Prof Ibanga and AKSU: Between experience and potentials

BY UBONG SAMPSON

It came first as Akwa Ibom State University of Technology (AKUTECH), being a project from the dream of the Obong Victor Attah led administration. But later changed to Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU), as it soothed the desire of a succeeding Chief Godswill Akpabio led administration. 

Determined not to make its commencement of full activities suffer further risks of stagnation arising from procrastination; the state owned institution had its ball set rolling by the latter, with Prof Sunny Peters appointed to head its management team as Vice Chancellor. 

With necessary things put in place, full activities hesitated no further before commencing. Aside inheriting the location of former College of Agriculture, Obio Akpa as its annex campus to complement the Ikot Akpaden main campus; most or equally important amongst all, was the admission of young scholars who made the institution their choice of where to launch their pursuit for a first degree. 

In just a few years after, the institution has been able to secure and maintain full accreditation for all programmes under the six faculties and two campuses in it. And a first convocation and passing out of its first set of graduates, is another record to crown its efforts so far. 

Blessed geographically with a large land expense, the institution began wearing the identity of a citadel with vast potentials awaiting just the right mind with the required sense of technicality to convert same to full fledged development.
Still having Prof Peters (then) in charge, but with limited time to the end of his tenure posing great challenges to the realization of this development dream, the question of who was best to take the succession mantle that was already looming, arose fully, and urgently requiring a satisfactory answer. 

Then emerged one of the deputies of the outgoing- Prof Eno James Ibanga who until the expiration of the former’s tenure, was deputizing (assisting) in the academic sector of the institution. His emergence however came not without the question of whether or not he had the needed experience and technique to lead the institution to, or at least, close to its desired destination. 

For the purpose of notable records, Professor  Ibanga, an indigene of Mkpat Enin Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State is a specialist in Solid State Physics/Materials Science who got his Ph.D in Solid State Physics in 2000 from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.  

Having begun his career as a university lecturer in University of Calabar in 1982, he was appointed Professor of Physics, in University of Uyo in 2008 before being appointed to head the physics department. He was later appointed Dean of Student Affairs in the same University. 

Prof Ibanga is a renowned Physics lecturer who is sought after by many universities in Nigeria. These include Nassarawa State University, Keffi, where he served in 2004 as  Associate Professor; University of Agriculture, Makurdi, where he served as assistant lecturer in 2002; University of Agriculture Abeokuta,where he served as lecturer 1986, among others.   

Also, his experience as external examiner extends to University of Abuja; Ladoke Akintola University of Science and Technology, Ogbomosho; University of Ilorin and Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife.   

He has held many administrative responsibilities and has been member of Senate, Boards and Committees in these Universities and as a plus to his profile, also served NUC as member and chairman of accreditation panels of degree programmes in physical sciences. 

The AKSU VC has attended and presented papers in conferences both within and outside the country and has authored several books, as well as owned chapters in major international journals. 

But all these notwithstanding, Prof Ibanga needed more than an intimidating profile to prove his worth in the new role he assumed officially on April 16, 2015.
However, not minding whatever were the guesses of all who bothered to make any about his capacity to deliver, Prof Eno Ibanga, barely two months into his tenure, is almost clearing all doubts regarding his capacity in this regard through glaringly positive results making evident, his determined and non-resilient efforts so far.

Fully determined to produce results and nothing short of that, Prof Ibanga took over the AKSU leadership without sparing a moment in active duty. And while paying urgent and focused attention to environmental and facility improvement/development; he never lost focus in the bid to ensuring the graduating students had no extra day before being pronounced full graduates of their chosen academic fields. This eventually came to reality in a maiden, yet, classy and well organized convocation ceremony where a total of forty two (42) graduates with a record-setting two (2) first class graduates were sent forth to the macro society. 

Even as you read this, Prof Ibanga is already far gone in his plans to commence the facilitation of other projects direly pressing the institution as an urgent needs, aside the ones already underway and/or near completion. This indeed speaks hope, and a brighter one at that, for the institution; making it one ivory to watch out for in a few years from now. 

Summarily, by way of ending the forgoing, a factual (though arguable) conclusion based on the writer’s personal relationship with the physics professor, may have him (the writer) relaxing in the sofas of the conviction that being an advocate of excellence, Prof Eno Ibanga has never been caught surrendering, or even considering to surrender to situations attempting to compel him into resorting to anything second to excellence. Mediocrity, to him, should be far from being part of life. His delivery capacity gets it at the excellent level and nothing less. His presence in any system introduces the spirit of excellence which contagious nature, soon engulfs same system in its entirety. 

An instance to this is his short but active presence in the Uniuyo management where he served as Dean, Student Affairs Division. The conspicuous level of sanity he injected into the student union by way of raised standards, despite his short stay, cannot be over-exaggerated.  As an active student and core student unionist then, the writer could tell that many students, especially those belonging to the “political stakeholder” class were apparently not comfortable with the changes. But then, a neck turn to behold the positive sides, any rational and progress loving mind would support changes of sorts whenever and wherever. 

Being a mould from a clay of excellence, one can easily predict the effects (positive though) of a Prof Ibanga led administration on the state-owned ivory. Being not-too-good at accurate foresights, the writer has resorted to taking a fast-pedal to the end of the tunnel to await the current AKSU’s administrative train with his pen tightly glued to his fist. It may take a little longer, but someday, this train shall drive to the end of the tunnel where the writer would be waiting eagerly to share the testimony of a fulfilled administration.