Nigerian Vice Chancellors Celebrate Diamond Jubilee

The Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Federal, States, and Private Universities in Nigeria are set to celebrate 60 + 1 years of their existence and activities.  A Programme of Events released from the Office of the Secretary General, Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVCNU), Prof Yakubu Aboki Ochefu, indicates that the four-day celebration, which is scheduled to kickoff on Monday 9th October 2023, would hold at the Baze University, Abuja, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima as Distinguished Guests of Honour, while Honourable Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman would be Special Guest of Honour. The President of Nigerian Academy of Science, Prof Ekanem Braide is billed to be the Keynote Speaker in the event to be Co-Hosted by the Acting Vice-Chancellor of Baze University, Prof Kathleen Okafor, SAN.  Mustardpoint.com gathered that a Local Organising Committee, chaired by Prof Osita Agbu, has been working round the clock to put a programme in place to ensure a memorable celebration.  Day 1 of the events to mark CVCNU @60 is scheduled to kick off at 10am on Monday 9th October with the 0pening Ceremony consisting of welcome comments from the host VC and the National Chairman of CVCNU, as well as goodwill messages from Special Guests. Flag parades and group photographs would follow, just ahead of the official Conference Opening ceremony/Exhibition between 1pm and 1:45pm, all at the expansive Multipurpose Hall of Baze University.  Beginning from 2:30pm on day 1, the CVCNU members are scheduled to hold their meeting until 5:30pm during which time the first virtual panel on *”GENDER EQUITY, EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION(EEDI)”* by Dr Paul Igwe would be taken, to end the day.  Day 11, Tuesday 10th October, would be the INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON LEADERSHIP AND GENDER, with the theme: *”UNDERREPRESENTATION OF WOMEN LEADERSHIP IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES.” For this segment, Prof David Rugara of Lincoln University, USA, is expected to deliver the welcome address to participants, while goodwill messages would come from Nigerian First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu and the Senator representing the Federal Capital Teritory, Senator Ireti Kingibe. The Keynote Address would be rendered by the National President of the National Academy of Science, Prof Ekanem I. Braide. Discussants lined up for her presentation include a representative of USAID, as well as former Secretary General of CVCNU, Prof Michael Faborode, and Prof Mrs Nancy Agbe, pioneer VC of University of Mkar. After some light refreshments, at about 11am, until 2pm, would be the International Conference Sessions. Panel 1 of this, which is billed to discuss “Leadership and Management of Nigerian Higher and Further Education”, would be chaired by Prof Francis Egbokhare, while Prof Mrs Ladi Hamalai is scheduled to take charge of Panel 11 on the topic “Responsibility, Sustainability, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).” The second virtual panel would be incorporated at this time, with the topic “Emancipation, Eliminating Discrimination and Prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls and People With Disability,” by Paul Igwe. Between 2pm and 5pm on Day 11 will be a time reserved for the *MASTER CLASS* during which justice shall be done to three issues of paramount importance to University education. The first topic “ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE(AI) AND THE FUTURE OF TEACHING” is to be under the chairmanship of Prof Mrs Francisca Oladipo. The second paper “CYBER SECURITY AND LEARNING ANALYTICS FOR EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS” would be chaired by Prof Tanko Ishaya, while “FUNDING AND PROFITING FROM UNIVERSITY SPORTS” has Mr Adedamilola Adedotun as chairman.  Day 111, Wednesday 11th October would be taken up mainly with *ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS WITH EXPERTS* between 9am and 11am with the topic “FEDERATING EDUCATIONAL REPOSITORIES”, to be chaired by Prof Chinwe Veronica Anunobi (National Librarian of Nigeria), while discussants would be Mr Joseph Ojo (Director of ICT at the Tertiary Education Trust Fund), Prof Jubril Alhassan (Chairman, Librarians of Nigerian Universities) and Prof Abiodun Adeniyi of Baze University.  A special presentation by Lincoln University would be done by the duo of Professors David Rugara and Simon Lilley between 11 and 11:30am. Panel 111, “ADDRESSING WOMEN UNDERREPRESENTATION AND ENABLING EDUCATION ACCESS, INCLUSION AND TACKLING SUBJECT SEGREGATION” to be chaired by Prof Aisha Sani Maikudi, while “CHALLENGING GENDER BIAS, STEREOTYPES, DISCRIMINATION AND STIGMATISATION” under Panel 1V, has Ms Philippa Joanne Denny-Gelder scheduled as chair. After this, the third virtual panel will play out with the topic “ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND STRENGTHENING PATHWAYS FOR WOMEN GRADUATES EMPLOYMENT” to be chaired by Prof Enase Okonedo, VC of Pan Atlantic University.  After lunch, between 3:15 and 4:30pm, participants would be engrossed with the personal experiences of some of the Vice-Chancellors in a Soapbox topic “EQUITY, EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVITY ON OUR CAMPUSES: PERSPECTIVES OF THE OPERATORS”. Those scheduled to narrate their experiences as Panelists, under the chairmanship of Prof Umaru Pate (VC, Federal University Kashere), include Prof Charles Igwe (University of Nigeria, Nsuka), Prof Neal Juster (Lincoln University, USA), Prof Fatima Tahir (Bauchi State University), Prof Kathleen Ebelechukwu Okafor,SAN (Baze University), Prof Abdulrasheed Na’Allah(University of Abuja) and Prof Ajith Kumar V.V(Skyline University). Between 4:30 and 5:30pm on the third day of the very impactful celebration of CVCNU @60, the Communique Committee of the conference is expected to present a Communique to participants as part of the winding up and closing ceremony.  From 6pm a Farewell Dinner/Gala Awards Night would hold.  The Co-Hosts/Sponsors of the CVCNU @60 events include the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities; Women in Higher Education Leadership (WIHEL); British Council-Gender Equality/Going Global Partnership; University of Lincoln; Baze University; and African Development Institute of Research Methodology (ADIRM) Enugu, Nigeria.  The history and activities of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVCNU) dates back to the 1960s when the Vice-Chancellors of the few Federal and Regional Universities found it pertinent to meet and rub minds on the operations of their Schools. Those who started this informal forum in October 1962 were: Professors Kenneth Dike of University of Ibadan, Eni Njoku of University of Lagos, Norman Alexander of Ahmadu Bello University, G. A Ajose of University of Ife, as well as Dr George