SURPRISE VISITATION OF VC OLUWASANMI---Re: WORKSHOP FOR SPOUSES OF VCs.pdf

[Michael Vickers]

VC Hezekiah Oluwsanmi of my 1960s Unife days, dropped by in the early hours yesterday morning. He was on a visit from that Higher Place, where so many of my friends and yours now reside. He said they’d discussed this matter of “Workshop for Spouses” at High Table with many Eminent incumbents present, including:  The Sardauna, who could only sorrowfully shake his head/ Awo, who expressed our need always to seize the positive side/ Enahoro added to the still-militant positive thrust/ in which he was joined by their recent recruit of High Honour, Obadiah Mailafia, who contributed several encouraging practical thoughts in measured tones which drew forth a buzz of affirmation. …These were but a few mentioned by VC Oluwasanmi (Olu), along with a List of the Stars, now long-placed in the Bright Indigo of the early night sky where, as you know, they are to be seen each evening. We have but †o look up and extend our call. A powerful focused thought is all it takes. 

Oh my.  How we need them now. All of them. 

And how interesting it is. …No longer the savage language/ the feral differences/ the vowed exclusions and divisions. …The Sardauna still has not forgiven”Tiv Dent” for his "insolent intrusions” when he, in the 1960s was most pressed to keep the North on a “common path”. …But like all the rest he has accepted the bottom line at which all, after a few decades of exchanges have arrived; and that is, the obvious need for working hard with ACTUATING EFFORTS to build the main motor force that can enable our people—all the world’s peoples—to expend their energies on INCLUSIVE activities; those that will enable growth of ALL FOLK in what they can give to others, and which will assure the range in which ALL can contribute to expansion of self at the same time as they can energise, elevate and stabilise their communities. 

Please forgive me this intrusion into a matter more grave and damaging than it may appear. As has been said by many, it is but one of an increasing number of general initiatives that can but further diminish and de-value those very Institutions that are of Vital Core Value to all of us and our communities in taking them forward—which without all this diversionary and profoundly distressing activity— is challenging enough on its own. Studies in all the academic disciplines are tough enough, even for the best students; and indeed for those whose commitment is to educate/ train these students. …I have but the greatest admiration for the Students and Faculty and vital Admin folk who have kept Faith; and through it all are  trying hard to keep goals and all associated requirements to achieve these, in place. These are truly Heroic undertakings. Women are taking an increasingly lead role. 

Interesting. …VC Oluwasanmi.  …I would encounter him in one of the Soc Sci/ or Admin building corridors. Always in a hurry, he would look down from his lanky  6’9” on my 6’1”; greet me; ask me how a particular course I was giving was going? Had I got over one of the “bumps” in Plato’s Dialogues? He had heard this had stimulated lively and informed debate, particularly about the famed “Allegory of the Cave”. …I was always astonished at his “attention to detail”. How could he have known about this very sharp and stimulating argument that had taken place—and had been re-engaged by main contenders over dinner at my Road 8 Flat? But he did. And he was passionate/ engaged 100%. Free Speech/ and Expression, he was adamant, was the Fundamental plank upon which Unife was settled—If applied, with Care and Responsibility in its exercise, to ALL—Students and Staff/ Faculty/ Scholars/ Researchers.  

He remained for me a VC never, ever to be matched. He was in love with his work with the University’s students. And at the same time battling hard to keep ahead of multi heavy tasks of a VC—and in particular the spectacular buildings of breathtaking modern design, several still under construction. The company with overall responsibility was UK’s James Cubitt. I got to know their Project Leader/ Architect, an Englishman with a very Polish name, Zbyszek (known to his friends as “Spaysha”) Plocki.  He often spoke of the VC’s persistence and stamina. His firm grasp of the overall plan, while seeking to accommodate constant demands for difficult alterations. …Imagine what all this meant to me, a young Lecturer. Imagine the encouragement, the lift. It was quite wonderful. …And when after our brief and usually intense words, Olu departed—but not without popping a question or two to me on the progress of a particular student/ perhaps the effects of amendments to a particular course—I hurriedly returned to my shared office. Relevant memos were hastily produced, and left at his office next morning. 

That was the VC. What a man. How fortunate I was to encounter him—though I had no real grasp of this until many years later, when the impact really came home. …Great Ife indeed. Little did I know that I just happened upon this life-turning experience during its early, fresh and heady Golden Years—and amongst folk of great talents, energy, and interests. 

