By John Mayaki

When the founding fathers of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, conceived it, they envisioned a citadel of excellence and a hub for intellectual learning and growth where the ‘town’ would meet the ‘gown’. However, that vision was short-lived, as its glory gradually faded away.

The university, long bogged down by administrative failures, accreditation lapses, and infrastructural decay, now seems poised for a full revival. The signs are visible. First, the Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, upon assuming office, demonstrated his commitment to restoring AAU to its glorious days. Not only did he review the university’s subvention, but he also increased it significantly from N41 million to N500 million.

You would notice that this increment is approximately over 1,100% – the kind of jump that tells that something significant was about to happen in AAU by a governor whose committed to change is unmistakable.

Leaving no stone unturned, Governor Okpebholo assembled a strong team and inaugurated them as the Governing Council of Ambrose Alli University. The council is led by the pragmatic and charismatic Chief Dan Osi Orbih, signaling the governor’s unwavering commitment to transforming the institution. With hope on the horizon, this move tells of a clear determination to restore the university’s lost glory.

The council includes an impressive lineup of educationists and professionals: Hon. Martins Osakue, Prof. Steve Amiemenkharu Iyavi, Hon. Lukman Muhammed, Prof. Idialu Jeremiah Uwaifo, Prof. Eric Kelly Inamemo Omogbai, and Prof. Omoruyi Ikponmwonsa Osahon. Their expertise and leadership provide the confidence that Edo people’s expectations for transformative changes will not be misplaced.

Step by step, critical issues are being addressed, laying a solid foundation for the university’s revival. Just yesterday, the governor made headlines once again, signaling his readiness to address the delayed induction of medical students.

It was learnt that three graduating sets from the Department of Medical Laboratory Science are facing challenges. These students find themselves at a crossroads, unable to progress due to the school’s failure to secure accreditation for their program. While the past administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki failed to address this issue, it should not pose a challenge for a governor who is a son of the soil. Of course, His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo has given his words and hope is rising.

The governor understands that to become practicing medical laboratory scientists, students must be inducted into the profession by the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN). However, this is impossible without proper accreditation. Now, it would be a thing of the past.

Why should anyone spend 7 or 8 years studying a course in university? Unfortunately, this is reportedly the reality at AAU, particularly for medical students. It was learnt that the university has not entirely lost its accreditation, it allowed it to lapse, leading to significant delays.

Another crisis plaguing the institution involves hundreds of Medical Laboratory Science graduates who remain stuck without practicing licenses due to breaches of the MLS quota system. These challenges, however, are not insurmountable. I trust in the capacity of the Governing Council and the determination of the governor to reposition AAU and remove these barriers, paving the way for the university to become a modern, contemporary institution.

Now that the governor has pledged to address these issues, there is hope for progress. However, we must not rest on our oars just yet.

The task before the Governing Council – these men of timber and caliber – is clear. One of the low-hanging fruits of their assignment is to ensure that AAU students begin benefiting from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). While the sister institution, Edo State University, Iyamho, is already benefiting from the scheme, AAU students are lagging behind.

State-owned tertiary institutions that are yet to benefit from this well-funded scheme have failed to submit complete student data to the NELFUND Student Verification System. The Governing Council should urgently resolve any issues preventing AAU students from accessing this vital program of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Other pressing priorities for the Governing Council include issues of university autonomy, administrative mismanagement, high-handedness, and the pauperisation and victimisation of staff.

It is public knowledge that the university suffers from selective salary payments. Many staff members have been outrightly denied salaries, while delays in appraisals and promotions persist. Additionally, disciplinary actions are often biased and politicised, and anti-worker policies remain a sore point in the institution. These would be a thing of the past, hopefully.

Regrettably, under the past administration, the number of prospective students enrolling through the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) dropped from over 14,000 in 2023 to barely 3,000 in 2024. This alarming trend must be reversed. Besides, the immediate revitalisation of infrastructure and resolution of manpower shortages are also critical areas requiring attention.

While I agree that these challenges cannot all be resolved at once, I share the optimism of the Governing Council Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih and Hon. Martins Osakue, who both envision an AAU that would set the pace in academic development, empowers its students, and becomes an enviable institution among its peers.