The erstwhile Vice Chancellor of the University of Bamenda, UBa, Professor Edward Tafah Edokat Oki, has described his four-year stewardship at the institution as that of a hunter thrown into the jungle with virtually nothing to fend for himself.

“I was thrown into a forest like a hunter to trace my way out. Today, we have all traced the way for UBa. Within my four-year stay at the helm of this university, I did all that was humanly possible, I put in my best. Today, just like a player on a football pitch, I have been called up to the reserve bench; a new player has gone in to substitute me. We can only give her all the support and advice when necessary. Do not be hypocrites in your actions by telling her one thing and going behind her and doing the opposite. Be honest and make this institution grow.”

Prof Edokat was speaking in Bamenda on December 15, during the commissioning ceremony of his successor.

While thanking all for the support accorded him during his tenure at UBa, Prof Edokat metaphorically presented his administrative records, describing it as satisfactory.

Meanwhile, commissioning Prof Theresa Nkuo Kimeng-Akenji into her new function, the Minister of Higher Education, Prof Jacques Fame Ndongo enjoined her to cultivate an atmosphere of peace and security in the university.

Prof Fame Ndongo also instructed the new VC to institute the spirit of republican dialogue among staff and students, regularise the learning and teaching procedure at the university at the dawn of the BMP approach,ensure division of labour by practising the bottom-top administrative method, promptly pay the annual presidential grants to deserving students, draw up a realistic tri-annual budget for the university and, above all, ensure the effective take-off of the three newly created faculties of the university by January 2016.

Earlier in his welcome speech, the Mayor of Tubah Council, Martin Tanjong Ndzingong recounted the support of his Council and the Tubah elite to the university, while enumerating a series of projects that are aimed at assisting the baby university.

“The University of the Future is here to stay. The entire Tubah elite and my administration will build an Amphitheatre 750 for the university and open up more access roads. Over 5,000 hectares of land in Tubah have been allocated to the university,” the Mayor said.

Mayor Tanjong called on the Minister to facilitate the creation of a double carriageway leading to the university to ease traffic flow, the transformation of CCAST Bambili into a practising institution, the rehabilitation of the inter-campus road network that has been abandoned, among others.

Dr. Salah and Gilead Ngam, lecturers at UBa, said the new VC is a square peg in a square hole, given her accumulated academic and administrative experiences as Dean and Deputy Vice-Chancellor in the University of Buea.

The installation ritual was witnessed by the Chairman of the Social Democratic Front, Ni John Fru Ndi, the UB VC, Dr.Nalova Lyonga, among other top administrative, traditional and religious authorities in the Region.
Minister Fame Ndongo was also decorated with the ‘Northwest Atugo’ by Northwest Fons.

Challenges Awaiting The New VC

After officially taking over command at UBa, Prof Kimeng Akenji will now have to ensure that the lighting situation of the university campus becomes a reality, instil moral rectitude in the students, ensure that meritocracy reigns in the university’s old schools of ENS and ENSET where bribery and corruption have been rampant, put in place a toilet system on campus as well as reinstate sanity in the campus security corps.