Throwback:


So you do not know that it is political parties that run a government and appoint people into positions?

Even till today, who appoints the VCs of federal universities?

That I have to educate you about how political parties in government work, is a shame you could have avoided.

Yet you are from a country where the citizens complain about PDP and APC, so why are we complaining about those parties if they are so irrelevant to their own regimes?

Dude, you cannot erase the past history of Igbo nepotism and tribalism within the federal government of the first republic.

You cannot dispute the qualification of Ajose as the most qualified, most pioneering and most senior for the position of Vice-Principal and eventually Principal of University College Ibadan. Ajose's only shortcoming was not being Igbo, in a country that had an Igbo Azikiwe as Governor General and later ceremonial President, and an Igbo NCNC party man as School Council Chairman as appointed by Azikiwe himself.

But the most qualified Igbo and most senior Igbo just had to be appointed to suit the Igbo version of meritocracy.

Throwback:
.... Prof Kenneth Dike and Akanu Ibiam led school council would eventually go on to conduct recruitment into UI after the departure of the British. Out of 115 new hires, only 3 were Yorubas while the bulk of the remainder were from the Eastern Region.

That is how Igbos practice a merit based system.

The foolish Yorubas who were members of NCNC were never offered any sensitive position in the NPC/NCNC partnership of the first republic. Not even the Eastern minorities were offered critical positions.

All that was good that the Northerners could not occupy, the Azikiwe led NCNC ensured it went to the Eastern region, and ultimately to only the Igbos of that multi-ethnic Eastern Region.

ofai:
Dike's VCship was a product of nepotism right? You are really biased.

Assuming I have stayed longer than you ( though marginally) in professorship, yet you publish more relevant and groundbreaking research works than mine, it means you have a competitive advantage over me. IT IS THAT SIMPLE! Enough of this trash post you churn out.

ofai:
Your self-serving and face-saving revisionism cannot fly this time.

NCNC my foot.

Professor Dike, Nigeria's first professor of history, in a clearly stated mission to narrate and preserve African history from the African perspective became the first VC of Univ. Of Ibadan based only on MERIT.

It was your awolowo that introduced tribalism and nepotism into academia.

Even unilags first black VC was pioneer professor Eni Njoku, another great academic of botany.

These men were the pioneers of their time. There was no egbe omo oduduwa in academics then. Everything was purely merit based that even your awolowo was scared of competing with igbos. no long revisionism can change the narrative.

LaudableXX:


And who told you Ajose did not publish more relevant works than Dike? Especially when he was senior to Dike?

ofai:


Dike's VCship was a product of nepotism right? You are really biased.

Assuming I have stayed longer than you ( though marginally) in professorship, yet you publish more relevant and groundbreaking research works than mine, it means you have a competitive advantage over me. IT IS THAT SIMPLE! Enough of this trash post you churn out.

Dike had competitive advantage over your ajose or whatever his name is.

ofai:
Senior to who? Let's not even start with that.

Ajose was a medical practitioner right? His field differs from Dike who was a historian.

What did ajose accomplish that was new or unaccomplished by the whites or that wasn't theirs? But dike had what wasnt owned by the whites, and that is african history. Dike made outside world seek for his research works because he narrated with prove about Africa's history from a seasoned African research perspective.

LaudableXX:


So in your view, history is more superior to medicine, right?

ofai:
No. Non supercedes the other. It is only the strength and global relevance of ones work that may outpace the other.

ofai:


Senior to who? Let's not even start with that.

Ajose was a medical practitioner right? His field differs from Dike who was a historian.

What did ajose accomplish that was new or unaccomplished by the whites or that wasn't theirs? But dike had what wasnt owned by the whites, and that is african history. Dike made outside world seek for his research works because he narrated with prove about Africa's history from a seasoned African research perspective.

Throwback:


That you continue to spell Ajose as ajose, while ensuring to spell Dike as it is, does not surprise me when you eventually conclude with your text in bold.

You are the one who is biased to see that the only qualification that Ajose had a shortcoming was his tribe being too achieving to the disliking of the British, and not being Igbo at a time Igbos had the political power, owing to the poor literacy of their Northern senior partners in government, to appoint school council chairman, or university Principal.

History will always remember Ajose for the pioneer that he was, and how he was a victim of Igbo style of meritocracy - appoint the most qualified Igbo over the most qualified Nigerian.

ofai:
I honestly didn't mean what you are insinuating as regards the small letter casing I gave to ajose. My conscience is clear.

But who is ajose? How noteworthy were his research compared to dike's research in African history?

