Re - Withdrawal of Professor Emeritus - How Senate Was Misled 8 October 2014 -By Prof. Andrew Onokerhoraye Following the publication in the Vanguard, on the issue of the so-called withdrawal of Professor Emeritus, I am forced to exercise my right of reply and to make some comments. Let me say right away that there is nothing like withdrawal of Professor Emeritus in the academic world as the title is an honour which is for a lifetime. It is an embarrassment that such a statement can be made by the University of Benin, a distinguished centre of learning which I had the privilege of being its Vice Chancellor. When I retired at the age of 65, in 2010, I decided not to seek any contract appointment in the University of Benin or elsewhere which is what some of my contemporaries do. However, the Department of Geography and Regional Planning and the Faculty of Social Sciences appealed to me to accept the honour of Professor Emeritus so that I can still be associated with the Department and Faculty and therefore nominated me for appointment which passed through due process to the University of Benin Governing Council that eventually approved the appointment as conveyed to me by the Registrar. I never applied to be Professor Emeritus because I do not need it as a necessary component of my intellectual capability recognised across the world. Most of the best intellectuals in the world are not called Professor Emeritus. What distinguishes a good scholar is his/her contributions to knowledge as reflected in his/her works not the title he/she bears. I decided to accept the honour of Professor Emeritus because the criteria and conditions of a Professor Emeritus were worked out in line with international standards and approved by the University of Benin Council on the recommendation of Senate during my tenure as Vice Chancellor. There is no provision for any duties to be assigned to a Professor Emeritus and there is no salary. This is the practice in all parts of the world. These conditions are clearly reflected in the terms of my appointment approved by Council as contained in the Registrars letter of 19th January 2011 which states that: You shall have no routine responsibilities assigned to you but you may, on invitation, supervise postgraduate students and offer advice. To the surprise of everybody, at a meeting of Senate on September 24, 2014, the Registrar, as Secretary to Senate presented a one paragraph memo asking Senate to withdraw my Professor Emeritus without any documented reasons as expected in any memo to Senate or Council. The two reasons for this unprecedented and misguided action were that l have not been attending Senate meetings; and secondly, that I have not been carrying out other responsibilities as Professor Emeritus. This is ridiculous because the same Registrar wrote in the letter of appointment to me that: You shall have no routine responsibilities. What responsibility then that is expected of me to warrant this action? More difficult to understand is the fact that there was never any communication whatsoever between the Registrar or any other organ of the University and me on this matter, before the memo was presented to Senate. I have made it clear to the Registrar that, as the custodian of University rules, she apparently misled Senate by providing false information in the memo. There was nowhere in the letter of appointment or in the University Regulation guiding the appointment of Professor Emeritus where it is stated that the honouree must attend Senate meetings as if he/she is a serving staff of the University. Even if anybody has a grievance with a Professor Emeritus there must be communication and proper documentation for Senate in line with the principle of fair hearing enshrined in our University regulations. Equally surprising is the fact that the Registrar and members of Senate are aware of the Standing Order of Senate reaffirmed by a Benin High Court in 1986 that for any substantive matter to be discussed by Senate it must be listed in the Senate agenda and two weeks must be given before Senate meeting in which the matter is to be discussed. The matter was not listed on the agenda of the Senate meeting of September 24, 2014. Consequently, such a substantive matter leading to the University of Benin Senates decision, unprecedented in the academic world, was treated as A.O.B. On the issue of not carrying out other responsibilities the only responsibility mentioned in the letter of appointment as quoted above is supervision of postgraduate students and offer advice. Even then the letter of appointment indicated that it is voluntary and only when I am invited. If the Registrar cared to ask the Department of Geography and Regional Planning about my activities in this regard she could have been informed of the postgraduate students that I have been supervising since my appointment as Professor Emeritus. On the basis of my promise to the Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences, Senate, Council and Convocation during my inauguration, I have never asked for payment for my services although payment for them was specified in my letter of appointment. In addition, realising that most of the senior academics in the Department of Geography of the University have retired or are away on leave of absence, I have been building the research capacity of four other junior academics in the Department using my personal financial resources. I do not think Professors on full time employment in the University of Benin carry as much postgraduate teaching load as I have been carrying for the University free of charge. In taking this ridiculous and illegal action the attention of Senate was not drawn to the regulations governing the post of Professor Emeritus as approved by the Governing Council on August 16, 2003 which is available to all staff of the University. It is clear in the regulations that the University of Benin Council has the responsibility of appointing Professor Emeritus and not Senate. At present, I have two letters in my hand. The first one signed by the Registrar, conveying the University Councils approval of my appointment as Professor Emeritus. The second also signed by the same Registrar, conveying the purported decision of Senate to withdraw the Professor Emeritus. Finally, let me conclude my reaction by pointing out that the University of Benin Senate was misled into taking a funny decision that is unheard of in the academic world. It is embarrassing for a first generation University like the University of Benin where other younger universities should visit to learn about university management. Furthermore, Senate was not made to appreciate the fact that a Professor Emeritus is a life long and permanent honour. It is not a temporary appointment that can be renewed or terminated. All over the academic world including the University of Benin, Professor Emeritus is earned as a result of the recognition of the honourees contributions to teaching and research at the point of retirement. In fact many Universities in different parts of the world have appointed Professor Emeriti posthumously just as it is done with honorary degrees. Thus, the honour of Professor Emeritus is not based on some future activities that the honouree will carry out. The Senate of the University of Benin in taking part in this action should be further reminded of the fact that there is nothing like withdrawal in the University regulations governing the appointment of Professor Emeritus. This is a negative and ridiculous new term emanating from the University of Benin. If directed at my person as it appears, it shows how low the University has gone and it is most unfortunate. If it is a decision that the University wants to be remembered for, then it is an unprecedented negative contribution to the intellectual world that would do no good to the name and reputation of University of Benin. Finally, let me conclude my reaction by pointing out that the University of Benin Senate was misled into taking a funny decision that is unheard of in the academic world. The whole episode is embarrassing to the University, irresponsible and libellous. --- Professor Emeritus Onokerhoraye wrote from Benin City, Edo State. -[Vanguard]
Posted on: Wed, 08 Oct 2014 19:39:56 +0000
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