, a compendium of his many of speeches, report of the disaster wreaked by the August 26 flood on UI, among others. Obviously, information flowed freely from the transparent Adewole's regime.Another heart-warming development coming from the UI is the award of automatic postgraduate scholarships for all this year's 106 first-class graduates of the University. Prof. Adewole had promised, while campaigning to become the VC, to give postgraduate scholarship awards to first class students. The promise was greeted by cynicism, as some of his detractors described the promise as a political gimmick. But with the promise gaining full expression, the enigmatic VC has recorded yet another credit difficult to dismiss.But despite his missionary zeal to truly transform the UI with his agenda of enthronement of good governance, improvement in academic activities, infrastructural upgrade and enhancement of welfare of staff and students, Prof. Adewole is confronted with some challenges that call for collective collaboration and support.One of the major challenges militating against meaningful development in all is the electricity problem. Although, this is a national albatross, a university of Ibadan status ought to have overcome this challenge if all the considerable technical expertise are harnessed and synergised. The VC wanted a short-term solution upon his arrival on board: At least to serve as a palliative measure, he wanted to buy gigantic generators that could serve the University community. But he was told that it would take close to seven months before he could take a delivery of his desire. Power outage is still creating hopelessness in the academic community albeit amidst spirited effort by the silent achiever.While Prof. Adewole is fighting hard to actualise what he has conceptualised for the uplifting of the 63 year-old institution, vicissitudes of life appeared to have slowed him down with the flood disaster of August 26, 2011. The flood, which delivered debilitating blows on the institution, destroyed property worth billions of naira. The fish ponds were washed away, bookshops, library, teaching and research farm were badly damaged. The UI is still writhing in pains as a result of the disaster.It is certainly appropriate at this point to call on all those who have benefitted from the UI, including the alumni and alumnae, friends and well-wishers, as well as philanthropists, to come to the aid of this highly-priced university.Interestingly, a 400level student of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, Mr Akinkunmi Ajisafe, who was probably touched by the UI plight did the unusual, recently. Ajisafe went into his small savings account and donated the sum of five thousand naira into the UI Flood Disaster Relief Fund. Prof. Adewole thankfully received the donation, as it was publicised all over the campus.A challenge: If a student could donate, what are the UI graduates of many years waiting for' Ironically, there are thousands of successful UI products all over the world. They must come to the aid of the UI. Prof. Adewole has much innovative ideas to greatly transform the University to a world-class institution, but he is incapacitated by paucity of funds. This is when the UI should harvest the fruits of its labour. All over the world, alumni play critical role in the affairs of their alma maters. The UI is equally waiting for its products. Let us come back to Ibadan for a flashback. Let UI alumni remember the University that made them and history will be kind to those who respond to this call.One of the greatest ways of immortalising one's name is to give back to the university that made one. Yes, some have done well for the UI, but they can still do more. Thousands are still hiding, let them come and donate, so as to make the UI truly the first and the best.'Saanu sent this piece in via sundaysaanu@yahoo.com
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