The Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Sam Guobadia in this interview with the Communications and Brand Strategy Unit (CBSU) gives a rundown of the University’s developmental strides, major goals for 2019, and how it would continue to demonstrate capacity in research and learning.

Excerpts:

What are the developmental strides for 2018?

The developmental strides between now and the end of the year are in 2 areas-Physical and Program Developments: It is imperative to speed up some physical developments with respect to the completion of some staff housing units, temporary sports facilities, construction of a student centre and additional intra-campus network of roads for easy movement of staff and students since many Faculties will be moved to the Legacy Campus in February, 2019. We are also currently engaged in laying the groundwork for the establishment of a College of Medicine, Nursing and Medical lab Sciences. We are expecting the NUC teams to come and resource verify these programs between now and January 2019.

As an institution, what are we going to do differently in 2019?

What we are going to do differently in 2019, as an institution, is to fully develop a number of pillars upon which our repackaged product will be based. Repackaged product, I mean Academic Excellence with Godliness. We have started to develop and retool our Academic Culture, Spiritual Culture, Leadership culture, and Entrepreneurship culture. For the last two, plans are underway to set up a new Leadership Unit in the University called Idahosa Leadership Center, where our students will be trained on leadership skills. A friend of the University has promised to build us an Enterprise (entrepreneurial) Development Center which will become the University’s business hub and other business incubation activities. By the end of 2019 God willing, many of these activities would have started to yield positive results. Our ultimate goal is to be ahead of the competition in the shortest possible time, and our brand becoming more attractive to subscribers.

What are the Major goals for 2019?

Apart from the establishment of the MBBS, Nursing and Medical Lab Science programs, the issue of working relationships will be a major focus of the management team. We are seeking a more effective and closer working relationship between staff and students; making the students feel more at home when they leave home to come to our University. Above all, we plan to develop more hostel space as we move more Faculties to the Legacy Campus by resumption date for the 2019/2020 Academic Session. The more we populate the Legacy Campus, the more we can rebrand and become more competitive.

What Mechanism has been put in place to make BIU World Class?

Simply put, we are planning to become world-Class by doing the little things excellently well. I have always stated that we don’t have the deep pockets of some other universities but I have a strong belief that we can be small and world-class. It is for this reason that the President has also talked about relentless excellence.

To Foster unity, commitment and togetherness, is there a future plan to hold an annual award/gala night to reward dedication and diligence?

This is actually a good idea. We need to find ways to reward excellence among staff and students. Recognition is a powerful tool leaders can use to extract more positive results from people. I will put a team together to work out the modality of doing something like this periodically. Thank you.

Benson Idahosa University (BIU) has been granted full affiliation to the Joint Universities Preliminary Examinations Board (JUPEB). This was stated in a letter sent to Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Sam Guobadia, by the Registrar of the Board, Professor Duro Ajeyalemi on the 26th of October, 2018.

The letter reads: “I am pleased to convey to you that on behalf of the JUPEB Governing Board, the Chairman, Professor Oluwatoyin Temitayo Ogundipe, FAS, has approved the recommendation of the Pre-Affiliation Visit (PAV) team that visited your university be granted Full Affiliation to JUPEB. This approval will be ratified at the next Governing board meeting. That is, your University is now approved as a centre for JUPEB examinations.”

It will be recalled that the board conducted a Pre-affiliation visit to the University on the 8^th of October, 2018.

During this visit, Prof. Guobadia stressed the continuous commitment of the university towards running JUPEB programmes in order to create more opportunities for Nigerian youths to access quality education.

As a result of this full affiliation, Benson Idahosa University can accept candidates for the JUPEB Foundation program as well as commence training of the Foundation candidates with the JUPEB’S syllabus for each subject. Successful students of the JUPEB programmes are eligible for admission into degree programmes at the University.

The Chancellor of Benson Idahosa University, Most Rev. (Dr.) Margaret Benson Idahosa is among eminent Nigerians that would be conferred with honorary doctorate degree at the  44^th Convocation Ceremonies of the University of Benin, scheduled to hold on 24^th November, 2018.

Most Rev. (Dr.) Margaret Benson Idahosa who doubles as the Archbishop of Church of God Mission International will receive an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from the University of Benin.

