Prof. Edoba Omoregie assumes office as 11th Vice-Chancellor of UNIBEN

Prof. Edoba Omoregie of the Faculty of Law was formally inaugurated as the 11th substantive Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) on Monday.

A professor of private property law, Omoregie took over from Prof. Lilian Salami, pledging to revolutionize the university and create a nurturing environment for students, faculty, and staff.

In his inaugural speech, Omoregie emphasized his commitment to providing a supportive atmosphere where everyone in the university community would be valued in their academic and career pursuits. “I shall provide you with all the necessary support to make this a reality,” he declared, signaling that his administration would prioritize the welfare of both students and staff.

Acknowledging the challenges facing Nigerian public universities, such as insufficient funding and frequent disruptions from strikes, Omoregie expressed optimism for change.

He highlighted the importance of innovative funding strategies, improved access to education, infrastructural development, and enhanced staff welfare to revitalize the system.

The new Vice-Chancellor commended the Federal Government’s efforts to improve access to education, particularly through initiatives like the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (Tetfund), which has supported infrastructure development. Omoregie appealed to Tetfund for continued support for the university’s progress.

As an alumnus of UNIBEN, Omoregie also vowed to mobilize the alumni body to actively contribute to the institution’s growth and advancement. He took the opportunity to praise his predecessor, Prof. Lilian Salami, for her remarkable service and achievements during her tenure.

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In a handover ceremony, Salami, who served as the second female Vice-Chancellor of UNIBEN, reflected on her accomplishments.

She noted the significant improvements in infrastructure despite challenges like limited funding, the COVID-19 pandemic, and industrial actions.

She also highlighted her success in enhancing the university’s ranking and addressed the staffing imbalance, particularly the low ratio of non-teaching staff to academic staff, which she said was addressed through training and deployment efforts.

Salami expressed her gratitude for the support of the Federal and Edo State governments and urged the university community to extend the same support to Omoregie to ensure the continued success of the institution.