₦airaland Forum

A Misplaced Controversy Over the Federal University Lokoja Vice-Chancellorship

A Rejoinder by Ayo Markson in Kaduna


The recent attempt to stir controversy over the appointment of Prof. Gbenga Ibileye as Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Lokoja is fundamentally misplaced and risks doing serious damage to the principles of merit, fairness, and institutional autonomy it purports to defend. What should be a sober, evidence-based discussion about leadership and competence has instead been reduced to ethnic arithmetic and speculative insinuations.
At the heart of the controversy is the claim that Prof. Ibileye should be disqualified - or at least viewed with suspicion - because he shares a village and sub-ethnic identity with the outgoing Vice Chancellor, Prof. Olayemi Akinwumi. This line of argument is deeply flawed. Vice-Chancellorship is not a hereditary office, nor is it allocated through rotational zoning. It is a competitive academic appointment governed by established procedures, including advertisement, shortlisting, interviews, and final selection by the Governing Council. Shared origin, in itself, is neither evidence of impropriety nor proof of entitlement.
Equally troubling is the suggestion that merit and fairness are being eroded without any credible demonstration that Prof. Ibileye lacks the academic credentials, administrative experience, or leadership capacity required for the role. Allegations of patronage within a so-called “Yoruba political network” are speculative at best and inflammatory at worst. They substitute suspicion for facts and risk dragging an academic process into the murky terrain of ethnic politics.
The repeated invocation of the Federal Character principle in this debate deserves closer scrutiny. Federal Character was conceived to prevent the systemic exclusion of groups from national opportunities, not to operate as an ethnic quota system that disqualifies competent individuals by default. Applying it mechanically to Vice-Chancellorship appointments - without regard to merit - undermines university autonomy and lowers the standards of academic leadership. A federal university best serves national unity not by ethnic balancing, but by excellence, credibility, and effective governance.
Calls for transparency in the selection process are both legitimate and necessary. However, transparency does not mean pre-judging outcomes or insisting that only candidates from “different ethnic backgrounds” are acceptable. Such a position merely replaces one form of perceived injustice with another. True transparency ensures that all qualified candidates compete on equal footing and that the best candidate emerges through due process.
It is also misleading to frame the issue as one of sensitivity to minorities. No group is empowered by the exclusion of qualified candidates, just as no group is diminished by fair competition. Nigeria’s universities will not become more inclusive by institutionalizing suspicion or by treating competence as a liability when it coincides with geography or ethnicity.
The Vice-Chancellorship is indeed not a political reward, but neither should it become a symbolic office sacrificed to public sentiment. Universities are centers of knowledge, innovation, and national development. Their leadership must be determined by who is best equipped to strengthen academic standards, improve governance, attract funding, and enhance global competitiveness.
Ultimately, the real danger lies in normalizing the idea that origin should override qualification. If allowed to stand, this logic would discourage excellence, politicize university governance, and erode confidence in academic institutions. Nigeria must choose whether its universities will be driven by merit and due process or by suspicion and ethnic calculation.
The controversy over Prof. Ibileye’s appointment, therefore, says less about any alleged injustice and more about the need for restraint, fairness, and intellectual honesty in public discourse. The Governing Council's decision should be respected without undue pressure, guided by established procedures and the overriding interest of the university and the nation.

RECENT COMMENTARY ON THE APPOINTMENT OF THE VICE-CHANCELLOR, FEDERAL UNIVERSITY LOKOJA

Dr. Zachary Ibe

The attention drawn to the leadership transition at the Federal University Lokoja (FUL) reflects a broader and legitimate national concern about fairness, transparency and inclusion in public institutions. Therefore, these concerns deserve to be addressed calmly, factually and without conjecture.

First, it is important to state clearly that the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor in a federal university is neither arbitrary nor hereditary. It is governed by established laws, regulations, and procedures involving advertisement, eligibility screening, interviews, scoring, and final approval by duly constituted authorities. Prof. Gbenga Ibileye emerged through this process. To suggest otherwise, without evidence, undermines not only his person but also the integrity of the Governing Council, the selection committee and the oversight institutions involved.

Second, while Nigeria’s diversity must always be respected, federal character is not a substitute for merit. It is a balancing principle, not a veto against competence and meritocracy. The law does not prohibit two successive Vice-Chancellors from the same state, ethnic group, or locality if due process is followed and the candidate is adjudged the most qualified. To retroactively invalidate a transparent process on the basis of origin alone risks replacing one perceived injustice with another.

