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For the University of Lagos, 2022 has gone down in history as the year women of intellectual substance, intelligence, capacity and unblemished academic achievements took the reins at the top echelon of leadership of the tertiary institution established by the Federal Government of Nigeria in 1962.
Again, for the first time in the glorious history of Unilag, a woman was appointed as the 13th Vice Chancellor of the university. That historic moment was recorded when Professor (Mrs) Folashade Tolulope Ogunsola, a professor of Medical Microbiology and Fellow of the Academy of Science, broke the glass ceiling and beat seven other candidates to emerge as the clear winner of the transparent process designed and executed by KPMG, the professional services firm, for the selection of the successor to Professor Oluwatoyin Temitope Ogundipe, the immediate past vice chancellor.
The sweet thing is that like a locomotive engine, through her emergence as the first female vice chancellor, Ogunsola pulled in a number of other worthy women into key leadership positions as primary officers of the university. The new Amazons appointed to pilot the affairs of Unilag as capable members of Unilag’s top leadership team include: Professor Ayodele Victoria Atsenuwa (Deputy Vice chancellor – Development Services); Professor Bolanle Olufunmilayo Oboh (Deputy Vice Chancellor – Academics and Research; Professor Yetunde A. Zaid (CLN – University Librarian) and Oluwafunmilayo Yetunde Adekunle (Bursar of the university).
In some sense, Prof Ogunsola and the other female appointees represent a microcosm of the shift taking place across the country, where more and more women are attaining the commanding heights of corporate, organisational and institutional leadership. This was seen not too long ago in the Banking & Finance Industry, when the boards of notable banks appointed women as chief executives of the financial institutions. Increasingly, the spirit of the 1992 UN Beijing Conference in being seen in Corporate Nigeria.
Demonstrable intellect, proven capacity, creative and innovative thinking as well as resilience in pursuing corporate goals are combining to push women into leadership in various fields of endeavour. They are not getting these positions because they have figure-8 and fashionable. Rather, they show in every way all the attributes of the Biblical virtuous woman written about in the Book of Proverbs in chapter 31. It is also quite significant that King Solomon, the wise king, used 22 verses of the chapter that has 31 verses, to describe the industry, intellect, marketing and organisational skills of the virtuous woman.
These members of the Unilag Leadership G-5, in addition to their internal and external beauty, have exhibited exemplary hard work, intelligence, resourcefulness, academic exploits and brilliance. Truly, they deserve a standing ovation. The top of the cream, Prof Ogunsola, an alumna of the University of Lagos, has recorded many firsts in the academic and intellectual marathon race to the vice chancellorship of the University of Lagos (a veritable scholastic ebeano – the place to be – as people from tbe South East would say in local parlance). Ogunsola emerged tops and overall winner out of the seven candidates short-listed in the KPMG selection process, the first of its kind by any tertiary institution in Nigeria for the appointment of a vice chancellor.
Resolutely, in the face of natural challenges, women forge ahead to break the ceiling not only in academics, but in other fields like Oil & Gas, Maritime, Aviation, Law, Medicine, Space & Aeronautics, among others. With the emergence of Unilag Leadership G-5, the institution is now well on th eroad to becoming a more female gender-friendly higher institution. Previously, over the years, women had been the disadvantaged and deprived subgroup in most societal groupings in developing and less developed countries.
Women, who were once sidelined to play the second fiddle, are rising to become pillars of nation through little opportunities and personal struggles. One is not here to discuss gender equality, which still seems to be controversial topic in some settings, nonetheless, achieving gender parity is crucial to national development.
Numerous economic and sociological studies have determined that nations where women are kept from participation in national economic development lag behind.
Now that women have taken over the leadership of Unilag, the desire of many is that G-5 as virtuous women, mothers and intellectuals of note will mobilise their male counterparts to end the era of Sex-For-Marks, which has besmirched the academia in Nigeria. It is the hope of present young mothers raising daughters that tne Unilag Leadership G-5 will be the vanguard for achieving this purpose. With great eagerness, The Solomon Roundtable, a think tank hopes that Prof Ogunsola and Unilag leadership sorority will lead the campaign against sex-for-marks in tertiary institutions.
Today, in banks, no lady gets unjust sack letter any more because she refused the sexual advances from her male boss. Instances of dalliance with female staff are no longer considered ‘fringe benefits’ for senior management executives, sometimes for the ladies to get unmerited promotion. Women follow due process and make things work when they are at the helm of affairs. Even financial recklessness from every department reduces drastically.
Quintessential, late British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who once said: “If you want anything ask a man, if you want anything done, ask a woman.” Examples abound in Nigeria to show the truth in the assertion: the seeds of hard-work and uprightness of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and late Prof. Dora Akunyili planted at various times. As it is well known, Akunyili headed the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) while Okonjo-Iweala remains the astute finance expert and the first female, first African to sit and oversee the World Trade Centre (WTO) as the Director General. Akunyili excellent work at NAFDAC prompted a former president to say these words: “I did not know anything about NAFDAC until Dora took charge and the rest became history. All well-meaning Nigerians saw the difference between her work ethics from that of her predecessors who were men in the same office over the years; but Professor Dora Akunyili wore NAFDAC a new cloth because the right peg was put in the right hole.”
In the same vein, one of the leading airlines in Nigeria has only women in its managerial cadre and they are doing excellent work in the aviation industry. There has not been any form of mismanagement or embezzlement of funds and the chairman purposely made it so because of past experiences. He said, “I chose to leave the airline business in the hands of professional female aviators and here we are excelling, expanding and creating job opportunities for Nigerians because women are in charge.” This is not to condemn all the men outright, but with women, businesses and finances are safer, prosperous with peace of mind for the owners and workers.
On the wisdom in putting capable women in charge, Mr. Nduka Jonas, a haulage executive said: “The nature of women has elicited positive reactions in various fields. It is easier to work with women because they obey instructions, cause less havoc and are truthful to their being and worth. The men would immediately plot avenues to steal the company from the owner, introduce illicit office relationships and corrupt practices to the detriment of the organization. In my establishment, I have 80 per cent female work force and 20 per cent men and I am very satisfied.”
In Christendom today, especially the Catholic churches in the South East, the positions of the catechist and altar servants which used to be exclusively reserved for the men now have women serving those capacities. Speaking anonymously, a Reverend Father told me: “Women are easier to work with and that has been the latest discovery for most people.” Likewise, the Pentecostal churches now appoint and anoint women to lead congregations of worshippers as pastors. These were once reserved for men in the past.
Without a doubt, the Unilag Leadership G-5’ will bring the feminine touch and style that will enable them succeed in the onerous task ahead, and admirably demonstrate the trust reposed in them by the Governing Council of the University of Lagos. They should go ahead, rise to the occasion and set a blistering pace of achievements in the new offices they have been called to serve.
Remember what Margaret Thatcher said in April 1982 when she was about to dispatch the British Armed Forces to dislodge the Argentine forces that had overrun the Falklands Islands. When British journalists asked her about the possibility of defeat in the mission, the Iron Lady said: “Defeat? I do not recognize the meaning of the word.”
Professor Ogunsola, Ma, I wish you and the Unilag Leadership G-5 Sorority, God speed and super success.
