The Registrar of the University of Ilorin, Mr Emmanuel Dada Obafemi, has been elected the National Chairman of the Association of Registrars of Nigerian Universities (ARNU).
ROYAL NEWS gathered that election, which took place at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, being one of the major highlights of the 61st Business Meeting and 11th Retreat of the Association.
Also elected were, Mr. Sule Dauda, the Registrar of the Federal University, Gashua, Vice-Chairman; Dr. Peter Okey Ejikeme of the Tansian University, General Secretary; Muhammad D. Nasiru of Sule Lamido University, Dutse, Assistant General Secretary; Mrs Bolatito Oloketuyi of the Redeemers’ University, Ede, Treasurer; Mr Uko Maurice of the Nigerian French Village, Public Relations Officer; and Mrs Dorcas Otto of the University of Port Harcourt, Welfare Officer.
In a chat with journalists, Mr. Obafemi, who revealed that he did not have any plans to be the Chairman of the body when he left Ilorin for the Retreat, however described his election as a pleasant surprise for him. He said that “anything that is designed by God, nobody can push it away; the opportunity came and I indicated my willingness to take the very serious assignment and as luck would have it, an election took place and I became the Chairman.”
Mr. Obafemi commended the past leaderships of the Association for moving the body to great heights, saying, “It is my plan if God assists me to move it a step further and in doing this, there are some issues that are outstanding that I am privy to because I have always been part of ARNU meetings all over.”
He said, “I want to see how I can go ahead to push these issues to logical conclusions and then to see mainly, how we can have a Secretariat in Abuja because the Secretariat moves as soon as we have a new Secretary. But now, it is my candid wish to get a place in Abuja that we can call our own and that will be my number one focus for ARNU.”
Mr. Obafemi pointed out that “thereafter, other issues that have been lingering, like the issues of Directorate being established in Registries of universities so that when Registrars retire and they still have age on their side, they can just move back to be a Director and still earn their level 15”.
He added that “it will also give room for Deputy Registrars to also aspire to level 15 because not all Deputy Registrars will be Registrars so they will also fulfill their dreams of getting to the peak of their careers. So, these are some of the issues that have been on and on with us as Registrars and I hope, God helping me, I will be able to get all the universities to key into this very good principle”.
