In 2009 when Governor Adams Oshiomhole took stock of the state and declared that the top two items on his agenda for developing Edo State are Education and Infrastructure. Indeed, he has invested heavily in the state’s educational sector, evidenced by the construction and rehabilitation of many primary schools, secondary schools and tertiary institutions.
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. The University is ready to take off soon with the present infrastructure.
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 15years ago by the former Edo State Governor, Lucky Igbinedion but failed to materialize.
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 and recently upgraded it 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’s tenure as provost has been 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.
Professor Uhunnwangho has made giant strides in all facets of the College. Every aspect of the College community has benefited from his astute and visionary managerial skill as the College has witnessed unprecedented development in many areas. He came to the institution at a time when school was in crisis. There was need for upward review of Government monthly subvention to the College, the Management of the college at that time was owing the three staff Union (COEASU, SSA and NASU) their Trust Fund Arrears up to four (4) months, all the academic programmes of the College were overdue for accreditation, while many other programmes were yearning for introduction into the College , staff salaries were owned them by college management, staff were no longer exposed to relevant workshops and seminars, decayed infrastructural facilities crying for renovations, on-going 20007 ETF Academic Staff Office Block project, yearning for completion, all the college vehicles were broken down, and some of them beyond repair. The condition was so bad that there was no official car for the Provost/ Chief Executive Officer of the College to mention just a few.
The dream of Academic Staff Office Block for the College was conceived during the tenure of Prof. Raymond Elaho, but was realized when the Provost, Professor Amen Uhunmwangho assumed duty in 2008.
The 2007 Education Tax Fund (ETF) project was on-going when Professor Uhunmwangho took over the mantle of leadership. This project delayed the 2008 ETF Intervention to the College because the College Management at that time could not access the second and last phase of the fund needed to complete the building.
This was the very first challenge faced by Prof. Uhunmwangho, which he confronted head long by completing it successfully. The 2007 ETF Academic Staff Officer Block marked a milestone in the history of the achievements of Professor Uhunmwangho in the College.
Professor Amen Uhunmwangho deserves commendation for his infrastructural rehabilitation in the College, especially in his ability to pursue and restore the 2007 to 2010 collapsed Tertiary Education Trust (TET) Fund for Library development which resulted in the construction of a befitting e-Library Complex for the College. Thanks to Professor Uhunmwangho led College can now proudly take its place among institutions who have joined computer-age through e-library complex.
The infrastructural facilities improved considerably under the tenure of Professor Uhunmwangho, with the support of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TFT Fund).
Other works completed are:
Construction of a twin four hundred Lecture Theatre ETF 1 and 2 (2008/2009) combined ETF project).
Construction of twin four hundred Lecture Theatre and study centre (Special intervention ETF 2010).
Construction of e-Library Complex (TET Fund 2011).
Constructionof School of Education Complex (Special BOT TET Fund 2012).
Comstruction of school of languages (Tet fund 2013).
Many other projects are still under construction in the College.
The College under his tenure is today blessed with five (5) coaster buses, two (2) tractors and slashers, one water tanker, four (4) Hilux vans, two (2) 18-seater buses (courtesy of the Comrade Governor).
The construction of the school of languages complex is a testimony to architectural masterpiece. This is a monumental development in the history of the School of Languages. Prior to the construction of this edifice, the school had to cope with a dearth of facilities in the College. This indeed is a giant stride in providing conducive learning environment for staff and students in the School of Languages. The School can now boast of adequate lecture halls and conducive offices to enhance teaching and research and with this, the National University Commission (NUC) accreditation exercise will delightfully be favourable to its approval, especially as the College is transiting to a University.
Going by the level of physical development of the proposed university, the requirement of tangible infrastructure has been realized. Edo State Government should take steps to enable the new university takes off soonest..
•Mrs Queen Isedu , a public affairs analyst, writes from Benin City, Edo State.
