Prof. Eno Ibanga Has Reinvented AKSU -Vox Pop

 

Engr. Dr. Bassey B. Okon, Head of Department Mechanical Engineering, Akwa Ibom State University, Ikot Akpaden.

I will start by telling you that I am not a politician but a technocrat and a professional engineer. I am also the mechanical consultant on the 21-storey Akwa Ibom Intelligent Building. What we are witnessing in Akwa Ibom State University is unique and we are full of thanks to the Governor for the appointment of the person of Prof. Eno Ibanga as the Vice Chancellor. He is one man who accepts initiative and that is one of the things that help a system to succeed. You may approach a leader with a good proposal and he snubs you but our Vice Chancellor is a team player. I conceived a recreation park which will be useful to the students and other members of the university and sent to him. After careful study, he approved it and I was mobilized to start work; what he is doing here is very uncommon in the university system. The Vice Chancellor uses the internal human resources within the university to execute jobs through direct labour when we all know that others may prefer award of contract in order to make more and quick money. He also involves students who also learn in the process. The gigantic administrative building was done with labour sourced from students and lecturers and I handled the mechanical system of the building. My colleague in the Electrical Department handled the electrical aspects among others. That is the team spirit brought into the system by Prof. Ibanga.

I am Ekwere Mkpoikana, a student of Marketing Department in Akwa Ibom State University, Obio Akpa Campus, 200 level.

The university has experienced a lot of transformation in both infrastructure and academic standard. The current Vice Chancellor, Prof. Eno Ibanga, is one man that has brought discipline, innovations and sanity to the university community since I came into the school two years ago. I have seen less cultism, zero tolerance to cult activities and other vices that are common in any conventional university. The two campuses of the institution are not only safe for learning, but serene for other academic activities. Students can now work freely within and outside the school without any form of molestation as was the case few years ago before his assumption of duty as Vice Chancellor. The school management has ensured that the necessary equipment and facility that students require to make learning less cumbersome have been provided. All laboratories are fully equipped such that students could just walk into any of the laboratories and carry out their assignment without any challenge whatsoever. I am very impressed with the general situation in the school because even the lecturers have equally keyed into the pragmatic style of the management of the institution. Students-lecturer relationship is very cordial. AKSU today has set a standard as one of the peaceful universities in Nigeria, and we the students are very impressed with the development.

Engr. Dr. Godwin I. Edouk a lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Akwa Ibom State University, Ikot Akpaden.

The Vice Chancellor has done excellently well in the last four years. That is seen in the accreditation of all the programmes of the institution. The lecturers are well motivated and students are complying with the academic standard set. We had so many students who made First Class in the last convocation and more will come during the convocation on November 8, 2019. The truth is that our first class students can favourably compete anywhere in the world.

Engr. (Dr.) Uwana M Etop, Head of Department, Electrical Engineering.

The Vice Chancellor in four years plus has ensured due process in all his undertakings. He has secured NUC approval in all the courses. Many departments have been approved to start Post Graduate Diploma programmes. He has achieved so much in terms of security. He applies the necessary sanctions when due and hardly brings in primordial sentiments in taking sensitive decisions. Even the security challenges experienced at a time in Obio Akpa campus have successfully been handled. We have had infrastructural renaissance. We are given the opportunity to liaise with other bodies outside the campus to expand our partnership and scope. We are given access to funds and school buses anytime we are going out or make request for it.

Ibanga Akaniyene, Head of Information, Public Relations and Protocol, Akwa Ibom State University

I will start by thanking God for giving us Mr. Udom Emmanuel as Governor who gave us Prof. Eno Ibanga as our Vice Chancellor. The VC who has done wonderfully well in his four-year plus on the saddle. I have stayed for 13years in the University and can tell you that the last four years have been the best of the university. In comparison, the Prof Ibanga’s tenure stands out. He has given priority to staff welfare through regular payment of salaries, promotions and other entitlements. We have witnessed infrastructural renaissance which is second to none. He has well utilized the internally generated revenue to develop the school. The administrative block is just one of such projects.
Training/workshop has been prioritized with the Vice Chancellor giving prompt release of funds to enhance manpower. More than 400 members have benefited from workshops/training. He has done so much that we would wish he is given yet another opportunity here; he promised to start post graduate programmes and today, we have 69 and many more are still in the offing

I am Dr. Promise Etim, a lecturer in the Department of Agriculture Engineering.
There has been incredible development in this University if you compare it side-by side with what was obtained five years ago.