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin, Prof. F.F.O. Orumwense, revealed this when Archbishop Margaret Idahosa paid a courtesy visit to the University of Benin.

Speaking during the visit, the Vice Chancellor disclosed that the university is honouring her because of her remarkable contributions to the development of our country.

In her response, she appreciated the University Management for finding her worthy to receive such a great honour.

In her words: “When I received the letter of honour, I was very happy because this is the first time an institution of education will be recognizing me. So I said to myself, I need to visit the institution and thank the Management for finding me worthy to receive such a great honour.”

A two-man team from Tel Aviv University, Israel, led by Prof. Nir Ohad, paid a courtesy visit to the University. The visit was to strengthen its partnership talks with Management on Agricultural research, scholarships, plant biology, seed technology, and curriculum development.

Receiving the delegates from the George .S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University,  the Acting Vice Chancellor of Benson Idahosa University, Prof. Sam Guobadia, represented by the Dean, Faculty of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, Prof. Emmanuel E. Obasohan, who spoke during the collaboration talks mentioned the importance of staff and students exchange programs between the Universities.

Prof. Emmanuel E. Obasohan, gave the developmental strides of the University, mentioning that the University has a new campus.

“We have a new campus. I hope you will have the privilege of going round to see our new campus called the Legacy Campus that is where the hub of the University will be. I want to welcome you to Benson Idahosa University and we would be glad to have staff and students interact with you, finding areas of collaboration between us to move Benson Idahosa University forward,”he said.

Speaking at the event, Prof. Nir Ohad, said it was a great honour for him to be granted such audience. He mentioned that the visit is a form of reciprocation to the earlier visit to Israel made by the President, Bishop F.E.B. Idahosa.

He added that the visit was to discuss possible areas of partnership that will be beneficial to the Universities. This partnership, he said has the potential to make an impact on curriculum development, collaborative teaching programs and research networks.

He commended the President for taking strategic steps in enhancing the experiences of students.

The President of Benson Idahosa University, Bishop F.E.B. Idahosa, who joined the Tel-Aviv team on a guided tour round University’s Legacy Campus and the WellsHosa farms, thanked the team for coming, and expressed satisfaction and confidence that the partnership would play a great role in moving the University closer to its core purpose.

The Chief Judge of Edo State, Hon. Justice Esohe Ikponmwen recently delivered the 1st Public lecture of the Faculty of Law, Benson Idahosa University.

The Lecture entitled “The Art and Essentials of Judgement Writing: A Critical Appraisal of the Judgement of Pontius Pilate” was chaired by the Vice Chancellor of Benson Idahosa University, Prof. Sam Guobadia.

Delivering the lecture, Justice Ikponmwen said the record and trial in the case of Jesus Christ demonstrated apparent perversity and gross injustice from a case actuated by malice and bad blood.

“It was a desperate situation which was a travesty of justice, which needed to be overturned and of course this was done after Jesus Christ cried to His Father from the Cross of Calvary,” she said.

She thanked the University Management for the decision to honour her.

“I appreciate the University Management and the organisers of this event especially for the latitude given to me in the choice of topic to speak on. May I posthumously congratulate the founder of this great institution, the Archbishop Benson Idahosa of blessed memory for his foresight and determination in daring where it looked impossible to establish this great institution which no doubt is a product of good judgment,” she said.

She promised to continually support the University and further enthrone justice in the state.

Speaking at the event, the Vice Chancellor of Benson Idahosa University, Prof. Sam Guobadia, thanked Justice Ikponmwen for accepting to deliver the 1^st in the Faculty of Law lecture series.

The Vice Chancellor also announced that the new Faculty of Law lecture theatre annex has been named after the guest lecturer, Justice Ikponmwen.

“We are also glad to inform you that the lecture theatre has been named after Hon. Justice, Chief Judge of Edo State, Esohe Ikponmwen.”

Showering encomiums on the guest lecturer, the Dean, Faculty of Law, Stella Idehen, said the Justice has played several roles in the Faculty, which has impacted many staff and students.

“On behalf of the staff and students of the Faculty of Law welcome everyone to this august occasion, this is because this is the first public lecture to be hosted by the Faculty of Law. We are excited because this lecture will birth many more lectures,” he said.

