Outgoing UNIBEN VC, Prof Salami laments inadequate funding, personnel

The outgoing Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin, Prof Lillian Salami, has said that two of the major challenges facing the institution are inadequate funding and lack of personnel.

Prof Salami stated this on Saturday at the thanksgiving and book presentation to mark the end of her five-year tenure as the 10th substantive VC of the university.

Prof Salami also commended the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, a policy of the President Bola Tinubu administration, adding that it is an avenue to provide funding for those without the means to pursue their academic dream.

The VC said, “NELFUND is trying to bring equity and equality to everybody. For me, it is a process that is still in the works. There are a lot of things we are trying to get in place, trying to bring those who are outside into the system. We are still working on how to get more students to key into the system.

“Also, inadequate funding and lack of personnel, constant strike action by academic and non-academic staff are some of the major challenges facing the university.”

Speaking on her efforts to make UNIBEN a better institution than she met it, she said, “With all humility, I think I have done my best. My prayer is that the university can grow higher than we met it.”

In her memoir, which was titled, “So Much to Say,” Salami compared managing students at the institution to managing a motor park with uncultured youths.

“Overseeing the University of Benin could well be compared with that of the motor park with some highly uncultured youths. The few who were from obviously, decent, well-mannered homes were often overwhelmed by the majority.

“At the slightest reason, even when such was unreasonable, they would block the highway, preventing vehicular movements and causing traffic gridlock. The irony is that passersby and parents always see it as a benefit to them. Little or no wonder that reports reaching the management often were that the students were instigated and energised by staff, and those who regarded themselves as stakeholders or concerned groups,” she emphasized.

The institution’s 10th VC lamented that among the causes of protests by students during her tenure were inadequate electricity supply while the school uses generators to provide limited hours of power, the death of a student who was admitted to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital; and some students who were murdered within and outside the campus by suspected cultists.