For instance, all academic programmes in the University have been accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC). The university is at the verge of kick-starting its post graduate programme. In terms of infrastructure and a whole lot, the administration of Prof. Eno Ibanga has done a lot in infrastructural and man-power development and all 69 post graduate programmes are on the verge of kick-starting and that is incredible. In the next few months, the permanent site of the University will be put to use because of the massive construction work presently going on there. I must say that this could not have been possible without the pragmatic leadership approach of Prof. Ibanga. I must thank His Excellency, Governor Udom Emmanuel for appointing him because it is one thing to have somebody at the helms of affairs in leadership, it is also another thing to have someone who could interpret the dreams and vision of the governor in education sector.
However, the biggest challenge now is the big shoe that Prof. Eno Ibanga will leave behind as his tenure is gradually winding down in the next few months. Who is taking over from him is very important because such a person must be able to build and consolidate on what Prof Ibanga has been able to put down for the institution within the period of his stay as the Vice Chancellor of the University. AKSU is not the same school that I came to meet five years ago; a lot has changed positively in infrastructure, academic quality and standard, and all these happened within and under the leadership span of Prof. Ibanga. When I came in, I had no office for instance, but today, I have a standard office that has a toilet facility with air condition and this has helped me to attend to my students conveniently just like you would have in any standard university anywhere in the world. All laboratories in the school have been fully equipped with global best practices. Honestly, the pace of development in the university today is quite commendable.

My name is Anderson, Comfort Edem, 300 level Student of Biology Education Department, Akwa Ibom State University, Ikot Akpaden.

Ever since I came into the university system as a student, I have observed that the Management of the school under the leadership of Prof Eno Ibanga has been trying its best to make sure the university is on the right course. Management has ensured that the institution runs effectively and in order.
However, I’m not too impressed by the security situation in the school. So many criminal activities have been happening within and outside the school environment. I think Management of the school should do something drastic about it. It is very scaring; students can no more move freely and so on.
Another issue I equally observe about the school is that lecturers are not friendly with the students. The general lecturer – students relationship is not common in the school. There is this sense of discrimination between students and the lecturers in the school. Students cannot talk freely with the lecturers. They should accept and receive us with open heart.

UBONG SAMPSON

To be very honest, Prof. Eno Ibanga identified the problems of the University and that is why he and his team are able to tackle them as it were. It is always good to understand your terrain when you go to a place, get in touch with the people, know the challenges and then set your sail. And that is exactly what Prof. Ibanga has done. Before the last convocation, I was also among the press team that visited the University then. I remember the senate chamber over there was nothing to write home about for it did not depict a State owned university. But today, the current management under Prof. Ibanga has identified that problem and fixed it. Few months after visiting the school, the offices were well allocated, that is commendable.
Honestly, you won’t really see much of what this current management is doing in terms of infrastructure provision at the main campus like what is happening at the Obio Akpa Campus. So much transformation has taken place there in such a short period of time. When you look at the topography of Obio Akpa campus, you will agree with me that the present state of development in the campus is quite commendable. There is this particular road close to TETFUND Hall, Faculty of Arts structure; before now, the road was directionless, but today, if you should go back to that same environment, the road is well tarred, I have been driving through it. There is this intervention protect I am sure Prof. Ibanga came and met uncompleted – ITF project. That building today is now a classroom block already completed. It is one of the class room blocks I used in writing my examination. He has done much within his limited resource available to him. I also commend the State Government especially for opening up the roads that give access to private hostels where students live within the community. It helps the students to get to school in time and for some of us who are driving, it gives a quicker access to the school. There are a lot of new structures littered across the campus such as the imposing administrative block and the expansive car park all of which add prestige to the school. Prof. Ibanga has done well. As his tenure is rounding off, we hope that whoever is coming would also get the response and ears of the Government as Prof. Ibanga did.