At the public lecture, the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, pledged the sum of N25 million to the Justice Esohe Ikponmwen Scholarship Programme to train female lawyers in the state.

Obaseki said the Board of Trustees of Ikponmwen Foundation would come up with modalities on how the female beneficiaries would be selected as well as the higher institutions they would attend.

He said Justice Ikponmwen has stood out as a prolific judicial officer and her tenure as the Chief Judge of the State has helped to strengthen the judiciary in the state.

“We appreciate the strides you have made and the aura you have brought to the state judiciary system,” he said.

The Management of Benson Idahosa University led by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Sam Guobadia paid a courtesy visit to the Managing Director of Ray Royal Construction Company, Bishop (Dr.) Matthew Akhaze Okpebholo on Thursday, 18^th October, 2018.

Speaking during the visit, the Vice Chancellor informed Bishop Okpebholo that the visit is to convey the University’s appreciation for all he has done for the University.

He said: “On behalf of the Chancellor, President, Governing Council, Management, Staff and Students of Benson Idahosa University, I very respectfully and profoundly thank you for your continued generosity towards the University. Your kind hearted donation of 1.2km fully constructed and already commissioned road at the Legacy Campus of the University is one of such many gestures that you have shown to the University over the years.”

The Vice Chancellor also thanked him for his promise to construct drains and sidewalks for the Bishop Matthew Okpebholo way at the Legacy Campus. These drains and sidewalks he mentioned will further enhance the functionality of the road in particular and the Campus in general. He prayed that God would continue to reward the Bishop for his labour of love to the University and beyond.

In his response, Bishop Okpebholo thanked the Management team for the visit despite their tight schedules and assured the University of his continued support in all matters that bother on the development of the University.

The Chief Judge of Edo State, Hon. Justice Esohe Ikponmwen will deliver the 1^st Public lecture of the Faculty of Law, Benson Idahosa University, Benin City.

The lecture titled: “The art and essential of judgment writing: A critical appraisal of the judgment of Pontius Pilate” will be chaired by the Vice Chancellor of Benson Idahosa University, Prof. Sam Guobadia.

The Vice Chancellor made this known when he paid a courtesy call on the Chief Judge at the High Court in Benin City.

He said: “We are so delighted that we have somebody in your position. What you represent and the work you have been doing for the nation is quite commendable. You have identified with our university in many ways. For many years, you have being very supportive of our flagship program and to crown it all, we have our maiden lecture being organized by the Faculty of Law and you have graciously accepted to come and give a lecture. The entire university is already agog waiting for that day to come.”

He noted that the lecture is aimed at raising the quality of the legal profession and strive for social justice.

In her response, the Chief Judge, Hon Justice Ikponmwen promised to deliver the lecture. According to her: “I am in a state of ecstasy, I am so grateful to the University for finding me worthy enough to deliver the maiden edition of the Faculty’s public lecture. This is like a turning point in my life, I have prepared my paper and I am ready to do justice to that paper.”

She promised to continually support the University and further enthrone justice in the state.

Hon. Justice Ikponmwen until her appointment as the Chief Judge of the state, was a High Court judge since 1999.

The Pro-Chancellor of Benson Idahosa University, Engr. (Dr.) G.O Isibor has called on the State Government and traditional institutions in the State to promote the use of Edo language in homes and schools. He made this call when members of the board of Benson Idahosa University Centre for Edo Studies paid a courtesy visit to the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, at the Government House, Benin City. He harped on the need to develop Edo language in schools in the state, and stressed that “Edo has a rich history, language and culture but we are not doing enough to make it popular across the world.”

The Pro-Chancellor who is the Chairman of University’s Governing Council, commended the governor for his developmental strides across the state and his uncommon leadership style anchored on peace and good governance. In his response, the governor said his administration and the palace of the Benin Monarch are worried about the challenges posed by the low premium attached to the state’s indigenous languages, and are looking at ways to propagate Edo history and language in schools across the state.

He disclosed that at the recent retreat by members of the state’s executive council at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and added that “the focus was on how to transform the education sector in the state.” The governor expressed his administration’s willingness to partner with the Centre to include some of the Edo books authored by the Center in the state’s school curriculum. “Our focus is not only on Edo language but also on Afemai and Esan languages,” he said.