The Acting Vice Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University (former University of Abuja), Lar Patricia Manko, has narrated how she resolved the lingering crises in the institution and brought warring parties to peaceful resolution months into her appointment.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja, the professor of microbiology said five months into her acting appointment by President Bola Tinubu, she has been able to restore legitimacy, governance and institutional morale.

Mr Tinubu, on February 6, appointed Ms Manko as acting vice chancellor amid controversy that the university’s governing council allegedly violated legal procedures in installing her predecessor, Aisha Maikudi.

Ms Maikudi, 42 years old, a professor of international law, had briefly served as the 7th vice chancellor of the university; she was appointed acting vice chancellor on June 30, 2024, following the end of Abdu-Rasheed NaAllah’s tenure.

Her appointment as substantive VC on January 1 was, however, terminated on February 6, following a federal government directive dissolving the university governing council.

Five months into Ms Manko’s interim leadership, she said she had brought in positive and tangible impacts ranging from academic reforms, infrastructure boosts, governance overhauls, and student‑centred initiatives.

The acting VC said that, upon assumption of office, there was no handover note from her predecessor, and what she met was “a toxic environment saturated with groupings, an unmotivated workforce discontented with the system”.

She said the university staff members were divided along opinions, religions and politics, with many petitions flying around.

According to her, she was inundated with over 300 petitions on promotions and welfare of workers.

“For almost a month, I went round the 17 faculties to engage and acquaint myself with the workers as well as the student union to identify their challenges for immediate solutions.

“I discovered that some of the numerous challenges of the school were anomalies in appointments made by my predecessors, delays in promotion for six years and more, dilapidated and decayed infrastructure and a system that denied students’ activism,” she said.

The VC also identified other challenges, including intolerant action to agitations by workers and students, poor welfare, and a spillover of toxicity to the alumni association.

In tackling the challenges, the VC said she appointed a team of three trusted senior professors from the institution as advisers on academics, administration and research, respectively.

Ms Manko said she also appointed new heads of departments and directorates to address the observed anomalies in appointments creating division and rancour.

“I ensured that members of staff who have been denied promotion for years were assessed and their promotions announced,” she said.

Specifically, the acting VC said no fewer than 40 professors and associate professors whose promotions were delayed were granted.

The acting VC said she was also confronted with cases of over 200 fake admissions, and she promptly set up a committee to address the menace.

Ms Manko added that in line with her belief in student activism, she reversed the repressive system she met on ground by ensuring that the students had successful and peaceful union elections.

To further build students welfare and relationships, the VC said she relaunched the Student Affairs Directorate and organised a town hall meeting on July 10 as a direct forum to discuss issues surrounding the welfare of students.

The VC said she also brokered peace in all the unions on campus.

“Prior to my appointment, the different unions in the university (ASUU, SSANU, NASU) were enmeshed in crisis.

“Through dialogue and diplomacy, I reconciled the aggrieved factions, and the university currently enjoys peaceful working relationships,” she said.

Ms Manko said there has been smooth lectures delivery and prompt flow of lectures in various departments.

She added that there is improvement in students’ examination quality conducted without hitches due to improved lecturers’ commitment to teaching.

Speaking on infrastructure, the VC said there are ongoing repair works in different classrooms and lecture halls, with TETFUND playing vital roles in some quarters.

“Considering the poor state of toilet facilities in the hostels, we have been given approvals for drilling more boreholes and changing the seating types of toilet seats to the squatting types.

“The contractor, MUSFAT, handling the cleaning of the hostels has been directed to run two shifts (7:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.).

“We recently attracted funding from TETFUND to equip laboratories in the biomedical sciences and engineering with state-of-the-art research and diagnostic facilities. As a scientist, I am making frantic efforts to increase the global ranking of the university through cutting-edge research,” she said.

The VC said she attracted several corporate bodies and signed MoUs with entities that will build hostels, research and agricultural facilities as well as entrepreneurship hubs.

“We have witnessed the commissioning of several projects, some of which included the fibre-to-hostels initiative of the Minister of Communication and the launch of the presidential initiative on the CNG plant on campus.

“There was also a donation of several CNG buses and tricycles. These have greatly reduced the cost of campus shuttle from the mini campus to the main campus,” she said.

The VC added: “We built car parks and directed that in-campus bus shuttles with university vehicles should be free.
“We also directed that a mobile transport app should be built to support an easy and organised campus shuttle.”

The VC added that in partnership with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and private tech firms, she launched the “Smart Campus Abuja” initiative, leading to campus-wide high-speed Wi-Fi installed in academic areas and hostels.

The VC said she ensured that students acquired entrepreneurial skills by engaging them in various activities under the SIWES centre.

The VC added that, given the fact that some students reside in some informal settlements within and close to the university land, she championed periodical engagements with the traditional authorities of the communities.

Also, to ensure overall stability in the university system, the VC said she stimulated a thriving business environment.

Ms Manko said that, given the quality of members of the school board appointed by the president and elected council members, the university stands at a potentially transformative point in its history.

She added that with a diversified and competent council and the legacy of a proactive interim leadership, the institution is poised to improve governance, expand academic influence, strengthen research, and build global partnerships. 

(NAN)