BSU UNDER PROF. MSUGH KEMBE: LESSONS FOR THE ACADEMIA.

  By Tsav Mgbakpa:

For almost three years, since Professor Moses Msugh Kembe emerged the fifth Vice-chancellor of Benue State University, Makurdi through the usual impunity means of the creator of Benue state and Governor Ortom's religion of worship, Sen. George Akume. Prof. Kembe was the most junior and least qualified amongst the brains that threw their hats in the ring. He became a professor for just three years before Akume found him worthy for the office of Vice Chancellor. 

Upon his illegal emergence, the whole state bitterly questioned the rationale behind the favour from this chronic impunity. Alas, I had already preempted the content of his administrative prowess before he assumed duty; the general belief in Benue that those who acquire leadership positions through Senator Akume's impunity end up being useless even to themselves, and Kembe's case is not different.

From those the Tarka sadist has planted as governors down to ordinary local government councillors, the story is usually same. First, there are certain agreements they enter into with him and his wife, Regina. A certain percentage of the money entering into your office is divided into three; Akume takes the lion share, his wife takes the middle, while the remaining fraction is left for the running of the office.

This is what Gov. Samuel Ortom is going through; this is what people like Speaker Terkimbi Ikyange is sharing, Mimi Orubibi of BIRS is not in a different boat, Titus Zam who is heading Bureau of local government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Emmanuel Manger who was GM of Benue Links and now Commissioner of Works, Torhile Uchi, Executive Secretary of Benue State Exams Board and of course, a seasoned academia and dogged critic, a professor with reputation, who ordinarily should have demarcated politics from his office is painfully passing through, simply because he wants to satisfy one man who was instrumental to his position as VC of Benue state university.

I could remember, the Independence Day of 2017, Regina Akume was going from one farm to the other for harvest. She visited Ikyange's house, collected N10Million and thereafter proceeded to Prof. Kembe's residence, where she collected about N20Million. One then wonders, how much is Benue state university as a state owned institution generating to warrant Kembe to grease a godmother's palms with N20Million? How many projects has he started and completed within his 3years in office? These things should worry us all as a people.

Just this morning, students of Benue state university were on rampage, blocked every entrance of the institution in protest of what Prof. Kembe tags "pay before writing examination". He had instituted this policy last year, but reversed the unwise decision when it became necessary. All these laughable incidents are going on in the state because we have rotten systems on ground.

I'm in support of these angry students in total. They have all it takes to express their grievances in the public, this is the very time to tell these thieves what is right. I wouldn't blame Ortom for this, since he didn't acquire formal education. The implications involved are much but since he lacks the capacity of identifying them, one has to accept them the way they appear to us in good fate.

To Prof. Kembe, who attended a conventional university at a time the government of the day was doing virtually everything for them; from feeding to pocket money. He was placed on a steady scholarship, which was more than what he was paying as school fees. There was no difference between children of the rich and poor, corruption in form of imposing a university VC was not prominent. Salaries of parents were not owed by the government; garage tauts who were highly incapacitated were not made governors at the expense of the future of the country. University Vice Chancellors were not asked to generate money from universities to pay earned allowances.

What is wrong with us today? The system or the people? And has it gotten to this level? How is it reasonable mounting excessive pressure on students to pay fees at a time their parents can't even feed well, pay house rent, access medications simply because an opportunist is in charge. It is unfortunate Kembe whom we all believed as a tactical critic would throw the entire university into this dirty mould. A man who was very sharp in criticising almost every thing, even the way God created the world is today lying helpless in the midst of nonentities who are only hellbent on destroying the destiny of this state.

At a time Fulani herdsmen have scattered most families across the state, Most parents are still battling with their lives to make sure their relatives that have been displaced are kept together. If Prof. Kembe were reasonable enough, he could have even advised Ortom and his government to pay workers and pensioners in the state their owed emoluments. 

Has he ever taken his time to visit all the IDPS in the state and if possible make donations? I believe he would instead prefer pressuring students to pay their school fees so that the university's account could stupendously swell up and in turn pay his dues to his godfather promptly and effectively.

I wish to advice those who care to get sense and wisdom from my write-up that, those who emerge into positions of authority through impunity means only end up becoming preys in the eyes of the society. 

If Prof. Kembe had emerged VC through legal means and normal university due process, he could have fared better in that office I must be bold enough to fault his locomotive leadership styles characterized by indecision and shortsightedness.