History will be kind to dike for proving his mettle as a distinguished historian and pioneer of contemporary African history, something the whites couldn't lay claim to.

Africa needed a historian that would the narrative of sfrican history. All the world know about Africans then were jungles, slavery, colonialism. Dike's scientific research debunked all that.

You yorubas and your sense of entitlement is your Achilles heel.

Throwback:


If history was so critical to being considered for the position of University Principal, why was Saburi Biobaku who was in Unilag and considered as most notable Nigerian academic historian besides Kenneth Dike, not appointed as the first African Principal of University of Lagos?

Instead, an Igbo professor from the sciences just like Ajose, ENI Njoku a Botanist, was considered as most qualified Igbo to be Principal.

All of a sodden, the need for historians was not critical to the progress of University of Lagos, as no notable Igbo was historian there.

ofai:


I honestly didn't mean what you are insinuating as regards the small letter casing I gave to ajose. My conscience is clear.

But who is ajose? How noteworthy were his research compared to dike's research in African history?

History will be kind to dike for proving his mettle as a distinguished historian and pioneer of contemporary African history, something the whites couldn't lay claim to.

Africa needed a historian that would the narrative of sfrican history. All the world know about Africans then were jungles, slavery, colonialism. Dike's scientific research debunked all that.

You yorubas and your sense of entitlement is your Achilles heel.

ofai:
Oh now you have shifted to Eni Njoku?

UI was a colonially established university. Nigeria wanted to prove a point by forwarding a distinguished historian who had what whites didn't.

Unilag was a university built by the federal government, not western, eastern or northern region.
Nigeria's thriving economy was run on plant based agriculture. Eni Njoku was the pioneer professor of botany (study of plants). Join the pieces together.

LaudableXX:


That is not what your former post says. You were applauding Dike's historical endeavours to the highest heavens, and looking down on Ajose's medical activities.

ofai:


Oh now you have shifted to Eni Njoku?

UI was a colonially established university. Nigeria wanted to prove a point by forwarding a distinguished historian who had what whites didn't.

Unilag was a university built by the federal government, not western, eastern or northern region.
Nigeria's thriving economy was run on plant based agriculture. Eni Njoku was the pioneer professor of botany (study of plants). Join the pieces together.

LaudableXX:


You obviously know very little about botany. How can you equate the study of botany, to agriculture and/or agronomy? If Dike had studied agronomy, agriculture, agricultural economics etc. it would have made sense, if you wanted to link his appointment as VC to the Nigerian economy!

Throwback:


Just as Biobaku was the pioneer professor of history. So what are the pieces to join besides Igbo dominated government appointing Igbos to federal positions.

Meanwhile the pioneer African professor of anything as all in the whole of Nigeria and University of Ibadan, was Prof Dr Oladele Ajose, yet just because he wasn't singing Nzobu Nzobu as an Igbo clansman, he had to be overlooked for his Igbo subordinate.

Professor Omooba Oladele Adebayo Ajose (1907-1978) who died 25 years ago this July, was a Prince of the Royal House of Lagos, but he was much more than a prince. He had an air of authority about him, that came from the profound knowledge of his field of medicine, and his absolute integrity and honesty. He was eager and ever ready to use his professional knowledge, to the advantage and benefit of the people.

[img]https://chroniclesofglobalicons.files./2015/06/ajose.jpg?w=300&h=182[/img]

Professor Ajose was also a family man. He married Beatrice Spencer Roberts in 1933 in Glasgow, Scotland where he studied at the University of Glasgow from 1927 to 1932.

In the early years of his professional life, Dr. Oladele Ajose worked first as the Assistant Medical Officer of Health for Lagos (1936-47) and he was then appointed Medical Officer for Health from 1947-48. He was also the Founder of the British Red Cross Society in Nigeria. which later became the Nigerian Red Cross Society and he also founded the Infectious Disease Hospital in Lagos (commonly referred to as the IDH) through his involvement in the control of tuberculosis in Lagos.

In 1948, Dr. Ajose left the civil service for his appointment as the first Black African Professor to be appointed to a full chair in Preventive and Social Medicine at the University College, Ibadan. Ibadan was at that time a College of the University of London.

Oladele was in fact the first proponent of primary health care in Nigeria. This was a revolutionary idea in those days.This project also served as the basis for the worldwide establishment of fish ponds.

Professor Ajose was awarded the title of Chief Bada of Ilora in appreciation of his efforts.

After many years of splendid work at Ibadan, he was chosen and appointed as the first Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ife (now called the Obafemi Awolowo University), a post that he held until the first military coup in 1966. On his retirement from academic life Professor Ajose returned to his hometown Lagos.

