THE Edo State owned College of Education, Ekiadolor recently upgraded to a university status, was renamed Tayo Akpata University of Education in honour of a former Commissioner for Education in the defunct Bendel State, Chief Tayo Akpata by the state government. Announcing the new development during the funeral service of the late elder statesman in Benin, the Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole said that the state government’s decision was as a result of his (Akpata) contributions to the development of the state.
He said that the renaming of the university would serve as an inspiration to youths, whom he advised to emulate the virtues of the late Akpata, who was also a one-time Executive Secretary of the defunct Petroleum Trust Fund and the first Chairman of the National Youth Service Corps (Mid-West State) in 1975.
When Edo State Government renamed the College of Education, Ekiadolor, recently upgraded to a university status, Tayo Akpata University of Education in honour of Akpata, the College community, college management, staff and students were happy about the elevation of the college of education to university status. The Comrade Governor has matched his words with action by setting up a panel of Professors led by Prof Dennis Agbolahor to carry out staff verification and audit in preparation for the take off of the University. As far back the year 2000, Edo State Government promised to upgrade the College to a degree-awarding institution. The first step in this direction was taken then with the writing of memo to the Attorney-General  and Honourable Commissioner for Justice, through the Ministry of Education, for the amendment of relevant sections of the College Edict.
The Comrade Governor took a bold step by upgrading the college to a university status and noticed that the college is far ahead of other colleges of education in Nigeria that are offering degree programmes in terms of age, quality of staff and programmes. Prof Amen Uhunmwangho tenure as a provost is a period of worldwide financial crisis which severely affected the fortunes of funding by Edo State Government, but he led the college during a period of robust growth and development, driven by the campus’ determination to lessen their dependence on government financial resources.
It is however curious that a protracted industrial crisis apparently orchestrated by few lecturers who are scrambling to succeed the present provost as his tenure is coming to an end. Recently all attempts to reason with these few staff appears not to have convinced them as my investigations revealed. My visit to the college reveals that lectures  have started. Some members of staff have applauded the school management for invoking the labour law of no work no pay. Some staff said that it is painful when a union would like to resort to strike as the last option. They believed that the government should ensure they do not have strikes. Definitely, it kills initiatives in students because there is now a lacuna between the time they left school and the time they would resume again; they have to start almost all over again The people of Ekiadolor are also happy on the resumption of lectures and full economic activities in the college community. They believed that strikes in tertiary institutions are repressive to the educational development of the country.  So, there is need for the government to resolve the crisis. The people of Ekiadolor, college staff and students are happy with the Comrade Governor giant steps of elevating the College of Education Ekiadolor to Tayo Akpata University of Education, a promise made about 14years ago by the former Edo State Governor, Lucky Igbinedion..
Following the decision of Government to establish a campus of the College at the former site of NYSC Orientation Camp at Abudu, the Hon. Commissioner for Education, our former Chairman of Governing Council and the former Provost paid an assessment visit to the Abudu Campus to see the facilities on ground. Government then promised to renovate the campus to the standard befitting a tertiary institution. Professor Amen Uhunmwangho, the provost has fully implemented the decision of Edo State Government to establish a campus at Abudu..
The College of Education, Ekiadolor-Benin, was established in 1979 as an Advanced Teacher Training College (ATTC) for the training of NCE teachers and was located at Iyaro, Benin City. It was formally opened on 15th May, 1980 and renamed College of Education, Benin City. The College moved to its permanent site at Ekiadolor, about 25 kilometers from Benin in April, 1986.
Most of the problems that the school is currently facing would have been better solved if the unions have put the issues properly and the priorities set right. The academic calendar of the students has already been disrupted. This would mean the adjustment of their time table and a delay in their year of graduation. The man hours lost over this period would have to be paid for.
Mr. Inwalomhe Donald, a public affairs analyst, writes from Benin City, Edo State, [email protected]

Related News