By December 1, 2020, a professor would be in charge of affairs of the University of Ibadan as the new Vice Chancellor. The expiration of the tenure of the current Vice Chancellor, Professor Abel Idowu Olayinka would necessitate this development. Professor Olayinka’s tenure will officially come to an end on the 1st of November, 2020. Since the seat of Vice Chancellor has been announced by the Registrar of the University, a number of professors in Nigeria’s oldest University, have indicated their interest through applications.
Our checks revealed that some of them have engaged with the University community at different fora, informing staff most especially what they have for the school’s advancement. However, this piece is not about x-raying what they wanted to do in terms of welfare and better environment provision for sustainable teaching and learning. Instead, the piece focuses on demographics and psychographics of seven contenders.
Our analyst believes that this is imperative for the public to understand what and how any of the contenders would advance the vision and mission of the University nationally and globally. Our analyst specifically focuses on Professor Oyebode Adebowale of the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science; Professor Remi Raji-Oyelade of the Department of English, Faculty of Arts; Professor Adeyinka Abideen Aderinto of the Department of Sociology; Professor Oluyemisi Adefunke Bamgbose, SAN of the Department of Law, Faculty of Law; Professor Emiola Oluwabunmi Olapade-Olaopa of the College of Medicine; Professor Temitope Alonge of the University College Hospital (UCH) and Professor George Olusegun Ademowo of the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutic, Faculty of Basic Medical Science.
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Scholarship and the Seat
According to the vacancy message released by the Registrar, the candidate is required to possess a good university education in addition to being a highly distinguished scholar of the rank of Professor, with a minimum of ten (10) years’ experience. These are sufficient in terms of qualifications and academic prowess. In addition to these, the person must have the ability and capability of commanding the respect of the national and international academic communities through his/her track record. Our analyst examined these and discovered the select contenders possess the requirements at varying degree. They all have significant number of publications and more than 10 years of experience required. However, our checks showed that two of the contenders’ presence on the known academic database [Google Scholar] is low. In spite of using deep search and data mining tools, publications of Professors Remi-Raji Oyelade and Oluyemisi Adefunke Bamgbose were not found when our analyst used 2015 to 2020 as search period. Further research, however, indicates that Professor Remi-Raji Oyelade has some of his publications on personal website, while this cannot be said of Professor Bamgbose.
Beyond knowing the publication frequency during the period, we analysed the number of citations each of the contenders has. Averagely, Professor Kayode Oyebode Adebowale has been cited 1,032 times. He is being followed by Professor Emiola Oluwabunmi Olapade-Olaopa, who has been cited by 222 times. Professor Temitope Alonge is in third position with 166 citations. We further developed more interest in understanding how the publications and citations helped the University in terms of being searched by people throughout the world. Here, our focus is to find out the extent to which people had interest in the University through the contenders’ publications or citations from January 1, 2015 to July 26, 2020.
Using 5 of the contenders [those with presence on Google Scholars and Semantic Scholars], analysis indicates 49.4% of the Collective Total Citations variation in global interest in the University. When we analysed the citations using Collective Average Citations, the percent increased by 1% (49.5%). These results imply that during the five years, the 5 contenders can only account for less than 50% of people interest in the University, signifying a low interest in knowing the University through their publications or voices on national and international issues. This position becomes more useful when analysis of their presence on the Internet only accounts for 4.3% of public interest in the University. Meanwhile, disaggregated analysis reveals that Collective Total Citations is better at directing public attention to the University. From the total of 158, 240 Internet presence results for the 5 contenders, 116,306 results facilitated public interest in the University.
Exhibit 1: Candidates’ Citation Trends from 2015 to 2020
Exhibit 2: Internet Presence Versus Citations
Exhibit 3: Candidates’ Scholarship Network and Global Interest in the University
Management and the Seat
In line with the Registrar’s release, candidate should be a proven, successful manager of human and material resources; be a person of proven integrity; demonstrate ability to provide academic and administrative leadership for such a well-established institution strengthen the bridges between staff, students and other members of the University community; be a person with a clear vision for the development of the University and attract the much-needed funds into the University.
Tracking and analysis of Professor Oyelade’s views on national and international issues reveal that he believes in changing his immediate environment using his writing skills and leadership experience. “Writers need to come together more often to deal with real national issues, rather than personal and local issues. We seem to be too afraid to be accused of being vocal without being active,” he said during a recent interview. While addressing a number of people in the University Community, Professor Adeyinka Abideen Aderinto also said the University needs a Vice Chancellor that will re-engineer and re-invigorate its greatness nationally and internationally.
Demographic and Geographic, and the Seat
Like what we have in the Nigerian larger society, as the race gets hot up, people have been expressing their views on who emerges and from which town or state. Our analyst themed this as socio-political mentions and listening in which people and associations from Ibadan have started seeing the seat as what should come to the city considering that none of the city’s professors [working in the University] has been Vice Chancellor of the University.
Examining the contenders using a geographical lens, analysis shows Professors Emiola Oluwabunmi Olapade-Olaopa and Remi Raji-Oyelade and Kayode Oyebode Adebowale are from Oyo state, while Professor Oluyemisi Adefunke Bamgbose, SAN is from Ogun state. Professor Adeyinka Abideen Aderinto and Professor Temitope Alonge are from Osun and Ondo respectively.
Following the Registrar’s release, our analyst also picked the age limit requirement for analysis. The release states that candidate must not be more than 65 years old as at the date of possible assumption of duty on 01 December, 2020. Analysis shows that the average age of the select 7 contenders is 57 years [see exhibit 4].