It is also important to address the inconsistency in the current narrative. When the pioneer Registrar of the Federal University Lokoja, Mrs. Hadiza Anavoza Adeiza, exited the system and was succeeded by Mr. Usman Suleman Obansa, both from the same ethnic background, no public outcry was raised about diversity, federal character, or institutional imbalance. The process was accepted because it followed due procedure and met administrative requirements. This selective invocation of diversity principles only when it suits a particular outcome weakens, rather than strengthens, the moral force of the argument.

Third, the portrayal of Prof. Ibileye’s appointment as a product of patronage rather than merit is particularly troubling. Prof. Ibileye is a long-serving academic within the Nigerian university system, a pioneer staff member of the Federal University Lokoja and a scholar with demonstrable administrative experience. These credentials are verifiable. Public discourse should be anchored in facts, not insinuations.

Fourth, the Federal University Lokoja indeed belongs to all Nigerians, and its success depends on collective ownership, goodwill and confidence. That confidence is best sustained not by ethnic arithmetic, but by institutional credibility, fairness of process, and performance in office. Staff morale and institutional cohesion are strengthened when competent leadership is allowed to function without being prematurely delegitimised.

Finally, the appropriate standard to apply at this point is simple and time-honoured: judge leadership by process and performance, not by provenance. Prof. Ibileye, like any Vice-Chancellor, should be held accountable to clear benchmarks—academic excellence, administrative integrity, inclusiveness, staff welfare, student outcomes and national relevance.

The Federal University Lokoja stands to gain nothing from a divisive narrative built on speculation. What it deserves, and what the university community should insist upon, is principled governance, respect for due process, and the space for leadership to prove itself through service.

Anything less would indeed betray the essence of the federal university Lokoja, but so would the refusal to accept the outcome of a lawful, competitive and transparent process

