Fifty-three years after its birth in 1963, fifty-one
years after its inauguration in 1965,
and eleven National President, all men, the University of Nigeria Alumni
Association said to be the first and the best organized alumni association in Nigeria seems to be promoting gender
marginalization in twenty-first century digital age.
What an aberration and an
irony for a university that is first among equal, which is founded on the premise
to restore the ‘Dignity of Man’ yet, no alumnae (female graduate) has been a National
President. For the purpose of this discourse, let’s highlight the list of all
the National Presidents of UNAA from inception:
1. Prof
B.I.C. Ijomah-----1965-1975
2. Mr. L. O. Orisakwe-----1975-1980
3. Chief
Nduka Eya--------1980-1987
4. Sir
Dr G.T.G. Toby--------1987-1989
5. Nze M.A.C. Odu---------1989-1993
6. Sir
Goddy Agbasi--------1993-1997
7. Arc
Ezigbo Okoro--------1997-2001
8. Dr.
Okey Ewurum--------2001-2005
9. Sir
Nzeh Ananyi----------2005-2009
10.
Dr Chioke Nwanne------2009-2013
11
Chief Andrew Oruh------2013-Date
Where are the women? Or is the premier university,
the first indigenous university in Nigeria, reputed to be the best in Nigeria
and the 14th best in Africa, graduating only men; or is it that the
female graduates of the apex university poised to set the pace for tertiary
institutions in Nigeria are imbeciles or not intelligent enough to head its
alumni association?
Who takes over from Chief Andrew Oruh In 2017, will
go a long way in determining if actually UNAA has been reborn. Our source who
pleaded anonymity said that the incumbent President, Chief Andrew Oruh may want
to hand over to a man from Port/Harcourt branch. Our source further said that
the sudden romance between the duo is already causing ripples in the
association as most people would have preferred the Deputy Natiomal President,
Prof Florence Orabueze to succeed the National President in the 2017 National
Convention. In the interview which our source granted to Newsbursterblog at the
92nd NEC meeting held in UNN, recently, he adduced the reasons for Prof
Orabuezes choice to be the followings:
1. Prof
Orabueze as the Deputy National President (DNP) already understands the terrain
of governance in UNAA.
2. As
the DNP, she has seen it all-the psychology, the ideology, the pulse of UNAA
towards its Alma Mater.
3. Her
presidency will amount to continuity, and so it will forestall any impediments,
problems and setbacks that usually accompany change in governance as Nigeria is
undergoing the worst times in her history which was orchestrated by the change
in governance
4. As
a senior lecturer, a member of ASUU, a Council member and a member of Senate Ceremonials,
a member of many committee in the university, and to crown it all, a Professor,,
many believe that Prof Orabueze is more positioned to establish better and more
formidable rapport and relationship between UNAA and its Alma Mater.
5. Prof
Orabueze is also the Director of the University of Nigeria Press, which
includes its annex in Enugu Campus, as well as the Director, University of
Nigeria Bookshop. She can therefore ensure that all UNAA’s’ printing works are
executed neatly and promptly, and also facilitate the inclusion of any of
UNAA’s books, journals and papers in the bookshop.
6. As
a professor of English, she is better placed to introduce and coordinate alumni
journal and even newspaper publication, which could be a goldmine, especially
at this time that the panacea to the harsh economic situation in the country is
diversification. All these could be sources of income for UNAA instead of
relying on the fees coming from the graduating students, which one policy can
wreck overnight.
7. The
Deputy National President is also a member of the committee in charge of CEC
that have transformed the university’s guest house from zero image to a three-
star hotel.
Her position in the university has been
attracting free accommodation and free meals whenever the alumni committee
members come for their meetings. The minimum a room costs in CEC is five
thousand, two hundred and fifty naira per night, and a plate of food is about a
thousand naira.
8. Finally,
some people are of the opinion that going by her position in the university, that
Prof Florence Orabueze is in a position to influence policies that will either enhance
and sustain the rebirth of UNAA or it will end in its miscarriage.