THE recent press release by the Management of the University of Benin is not merely a “rejoinder”—it is a confession of administrative failure, an indictment of the Federal Government, and a study in ethnic gaslighting.
Signed by Dr. Benedicta Ehanire, the statement attempts to paint a picture of a flourishing institution, but the reality on the ground suggests a university gasping for air under the weight of a Vice-Chancellor who has traded the Ivory Tower for the corridors of power in Abuja in the response to the _Standard Daily Press_ Editorial of yesterday morning.
The Accidental Indictment of the Visitor
In a shocking display of ingratitude and administrative incompetence, the UNIBEN management brazenly claimed that the University had been “relegated in the allocation of valuable infrastructure” for several years.
This is a direct, scathing indictment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and the Federal Ministry of Education.
By claiming he must “network” in Abuja to secure basic statutory rights, Prof. Edoba Omoregie, SAN, is effectively telling the world that the Presidency—which bypassed more qualified candidates to impose him—is failing the education sector. It is a “scorched-earth” admission that the system is broken, and he is the only “fixer” available.
The Ethnic Conclave: Subverting the Federal Character
The boast of employing over 500 staff members is perhaps the most reckless piece of gaslighting in recent academic history.
Where were these positions advertised? Where were the competitive examinations? Where were the rigorous interviews that define a world-class institution?
A Federal University is not a communal fiefdom. The current administration has effectively turned UNIBEN into an ethnic enclave. Evidence suggests that a significant portion of these “recruits” are individuals previously associated with traditional palace circles rather than academic or administrative merit.
For a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) to oversee a recruitment drive that lacks any semblance of Federal Character or Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) inclusion is a legal and moral abomination. This is not “employment”; it is “racketeering” designed to pad the IPPIS payment platform with ghost workers and ethnic loyalists.
The Cult of Inaction: Blood on the VC’s Hands
While the Management celebrates a “calm and safe” campus, the faculty and students tell a story of carnage. Reports indicate that the Vice-Chancellor was formally briefed on impending security threats as early as last Saturday. He chose to ignore them.
The Result: Avoidable violence and the descent into anarchy.
The Scapegoat: Instead of taking responsibility, the VC has turned his security apparatus—led by a newly engaged retired military officer—against Venerable Osaze David Egbenusi. The yesterday 6:00 AM harassment of a clergyman and the demand for a “verbal” eviction are the hallmarks of a dictator, not a scholar.
The “Sanitiza” Shadow Government
If the VC is so busy “networking,” who is actually running UNIBEN? The campus is currently patrolled by characters like the individual nicknamed “Sanitiza”—an outsider from another institution who now acts as an “Emperor” over campus commerce.
From arbitrarily hiking store fees to controlling waste disposal and admission slots, this shadow administration confirms that the “Glory of UNIBEN” has not just departed—it has been sold to the highest bidder and cult gang.
A Mandate Forfeited
Prof. Edoba Omoregie reportedly came last in the Vice-Chancellor selection interview process, only to be forcefully imposed on the institution. His tenure thus far has been a wild goose chase for federal favor while his own students are abducted and killed within and outside the school gates.
An administration that prioritizes electricity bill disputes over student lives, and ethnic loyalty over academic excellence, has lost the moral and legal right to govern. The Ivory Tower is indeed stained with blood, and the ink of the Management’s rejoinder cannot wash it away.
It is time for the Federal Government to investigate the “Ghost Roll” of 500 employees and for the Vice-Chancellor to explain why the “Anarchy” he dismisses is the daily reality of the Great UNIBEN community.