By Fred Itua
The recent intervention by Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, in securing the induction for 128 Ambrose Alli University, AAU Medical Graduates who had been left stranded since graduation from medical school has yet again, highlighted a major aspect of the administration’s success in the education sector in the State.
The State-owned university, until the coming on board of this present administration, was enmeshed in a number of crises that not only threatened its continuity and sustenance but also the credibility of its programs.
These crises, occasioned by the undue interferences, impositions, and insensitivity of the immediate-past administration of Godwin Obaseki, shook to its very core, the sanity of the university. From reducing the monthly subvention of the university to N41 million to indiscriminately disengaging staff for frivolous reasons, AAU, Ekpoma became a theatre of the absurd.
The inauguration of the notorious Special Intervention Team (STI), headed by some very inexperienced and ineffective political allies of former Governor Godwin Obaseki, escalated the crisis to a whole new unimaginable level. This notorious team embarked on witch-hunting of staff, indiscriminate hike in school fees, non-implementation of national minimum wage, and complete neglect of facilities required for accreditation of courses and departments.
The effect of these obnoxious policies by the Obaseki-led administration was the dis-accreditation of many departments, including Nursing Sciences. The Medical Department was not left out, as medical graduates failed to get inducted into the medical profession after spending 10 years in the university.
This was the gloomy state of the Edo State-owned university when Governor Monday Okpebholo took over the leadership of the state on November 12th, 2024.
On assumption of office, Governor Monday Okpebholo immediately began to address these issues, with the aim of providing a long-lasting solution and repositioning the university.
Approving an unprecedented increase in the university’s subvention from N41 million to N500 million in December, 2024, Okpebholo sent a positive signal through the university community, that his administration has come to restore hope and sanity to the school. The re-engagement of the sacked lecturers, implementation of the full payment of salaries and allowances to lecturers, and non-teaching staff, among others, have helped in rebuilding the public’s confidence in the school and its programs.
With this latest victory for the medical college and medical graduates, Governor Okpebholo has restored hope for the various departments battling accreditation and admission issues. With adequate funding being restored to the university, inaugurating the university’s governing council headed by a seasoned administrator and government increasing interest in revamping the education sector, it is obvious to all observers, that the days of non-accreditation of courses are over.
The 128 new medical graduates are set for induction on February 13th, 2025, following Senator Monday Okpebholo’s intervention. Another 39 medical graduates, who had a reseat in November 2024, have also been approved to be inducted in July.
Governor Monday Okpebholo’s coming has signaled a new hope and a rising inspiration, not only for Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, but to all higher institutions of learning in Edo State as well as the educational sector in general.
With the appointment of Dr. Emmanuel Paddy Iyamu, as the Commissioner for Education, with a clear mandate to drive key reforms in the Education Sector, a new Edo has indeed risen.
The stakes are high. Hope has been restored. The excitement is palpable. Joy is coming. The glory days are here, and AAU can now breathe because, truly, another Daniel has come to judgement, and the Edo State educational sector will never be the same again. Joy has come!!!
Fred Itua is the Chief Press Secretary to Edo State Governor.