THE HAND OF GOD IN FUL

By Dr. Tosin Olagunju

My faith has been renewedly strengthened in the Lord God of Hosts, the God of our fathers.
At the completion of the tenure of Prof. Angela Freeman Miri in 2021, we were hopeful that an internal professor would be appointed to lead the affairs of the Federal University Lokoja. Of course, we had Gbenga Solomon Ibileye in mind. However, God’s ways were not ours. He brought us another outsider in the person of Professor Olayemi Akinwumi, the man who changed the story of FUL from trenches to super grace.
His administration was laced with high-impact infrastructure, expansion, and visibility for our dear University. FUL became a hub of knowledge. As Akinwumi’s five-year tenure wound down, it was time to choose a Vice-Chancellor who could at least match his achievements, if not surpass them.
And the race began.
The search team went out. Applications flew in. It was time to choose the selection team from the University Senate. The hand of God gave us two men who would do the right thing without fear or favour.
Then came the shortlisting. Eleven applicants emerged out of thirty-eight. In Yorùbá, eleven is “oókànlá”, which translates to “one that surpasses ten.”
The interview date was fixed for Monday, 15 December 2025. Applicants began to arrive in well-packaged suits, agbádá, with briefcases, bags, and aides. The interview commenced exactly at 1:30 pm, with applicants invited in alphabetical order. It ran deep into the night, as the panel was determined to conclude the process in the interest of national peace and domestic tranquillity.
At exactly 2:25 am on 16 December 2025, the man of the moment, who was number eight on the list, was called in. He emerged from the interview room at 3:19 am. After the entire exercise, at about 5:00 am, we dispersed and reconvened at 7:00 am, when the Governing Council met to officially announce the winner.
Tension mounted. Agitations everywhere. People stayed glued to their phones awaiting the announcement. The recurring question was, “Have they announced?”
Then, at about 8:30 am, the announcement was made.
Behold, the one who surpassed the other ten was Professor Gbenga Solomon Ibileye, MNAL, FLAN, FESAN.
A distinguished scholar, visionary administrator, and devoted community leader, Professor Gbenga Solomon Ibileye, PhD, MNAL, FLAN, FESAN, embodies a rare combination of academic excellence and grassroots engagement.
He was born on June 7, 1966, in the vibrant Okun-Yoruba community of Ekinrin-Adde, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State—a place that has remained central to his identity and life’s work. He has maintained an unwavering connection to his roots, earning widespread recognition for his commitment to community development.
In 2021, this dedication was formally honoured when he was inducted into the Ekinrin-Adde Hall of Fame as ỌMỌ ÀTÀTÀ (Distinguished Son), a title reflecting not only his professional achievements but also the deep respect and affection his community holds for him.
Professor Ibileye’s academic journey has been firmly anchored in English Language studies. He earned his Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD degrees in English Language from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, completing his doctorate in 2002. He later obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDipEd) from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). His academic specialisation is in Linguistics, with emphasis on Discourse Analysis and Pragmatics.
He began his teaching career in the 1990s as a Lecturer in English at ABU, Zaria, rising to the rank of Professor of English in 2010. In 2012, he joined the newly established Federal University Lokoja, where he has held several pivotal positions, including:
Director of General Studies
Director, Entrepreneurship Unit
Provost, College of Postgraduate Studies (2021–2025)
Chairman, Strategic Planning Committee
Head, Department of English and Literary Studies (2015–2017)
Head, Department of Theatre Arts (2021–2025)
As Provost of the College of Postgraduate Studies, he expanded programmes and enrolment, pioneered quality assurance initiatives, and organised the College’s first national academic conference. He also served as a member of the 2nd Governing Council under the leadership of the late Emeritus Professor Nimi Dimkpa Briggs.
On the 16th day of December 2025, the Governing Council appointed him the 4th Substantive Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Lokoja, effective February 15, 2026. He emerged as the top candidate in a highly competitive process, scoring 91.9 points among eleven shortlisted candidates from thirty-eight applicants, becoming the first homegrown staff member of the institution to attain this position.
A prolific scholar in Applied Linguistics, Professor Ibileye’s expertise spans Discourse Analysis, Pragmatics, Legal and Forensic Linguistics, as well as Political and Media Discourse.
So, where is the hand of God?
There were actions and inactions rooted in the belief that another Okun man should not take over from an Okun Vice-Chancellor. But the hand of God said No. Let grace speak. Let merit speak. Let confidence speak. Let charisma speak. Let prudence speak. Let quality speak. Let accountability speak. Let mentorship speak. Let transparency speak. Let staff welfare speak.
These and more are what Gbenga Solomon Ibileye represents.
Little wonder the Council Chairman affirmed after the announcement:
“I am happy with you; you won it clean.”
Later that same day, in what appeared to be a historic evening, the 4th Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Lokoja, Professor Gbenga Solomon Ibileye, received his appointment letter from the Chairman of the Governing Council, Professor Tajo Abdallah, at exactly 8:17 pm on 16 December 2025.
The event, anchored by the University Registrar, had in attendance the outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olayemi Akinwumi, external members of the Governing Council, and principal officers of the University.
In his acceptance speech, the incoming Vice-Chancellor pledged to build on the foundation and legacies laid by the administration of Professor Akinwumi, stressing that by the end of his tenure, the Council members and the outgoing Vice-Chancellor would return to confirm that they made no mistake in appointing him.
The new man set to pilot the affairs of FUL for the next five years was accompanied by his consultant, Alhaji Sarafadeen; his cousin, Hon. Ade Omofaye; the Head, Department of Linguistics and African Languages, Dr. Tòsín Ọlágúnjú; the Deputy Registrar (Senate Affairs), Mr. Jide Okewoye; and Mr. Emmanuel Ikpelemoh of the Department of Theatre Arts.
It is a new dawn in FUL!

Dr. Tòsín Ọlágúnjú is the Head, Department of Linguistics and African Languages
Federal University Lokoja

Wow!
This is great. This is an excellent choice.

Even the blind will know that, the council did a good job. The process is credible.
Prof Ibileye is simply the best.

Even the blind will know that, the council did a good job. The process is credible.

FUL Students’ Union Pledges Support for Prof. Ibileye, Hails His Academic Pedigree and Leadership Vision

The Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the Federal University, Lokoja (FUL), has pledged its total support to the newly appointed Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Professor Gbenga Ibileye, describing his emergence as well-deserved and inspiring confidence in the future of the university.

In a congratulatory letter dated 16th December, 2025, the students’ body expressed its readiness to cooperate and partner constructively with the Vice-Chancellor’s administration in fostering a peaceful, inclusive and student-centred academic environment.

The union noted that sustained dialogue and mutual respect between university management and the students’ leadership remain indispensable to institutional stability, academic excellence and the holistic welfare of students, stressing that these values align strongly with the character and leadership disposition of Professor Ibileye.

Commending the process that led to his appointment, the SUG described it as transparent, merit-driven and highly competitive, adding that such a process reflects the credibility of the university’s governing structures and the calibre of leadership now entrusted with its affairs.

The students’ body further extolled Professor Ibileye’s exceptional academic credentials, visionary leadership qualities and unwavering commitment to institutional excellence, describing him as a scholar of depth, integrity and purpose.