Exhibit 4: Age of Contenders
Source: University of Ibadan’s Staff Profile, 2020; Others, 2020; Infoprations Analysis, 2020
Your comment on appointing a new VC for the University of Ibadan has been inaccurate, not fair to other aspirants of which I am one and does not reflect the truth about those who have applied for consideration. You have to do due diligence on it if you must attempt a speculation on the matter. For your information, those who applied are more than the seven you chose to comment on or promote their interest. Please, update your report to reflect the truth if you are not to be judged to be biased in your news.
Professor C.O.O. Kolawole, I would like to inform you that before we write, we conduct thorough research using a number of scientific methods and digital data collection tools. I am very sure you must have seen that in the article.
Our selection was based on last few days of tracking what people are saying about the contenders on social media and contenders’ engagement with the University Community reported by the Media and/or seen by our analyst. I would like to inform you that your names never came up considering these criteria.
I also need to stress that this article is never written to sell any of the candidate. This is well captured in the article. We felt that the public need to know beyond what the conventional media have reported about the candidates. We are not like the traditional media that have exclusively reported why a particular candidate is applying for the position or what he or she wanted to do for the University advancement.
I believe I have answered your questions. Thank you.
In that case, you should have mentioned the limitations of your research
I matriculated at UI in 1979 and graduated in 1984. During my time, we have people from all parts of Nigeria as students and as lecturers. It is disheartening that in the 21st Century, my University has degenerated to selecting Vice Chancellors on criteria other than merit. I am really saddened.
I matriculated at UI in 1979 and graduated in 1984. During my time, we had people from all parts of Nigeria as students and as lecturers. It is disheartening that in the 21st Century, my University has degenerated to selecting Vice Chancellors on criteria other than merit. I am really saddened.
Dear Mutiu Iyanda, I would want to say that this article of yours fall short of what we can call correct and accurate reporting.
And your response to Prof. Kolawole is by far the worst possible response that could have been given to his comment. He is telling you that he is one of the candidates that you failed to acknowledge in your article and all you had
to say is that your findings were based on the information you obtained from what people are saying on social media and through engagement with the university community and other media. And you claimed that this was a thorough research using scientific methods when you could have dignified yourself by just obtaining a copy of the list of candidates at the University.
This is a mess of journalism to be sincere. This is sad!
If you have to be writing a whole article which you make the general public to believe is authoritative based on what people are saying on the social media, then I must say that you are really unbelievable!
Thank you for expressing your views. I am surprised that you made mention of going to the University for a comprehensive list of the candidates. It seems that you are not living in Nigeria. Can you tell me the number of times that a public institution respond to such request?
Recently, I approached the University, visiting one of its unit expected to have database of full grants and other information. What’s their response? When the document was given, it’s of no use.
You are not the second person that would come under anonymous to defend the candidate. Remember, other contenders were also excluded from the analysis.
You said we based our selection on what is trending on social media. And to you that’s out of it. To you, the only thing that’s scientific is to visit the University. Then, the University should say it’s not possible. What made it difficult for the person you are defending not to feature in the media?
The only thing national about Nigeria is the money, once the money is shared or looted, everything is localised; and the descent to abyss continues its march from there.
It’s everywhere, every sector, across the land. When those in the medical profession start their own dog fight as to who becomes the CMD of a federal medical centre or teaching hospital, you realise that our primitive mindset is deeper than the supposed education we dole out to people.
Few years ago, it was a battle between Anambra and Imo, with regards to who would produce the next VC for Nnamdi Azikiwe University, the Imo man won, but with many scars, and by the time the next audition came around, of course the ‘son of the soil’ won. I am not here to question their respective qualifications or competences, but you could lose a game in Nigeria even before it’s declared open. Now think about a professor from the northern or western part contesting for that seat, if those from neighbouring states were fighting already; it won’t end well.
That of the UNN used to be when Enugu man would become a VC, because it appeared that Anambra professors held sway for too long, so the tide needed to turn…
We call them citadel of learning, now you know that it’s a scam.
November 31 or what?
Prof Kayode Adebowale is an indigene of Ibadan in Oyo State, NOT Ogun State as your article portrayed.
Kindly correct this error and update appropriately.
Thanks
Thank you. Our sources revealed that he is from Ogun state. We will explore further and update.
And you are proud of wrong information giving to people when Prof. C. O. O. Kolawole was making his comment.
There was no reference to that by Professor C.O.O. Kolawole.
The article state that he is from Oyo State, check agsin
Endeavor to add limitation(s) of your analysis when you update. It is a good job and I enjoined you to move further to other higher institutions of learning like the Colleges of Education and Polytechnics. Those who should not ordinarily have anything to do with academic affairs are now everywhere. They have hijacked the system due to compromise if not, why should a Professor exist with on our campus without a Google Scholar page talk more of Scopus? Let there be a demarcation between researchers, politicians and merchants. ENOUGH of wrong appointment!
Thanks to the author for the succinct analysis. The damage that has been done to university education in this country cannot be quantified. I won’t be surprised in anyway if the fellow with just 122 online citation is made the VC by “Abuja”. Merit will be thrown off the window and the person who cannot make himself visible will now be saddled with responsibility of putting the university on the global stage.
Despite its limitations, which the authors have been rightly advised to clearly state in future, the analysis is lucid and deep.It is a challenge to the very superficial recruitment procedure undertaken when selecting heads of academic institutions in Nigeria. There are many metrics that can be added to those used in the very brief study. When heads of Higher Education Institutions emerge on the bases of these metrics, the outcomes on the university, staff and students (via the quality of teaching, learning and community service) are predictable. But, will this ever be in a country where patronage and parochial or primordial considerations trail selection of persons into positions they are ill-suited for in all sectors? No wonder, Nigeria makes motion without movement thus remaining on the same spot or receding in some cases.
Pls, why is professor omigbodun not contesting this time around? Just an observation. I think he is a qualified scholar as well.