The outgoing Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin, Prof. Lillian Salami, has applauded the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), a policy of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
She noted that it is an avenue for providing funding for those without the means to pursue their academic dream.
She stated this during a thanksgiving and presentation of her book, to mark the end of her five-year tenure as the 10th substantive VC of the university.
She however said that inadequate funding and lack of personnel are two of the major challenges facing the institution.
Prof Salami also expressed her gratitude to God, staff, and community members of the university and stakeholders during her tenure.
She said that the book chronicles her life and stewardship as the 10th vice chancellor of the institution.
In the 170-page book titled, “So Much to Say, A Memoir,” the outgoing VC said the dissolution of the nation’s Federal Varsities Governing Board by President Bola Tinubu in 2023 was a huge relief for most vice-chancellors.
She noted that the VCs were already choking from the overbearing nature of most pro-chancellors and council members before the latters’ sacking.
She recalled how a cabal within the University of Benin sponsored students’ protests in the twilight of her administration to discredit her tenure.
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,” she said.
In 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, Salami compared managing students at the institution to managing a motor park with uncultured youths.
The institution’s 10th VC noted 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.
The event brought together major stakeholders in the academia, serving, and past government officials including former governor of Edo state, Chief John Odigie-Oyegu, and representatives from the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies amongst others.
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