Women, the fairer sex were cast in some bad light with trending news and its accompanying videos that went viral over the weekend. In the first instance, staff of an ivory tower (an institution meant to impact academic excellence as well as mould good characters) went overboard by circulating a most uncharitable announcement about their out-gone female vice chancellor, which I shall hereafter refer to as Professor A. The announcement couched in form of an obituary, read thus: “Transition to Hell. With gratitude to G we announce the successful passing into hell of the tyranny personified XYZ whose happy end occurred on February 12, 2021, after five years of corruption She is survived by confused children and hate speech grand children”. There are two abbreviations by me here, namely XYZ in place of the VC’s real name and G for that sacred name that one cannot bear to spell out here in that connection. For, how can I associate the name of the Almighty with hell and hate speech with this most scandalous announcement? The writers and supporters of that poster talk of ‘hate speech’ is it not the height of hate speech for them to put out such a libelous ‘obituary’ complete with the picture of the former vice chancellor?
In so far as no court of competent jurisdiction has found her guilty of whatever is alleged by them, she remains innocent.
As the legal dictum goes, no matter the alleged offence one is innocent until proven guilty. In this case it is a one-way allegation, the University staff’s words against hers. Am sure if Professor A. is interviewed, she would have a string of achievements to relate and would deny allegations of wrong doing. Thus it would be their words against hers. She could possibly argue that they are railing against her because she plugged loopholes for financial leakages and blocked free flow of cash to them. Professor A. cannot be compared with her predecessor in terms of financial outlay available to both. Her predecessor had an extra take-off grant for the university, being its pioneer vice chancellor. In addition he took office when Nigeria’s economy was relatively better with oil, the nation’s major revenue earner hovering at around 100 dollars and above per barrel. The former VC took over when oil prices were beginning to crash, during the Buhari administration and Covid-19 pandemic which necessitated prudent management of scarce resources. Matters were not helped by the fact that the Kogi state government itself was in strait financial quagmire and so could not lend a financial hand as did some other states that hosted those six universities established during the Jonathan administration. I am by no means holding brief for Professor A. the out gone vice chancellor. Neither am I insinuating that she is a saint. Nonetheless, I do not believe she is a ‘devil’ as the framers of that so-called obituary poster sought to paint her.
In fact that denigrating ‘obituary’ of Professor A. amounts to defamation of character of the highest order and murder; not physical murder but murder all the same because they have killed the respect , esteem she enjoyed in the society. The former VC I learnt, was a notable professor of English at the University of Jos. Given Nigeria’s low educational level and the fact that many people swallow hook, line and sinker anything in print, subjecting it to little or no analysis, the harm this ‘announcement’ has done to her can be imagined. Consider too that having been published online, in the internet, it is read in all four corners of our world. Worrisome is that the University authority has not deemed it fit to disassociate itself from this irresponsible announcement that was first circulated on its campus. Both the staff and management should immediately put out a disclaimer especially as it is now in the media. Professor A. may also consider instituting legal action against them. By the way would framers of that notorious ‘obituary’ have done such a distasteful thing if the out gone vice chancellor was a male? I doubt it. One is tempted to believe that they saw Professor A. as a soft target because of her gender. They probably view women as people on whom they can heap all sorts of rubbish without repercussions. If the former vice chancellor were as ‘irretrievably’ corrupt as they allege why did not petition the relevant authorities to have her removed all these years? Why did they allow her to stay put for all the five years of her full tenure?
Another event where women were brought into some kind of disrepute was at the burial of the remains of the famous Dr. Tosin Ajayi, founder of the equally famous First Foundation Hospital. His remains were finally buried after bitter disputation between his estranged first wife and the wife that had been living with him for the past 25 years was resolved by a court, some eight months after he passed on. The court detailed the sequence for the funeral ceremony. However, it was reported that there was a shouting match at the ceremony and a dragging of the shovel for the dust to dust ceremony between the first wife’s female children and the one who was with him till he breathed his last here on earth. The only comment I have here is that all those concerned did not do justice to the memory of the departed whom they call their husband/father. If they truly loved him then they would do only that which benefits him, not what pleases them or advances their personal interests. No one should ever be called a bastard, it is a misnomer. I do hope that Dr. Ajayi left a Will that would do justice to his wives and all his children. The famed doctor’s funeral obsequies replete with palpable tension in the air was an an ugly spectacle unbefitting for him.
Amidst these sour tales is the refreshing news that Nigeria’s former Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been announced as the World Trade Organization(WTO) next Director General. She assumes office on March 1. Like US Vice President Kamala Harris who made history in America, Dr. Okonjo- Iweala is the first black person, first female and first African to hold that position. Best wishes madam.
