To address the evolving challenges in higher education and understanding that cordial working relationship among the various units is key to achieving the institution’s aspirations, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, recently held a three-day retreat themed “Towards a Better Working Relationship Between Council and Management.”

At the retreat were members of the governing council of the university and an expanded management team of the university that included heads of all critical units across the institution. Aside the keynote speech delivered by the immediate past Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Abel Idowu Olayinka, there were paper presentations and panel discussions that had academics drawn mainly from outside OAU and experts, providing insights from both the town and gown on how the university can achieve its goals and objectives.

Delivering his welcome address, the Vice Chancellor of OAU, Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire, expressed optimism that the retreat would result in a better working relationship among the various units within the university.

He, nonetheless, highlighted the reasons for the retreat as there was need for cordial working relationship among the different components of the institution for effective and efficient operations to be achieved, which is critical to the university meeting its mandate.
“This retreat is a strategic effort. There is a need for an institutional mindset to help us reach our goals. Effective use of resources, research, technology, community service, and a robust database are essential for planning. Critical thinking is also vital to developing a 21st-century university,”Bamire stated.

On his part, in his opening remarks, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council of OAU, Professor Siyan Oyeweso, underscored the need for the governing council and management of tertiary institutions to work harmoniously for the progress of their institutions.

Oyeweso stated that the Governing Council-Management Retreat was designed to make both actors strategic change agents for transforming OAU into a globally-competitive, digitally advanced, and socially responsive institution that meets both national and global needs in the 21st century.

He added that the goal is to build strategic partners in the management, staff and all other organs of the university so that they can work together, insisting that the council and the management must be on the same page for progress.

“We want to encourage dialogue, understanding and extend hands of fellowship to the management. And to know the clear demarcation of the powers of the Governing Council, Senate, management and the committee system of the university because if this is clearly understood, there will not be any clash of functions. We are living witnesses to a number of universities where there is unstable council-management relationship, which has led to the sack of the vice chancellors and the entire management or the entire council,” he said.

Oyeweso noted that many international bodies carry out the ranking of universities just as the National Universities Commission (NUC) also carries out university rankings, but no Nigerian University appeared among the top 1000 universities in the Academic Ranking of World Universities (2024), QS World University Ranking (2025), and Webometric Ranking (June 2024).

He, therefore, maintained that Nigerian universities have a long way to go (opportunity to improve our universities). “Although there are criticisms of the ranking criteria and methodologies, Nigerian universities cannot afford to ignore rankings. There are rankings to cater to every category of universities.” He, however, argued that universities should not be chasing rankings just for the sake it, but as part of a means to an end.

Oyeweso was very emphatic that each organs had its distinct roles as backed by the university laws. He, therefore, stated that if each university follow the rules and abide by the laws, there would be no crisis. He charged the participants that the OAU must learn to adopt best practices from other universities in and outside its territory to align with globally accepted practices.

Speaking on manpower within the institution, Oyeweso said that academic and nonteaching staff appointments are usually delegated to the vice chancellor, but the council should receive periodic reports of new recruitments, those on leave, retirements, and deaths of staff for noting and approval.

“Recruitment net should be cast widely to attract talents from far and near-the university should serve as a magnet for talents. Appropriate recruitment is germane to question of ranking and academic excellence.”

In his keynote speech, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Abel Idowu Olayinka, who spoke on ‘Exemplary Practices of a Good Governing Council and a Good Vice Chancellor’, also urged every stakeholder to stick to the rules in order to create harmonious working relationship.

He stated that the first exemplary of a good University Council is to have an uninterrupted four-year tenure as prescribed by the law, but noted thatmany university councils in Nigeria have had interrupted tenure because they were dissolved by the Federal Government before the end of their tenure despite there are no crisis in some of the universities.

“Government policy inadvertently instigates and promotes instability in the running of Nigerian federal universities.The University of Ibadan as a case study, none of the UI Council over the last 20 years has had a smooth and uninterrupted four-year tenure,” Olayinka observed.