Which takes me back to today, and the matter of "enhancing status and emoluments of VC’s Spouses". …On several occasions in my brief chats with the VC, the matter of the Military and its dominant presence arose—this largely due to my concern re personal safety. Much of my research at the time was being attempted in Western Iboland—a large area where many Biafran soldiers had gone to ground with relations and friends, following the blowing of the Niger Bridge at Asaba and hence no safe passage back to their homeland on the Eastern side. They were a predatory and hungry presence. …Indeed, I was to have one or two close calls. …The VC did not provide much guidance—only to instruct Head of Soc Sci—Economist Prof Sam Aluko to provide me with a "Letter of Introduction” that might prove useful—which it did. 

Once the VC asked me whether I felt Oliver Cromwell, brought a change for the good of the English people? After a moment’s pondering, I replied, “Well, it happened. Which was probably inevitable. Divine Right was wearing thin. And Charles I, just happened to be the one who was taken to task for overdoing it. He was outraged to be questioned by His Subjects. He was further astonished they had the temerity to call for/ declare his execution.” 

He then asked, “Do you think the Military make good rulers?” 

Oh my. Another bouncer. “Well, depends on the circumstances.” 

He asked what these might be. 

I replied with several points, which related to family/ community/ training/ education/ particular historic circumstance/ finishing with refs to Oyo/ the Placement and sometimes Dis-placement of eminent Obas of long historic past? 

Olu watched me/ he showed the hint of a smile. …”Would you agree that the essence of the Military ethic is ‘Rule by Force’; while the essence of the ethos of Civil Governance is ‘Rule by Persuasion’?” 

I won’t go into all that followed. Unwittingly I had touched a very live nerve. His comments for the only time in our many exchanges were not brief.

Suffice to say the VC had a lengthy response which boiled down to this:  The Military, at its best, is a well-trained, well-equipped and disciplined body. It is the "cutting edge” of the state; and again, at its best, very sharp and expertly used it is. Regarding Civil Political Rule, Olu was equally clear:  for that person to whom it falls to Rule; the Military is the state’s most vital instrument:  in Peace to ensure that Peace is maintained; in War to ensure that Victory is attained. …He  gave instances from WW2—both Brit and German Military and Civil Authorities; and from the Classical World the standard instances of Alexander the Great, and Darius of Persia. …On one point he was very clear. "The State must retain overall control through Governance via Civil Rule. The job of the Military is to keep its tools sharp, and to act when called upon by the Civil Authority."

While I did not disagree with the VC, my mind was cast back to days not so long past; days when here for instance, in England and  

France, both functions were effectively carried out by the same person—Charles I of England having fatally mis-judged the end of that era. “Were not things in our modern world," I asked, "moving back/ or on to, a return to the State of the Oligarch? A State of governance where autocrats are demonstrating a will to ignore 'popular will' and to take to themselves the Civil Powers of Oligarch AND the Military Powers of Warrior Leader? Indeed, has not now the age-old maxim of the Ruler of many a modern state, being BOTH “Lion and Fox”, come to pass?”

The VC, eyed me for a moment. He nodded and laughed. “You may well be right. But if so, I would make one amendment. The 'Lion and Fox,' together with the money acquired by the Oligarchs concerned, have in many instances long deserted their respective native lands, for the more welcoming climes of Dubai and the Gulf States/ along with UK and US, and other prominent states offering attractive and secure domiciles. They leave behind but the mask and presence of a watchful cipher. Their Native Land is but the still-productive cow they continue vigorously to milk. Would you not agree that this is our situation here in Nigeria?” 

At this point, with the first rays of morning light dimming the presence of our many stars in the eternity of the Indigo Firmament, I turned to speak with the VC. But he had vanished, as suddenly as he had appeared. 

With love, and best hopes for us all—the base 98er/ the Oligarch/ and all the billions in between. 

Baba m

PS. By the way I note the news below from Oloruntoyin Falola. The current initiative re WORKSHOP FOR SPOUSES OF VCs has apparently been called off. One might hope permanently. Is it possible our Nigeria Oligarchs might even agree to an INCREMENT to ever-squeezed Govt funds to State-dependent Universities? Indeed, to give a little now might be timely and part of a life-saving initiative to move us away from the brink?  Na so? Mv

On 06/05/2022, 12:50, "Toyin Falola" <toyin...@austin.utexas.edu> wrote:

Dear all:

The meeting of the CVCNUS has been postponed. Professor Ochefu is working on that of the trip to Turkey. The focus now is to return the students back to campus.

Thank you all.

TF