In spite of all his achievements (and it has not been feasible to mention more than a few) he remained ever humble, never blowing his own trumpet, but ever ready to acknowledge the credit due to others.

He contested for the Stool of Lagos under the Ogunye Family of Oba Ologunkutere. Professor Ajose and the late Oba Oyekan were the two final contestants for the royal stool. After Oba Oyekan was selected, Professor Ajose continued to serve his people both in his public health, and clinic activities. He was also appointed as the Chairman of the Lagos State Schools Service Board.

We thank God for his life given in the service of his fellow men. Unfortunately we don’t know yet of any worthy memorial to mark his contribution to our society, apart from the Oladele Ajose Institute of Public Health at the University College Hospital, University of Ibadan.

Professor Ajose married Beatrice Spencer Roberts in 1933 in Glasgow, Scotland and had three daughters and one son including Ambassador Audrey Ajose, Professor Muriel Oyediran, and the late Trixie who had a son Mark Ashby. The late Professor Oladele-Ajose later had another wife who bore him five children. Four boys and a girl. His children from his second wife Abimbola Oladele-Ajose, include Prince Adewale Oladele-Ajose, Olusegun Kehinde Oladele-Ajose, Olufemi Taiwo Oladele-Ajose, Adebisi Otusanya (nee Oladele-Ajose) and Adeniran Alaba Oladele-Ajose.
http://happylagosian..com.ng/2009/10/o-mooba-oladele-adebayo-ajose-who-died.html

ofai:


You mean Njoku, not Dike.

Botany encapsulates any plant based endeavour, from agriculture to biotechnology. Courses were not as diverse as it is today. A botanist could become a biologist, agriculturist, etc

agriculture
ˈaɡrɪkʌltʃə/Submit
noun: the science or practice of farming, including cultivation of the soil for the growing of crops, and the rearing of animals, to provide food, wool, and other products.

ofai:
I never did. That's the way you chose to see it.

Ajose's work in medicine was definitely not new in the western world. But whenever you mention researched history about Africa from an African viewpoint, Dike stands tall among others.

ofai:


You can stick to your viewpoint as much as you want. Njoku was qualified, he was Nigerian in the then FCT, Lagos.

OAU didn't pick an Igbo, they picked Yoruba. just as ABU picked a northerner, and UNN picked an easterner.

So what's your grouse?

LaudableXX:


Please go back and do your research on Ajose.

ofai:
I should be one telling you that.

LaudableXX:


Yes, thanks for the correction. I meant Njoku not Dike. And studying Botany does not make a person qualified to take on the duties of an Agriculturist. Agriculture is wider and far more encompassing of the lifecycle, uses and structure of farming and other agric based endeavours than botany could ever hope to be. Please do not mislead people.

ofai:
Dude, in the 50s and 60s, botanists were researchers for farmers. Because botanist were experts in ANYTHING of plants in terms of structure and mechanism. Botany is highly relevant to agriculture in terms of plant research.

LaudableXX:

Meaning...?

ofai:
Meaning you didn't properly search on Ajose.

LaudableXX:


Why do you keep getting things muddled up? First you said a botanist could do the job of an agriculturist. When the error in your reasoning was pointed out, you switched and now started talking about how botany is relevant to agriculture in terms of research. Kindly try to stick to the original topic. You were the one who asserted that Njoku's selection was based on the fact that he was a botanist, and you tried to link it to Nigeria's economy which was agriculture. Or have you forgotten your fallacious reasoning?

Throwback:


My grouse is that the NCNC Igbos introduced nepotism and tribalism to the federal academia, and also sacrificed merit for tribalism in federal appointments.

The regional universities employed citizens of their region. No one should have any grouse with that.

It is only Igbos that had a problem with the Northernization policy of the North, and continue to lament over Awolowo rightly becoming premier of his own Western region ahead of Azikiwe. A move they found so bitter that they accorded him the special toga of tribalist for daring to rise above an Igbo immigrantcin the Western Region.

Lagos being the capital has nothing to do with Njoku's desirability, when Dike had already been appointed in Ibadan the capital of the Western Region. What mattered most is that rather than appoint the most qualified Nigerian, Azikiwe and his Igbo band of NCNC party men, appointed the most qualified Igbo.

Those ones then took it further as evidenced by the University College Ibadan tribal oriented recruitment of Igbo staff.

Akintola that complained about such was also termed a tribalist.

cooldipo:
To what gain is the ethnic card being played here?