The increasing level of corruption bedeviling nearly all sectors of the Nigerian political economy has become a major concern now, more than ever before. So all embracing, it is believed to have permeated even the Ivory Tower, a sacred institution, whose membership is depended upon to make a marked difference in the affairs of others.

It is due largely, to this expectation that great scholars of repute have often insisted that the University environment must be such that makes the scholar and indeed the lecturer alike, “most solitary, modest and charitable souls” who must, at all times, “embrace solitude as bride, so as to become thoroughly acquainted with their thoughts”.

Sadly, that scenario has been hard to actualise on account of gross under-funding, near frequent lecturers’ strike, for the same reason and above all, corruption among some key officers of various tertiary institutions.

Amidst the crowd, however, it is worthy of note  that the Rivers State University of Education was last Tuesday, singled out for honours, as most upright, open, charitable, responsive and responsible in the application of scarce funds for the greater good of the community.

The new University, was accordingly presented with a Merit and Excellence Award at its main campus, Rumuolumeni, Rivers State, by the Institute of Fraud Management and Control in Nigeria. The investiture which was jointly packaged by the institute and the Federal Ministry of Education Abuja, was significant in many respects.

Firstly, it underscores the readiness of the former College of Education to face the challenges of  its recent elevation to the status of a full-fledged university, just as the institution in its previous capacity undoutedly set enviable moral standards, enforced academic discipline and checked corruption in a manner conceived impossible by any public institution in Nigeria, where, fraud is largely condoned. That reputation, no doubt, puts the institution in a proper footing to pursue set targets as a university and only recently gave a clear picture of its zero tolerance to corruption, when several staff involved in an illegal employment racket were handed various forms of punishment.

The Merit and Excellence Award, no doubt, further attests to the strength of character, drive, motivation, ingenuity, commitment to and indeed dedication of the university’s leadership, particularly Prof. Rosemond Green Osahogulu, the Vice Chancellor. It also demonstrates the preparedness of the new university to achieve its quest to become a globally respected citadel of educational excellence.

This is why The Tide calls on the Rivers State government to double its efforts at ensuring the university’s timely accreditation by the National Universities Commission (NUC), by providing the required funding and support, that it promised, upon elevating the institute to a full-fledged university.

We are mindful of other competing needs especially, at this time of dwindling resources, but it must be emphasised, nonetheless that considering the overwhelming pressure from requests for admission into the State University of Science and Technology, basically actuated by the desire of many qualified Rivers people to acquire tertiary education, a functional University of Education is an indispensable complement.

Another, is the need to provide the much needed qualified manpower and strong teacher-workforce necessary to sustain the educational revolution, now going on in the state. Need we stress that the impressive architectural marvels dotted round all the local government areas of the state as model schools will be ordinary houses, if the right kind of teachers are not groomed and put to use?

These, without doubt, are some of the most compelling  needs that should readily propel government to do everything humanly possible to ensure that the University of Education becomes the dream academic community that has eluded many, in several years.

The Tide is re-assured by the rare sense of responsibility, thus far, demonstrated by the Vice Chancellor, Prof.  Green-Osahogulu and her academic and non-academic teams and feel compelled to enjoin government to make the registration process a little easier through adequate and timely funding necessary to put in place, most, if not all, that it takes to stand tall in the country.

While, we congratulate the university leadership for bringing to both the state and the entire South-South geo-political zone, such rare honour, we advise that they realise that there are even more self-defining challenges ahead and must therefore, remain focused and dedicated to work.