According to the union, these sterling qualities inspire strong confidence that the new Vice-Chancellor will not only consolidate on the laudable achievements of his predecessor but will also usher the Federal University, Lokoja into a new era of academic distinction, innovation, growth and global competitiveness.

The letter was jointly signed by Joseph Adopisa Adoma, President of the Students’ Union Government; EmmanyPeace Eleojo, Secretary; and Abdullahi Omeiza S., Public Relations Officer.

The students reaffirmed their commitment to supporting policies and initiatives that advance academic excellence, peaceful coexistence and the overall progress of the university under Professor Ibileye’s leadership.

AN OPEN LETTER TO RT. HON. (DR.) JAMES ABIODUN FALEKE: A CLARION CALL TO SERVE KOGI STATE

Dear Rt. Hon. (Dr.) James Abiodun Faleke,

With utmost respect and a deep sense of patriotic responsibility, we, the sons and daughters of Kogi State — both at home and in the diaspora — rise with one voice in a clarion call to you, our distinguished son, to humbly and magnanimously consider offering yourself for service as the next Governor of Kogi State come 2027.

Our plea springs not from sentiment, but from a sincere conviction born of history, experience, and necessity.

For far too long, Kogi West Senatorial District — your beloved constituency — has suffered untold political marginalization. Our story is one of great potential hindered by disunity, ego, and individualism. We have had brilliant minds, capable leaders, and passionate patriots, but our inability to submit to collective leadership has cost us dearly.

Too often, our brightest lights have dimmed one another, and our aspirations have been sabotaged by internal rivalry. Like the proverbial Yoruba saying, “Kaka keku ma je sese, a fi se awadanu,” we have allowed external forces to feast on our division, leaving us without a unifying political father figure.

Unlike Kogi East that once rallied around Ibrahim Idris, or Kogi Central that found direction under late A.T. Ahmed and later Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello, Kogi West has lacked that singular leader whose voice commands both respect and unity.

Your emergence a decade ago, as running mate to the late political icon, Prince Abubakar Audu of blessed memory, marked a turning point in Kogi’s political history. It was a divine signal that your destiny transcends Lagos politics — that you were prepared and positioned, like Moses in Pharaoh’s palace, for the liberation and transformation of your people at the appointed time.

Since then, you have become not just a rallying point for Kogi West, but a beacon of hope for the entire Kogi State. Your integrity, calm disposition, and loyalty to leadership ideals have earned you national recognition and respect. You have demonstrated capacity, loyalty, and competence — three virtues sorely missing in our state’s political atmosphere today.

We know that Lagos has been your field of political harvest, but Kogi remains your vineyard of destiny. The time has come for you to return home and write your name in gold — not as a politician of Lagos extraction, but as the redeemer of Kogi’s collective destiny.


Why You Must Answer This Call

Rt. Hon. Faleke, this is not merely a political invitation; it is a moral obligation and a divine assignment. The entire state stands at a crossroads — disillusioned, divided, and desperate for visionary leadership.

Your political maturity and national network uniquely position you to:

1) Restore political sanity and internal democracy in Kogi West.

2) Rekindle faith in governance across Kogi East and Central.

3) Unify our people around a common vision of peace, equity, and progress. And

4) Rebuild confidence in leadership through transparent governance and purposeful service.

We are not asking you to pursue personal ambition, but to fulfill a generational mandate. We understand the weight of sacrifice it demands, but leadership, in its truest form, is sacrifice.

Like Moses, who was raised in Pharaoh’s palace for a purpose larger than himself, you have been prepared in Lagos — a center of political excellence — for the liberation of your people. Just as Moses was called to deliver his nation from stagnation, we believe you are divinely equipped to lead Kogi out of political wilderness into the promise of good governance and unity.

Please, do not ignore this voice of your people. Do not allow the cries of Kogi’s masses to go unanswered. History beckons, destiny calls, and posterity will not forgive silence at such a defining moment.

Our Final Appeal

Rt. Hon. (Dr.) James Abiodun Faleke, the time is now.
The people of Kogi West — and indeed the entire Kogi State — are waiting in hope, praying earnestly that you will heed this call. You have the trust of the masses, the goodwill of the elites, and the divine grace of destiny.

May this appeal touch your conscience and awaken in you the sense of purpose that has defined every great leader who ever rose to serve his people.

Kogi needs you.
Kogi West needs you.
And the generations to come will bless your name if you answer this call.

With deepest respect and unwavering faith in your patriotism,

E-Signed: Pst. Stanley Ajileye
For: Concerned Sons and Daughters of Kogi State
(Home and Abroad)
For God and For Kogi.