Spotlighting some of the universities where there had been crises, he implored all interested parties to play by the rules so that the university is not constantly in the news for the wrong reasons.“We have come a long way, and we urge everyone to stick to the rules. The rules are clear- if you consult the University Miscellaneous Provisions Act, the rules for selecting principal officers are clear.”

He noted that the university is a knowledge and an intellectual community; the number and variety of its stakeholders and disciplines make it impossible for it to become the preserve of any one individual no matter how informed he or she is. He added that the concentration of brain power in the university makes coordination difficult.

In his goodwill message, the National President of the Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL), Prof. Sola Akinrinade, maintained that each organ has distinct roles though complementary.

Speaking virtually, Akinrinade stated that when collaboration thrives between the two bodies, the institution benefits more in terms of progress and development.

He, therefore, enjoined the participants to approach issues with open mind, listing four key principles for effective governance to include shared goals, informed decision-making, conflict avoidance through clear boundaries, and unity of leadership.

The first technical session of the retreat was on ‘Innovative strategies for effective campus security in the digital age’ delivered by the Director, Research and Innovation Management, Osun State University,Prof OlukoyaOgen. His presentation was embellished with practical examples of how he used technology to aid security of an institution he was once the head. He further said: “Modern technology provides a way forward. Virtually every member of the university community carries a smartphone and is familiar with using it to communicate.

We must leverage these tools to establish open, anonymous, and seamless channels for reporting concerns before they escalate.”

In the second session of day one, the Registrar of the University of Ibadan, Mr. Ganiyu OkeSaliu, spoke on ‘The role of the registrar in managing a 21st century university’, stating that the role of the registrar is especially critical in Nigeria where universities are navigating issues of limited funding, policy misalignment, political interference, and administrative complexity.

He added that a competent, proactive registrar is thus essential for harmonious governance, strategic coherence, and institutional success and mention.

In his presentation, ‘Critical Issues in University Governance in the 21st Century: The Role of Council’, a former Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic atthe University of Ibadan, Professor Adeyinka Aderinto,maintained that Nigerian universities cannot solely rely on government funding if they desire to be world class universities.

He observed that the governance structure in Nigeria’s higher institutions is plagued with inefficiencies and disconnections.

“The recognition of education as a vehicle for national development places higher education institutions under immense pressure to adapt. Universities must proactively respond through innovation and effective planning.”

In a roundtable session on day two, there were four resource persons that included Surveyor Ademola Ojo, who spoke on ‘Enhancing accountability and due process in universities’; CEO, New Horizon, TimiAkano presented a paper on ‘Exploring big data analytics and artificial intelligence for institutional growth’; CEO, Tech Brokers Limited, Mr.Wasiu Popoola spoke on ‘Leveraging data and technology to generate more value for the university eco system’ while ‘Investment options and alternative funding sources for Nigerian universities’ was the topic by the Managing Director, Abbey Bank, Mr. Bolaji Adewunmi.

This was followed by another roundtable session with a lead paper presentation by Professor Sola Akinrinade, while Professor Francis Egbokhare of the University of Ibadan, Professor Siyan Oyeweso, Professor Adebayo Bamire and Professor Akanni Akinyemi were discussants.

On the third day, Professor Femi Mimiko, former Vice Chancellor, Adekunle Ajasin University, Ondo State, spoke on repositioning and rebranding Obafemi Awolowo University to regain national and international prominence.

He stated that every organisation including OAU has the responsibility to keep reinventing which does not mean that those who managed the university at present or in the past did not do anything to lift the university.

He added that many universities see quality assurance as getting ready for NUC accreditation but maintained that universities must have internal mechanism and a university wide programme to measure and implement quality on a daily basis. He insisted that to be a world class university nationally and international excellence must be the watchword for the university in every part of its activities not only academics.