Insecurity in Okunland: The Danger We Saw But Ignored

By Stanley Ajileye

Many of us saw this coming. We warned. We cried out. But our voices were drowned by the drums of political convenience and the complacency of those who thought danger would never find our doorsteps. Today, the insecurity ravaging parts of Okunland — from Yagba to Bunu, Kabba, and beyond — did not start overnight. It was cultivated, watered, and allowed to grow into the monster now threatening our peace.

About six or seven years ago, under the guise of politics and loyalty to the presidency, the government of Kogi State allegedly facilitated the mass settlement of strange elements in the forests and communities of Okunland. These strangers were not integrated through natural coexistence or genuine trade — they were ferried in for political reasons: to inflate electoral numbers, manipulate outcomes, and create fictitious polling units deep in the woods of Yagba, Ijumu and Kabba-Bunu.

At that time, a few discerning voices warned that this political game of short-term advantage would one day turn into a nightmare. Sadly, those voices were dismissed as alarmists. Today, those same “political guests” have transformed into predatory bands of terror, unleashing pain and death upon our people.

In Yagba land, these groups now wage an undeclared war — attacking farmers, kidnapping travellers, and laying siege to our communities. The political instrument of yesterday has become the carnivorous beast devouring its creators and their kin alike.

Bunu land has its own tale of infiltration. Around Agbadu, mercenaries reportedly ferried in from the forests of Niger State under the leadership of one Mohammed seamlessly assimilated into the community — even adopting the name Mohammed Agbadu. His identity documents now carry the name of the very community his people were brought to dominate. For anyone with a sense of foresight, that was no coincidence; it was a declaration of silent conquest.

Kabba, the cultural heartbeat of Okunland, now sits perilously on a keg of gunpowder. The infiltration there has been more subtle but equally dangerous. The strangers were not only received — they have been integrated, empowered, and even elevated. Many of them have become landlords, owning vast properties in Odolu-Kabba and its environs. The area now called “Zango” — stretching towards Asaya — is fast becoming a new settlement owned by Bororo herders and other migrant groups, as greedy indigenes sell ancestral lands for quick cash.

While some of our traditional leaders and community heads look away, perhaps out of ignorance or fear, they forget that history is not kind to those who sleep while danger gathers. A people that sell their land are not just selling soil — they are selling sovereignty.

Ijumu, to its credit, stands as a beacon of vigilance. The community, realizing the potential danger of unchecked settlement, acted decisively. From Iyara, they issued a firm relocation order to those unwanted visitors whose numbers were swelling like dry-season bushfire. Their proactive stance should be studied and emulated.

Okunland must now awaken. We can no longer afford the luxury of silence or complacency. The enemy is not at the gate — he is already within the walls.

It is time to establish a powerful, coordinated Okun Security and Vigilance Committee (OSVC) — a joint task force representing all five local governments: Kabba-Bunu, Ijumu, Yagba East, Yagba West, and Mopa-Muro. This committee must not be another political body, but a credible community-driven structure empowered to:

Map and monitor all settlements and forests across Okunland.

Collaborate with security agencies to preempt attacks and neutralize threats.

Enforce community land control policies that prevent indiscriminate sale of ancestral lands.

Mobilize local vigilantes and hunters into a unified defensive network.

Educate and alert our people on emerging security patterns and survival strategies.

If we fail to act now, we may soon become refugees in our own land — watching helplessly as history records our generation as the one that sold peace for politics and prosperity for peanuts.

Okunland is a proud land — of warriors, scholars, and patriots. Our ancestors fought to defend it; we cannot afford to surrender it to strangers or the consequences of our own silence.

Let every Okun son and daughter rise, for security is not the duty of government alone — it is the sacred responsibility of all who love the land of their birth.

Kogi’s Political Horizon and the Reawakening of Developmental Politics: The Faleke Option


By Stanley Ajileye

Emerging political signals across Kogi State point unmistakably to a coming shift—one that may finally usher in the era of developmental politics. For too long, Kogi’s political narrative has been shaped by self-serving interests, transient loyalties, and a stunted vision for the common good. Now, history appears ready to correct itself, and destiny once again beckons Hon. James Abiodun Faleke to the stage he once earned by merit and sacrifice.

Recent developments within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) reveal growing discontent with the lingering shadows of maladministration and political manipulation. The failed bid by former Governor Yahaya Bello to bind his protégé, Governor Usman Ododo’s second-term ambition, to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s political fortune has further exposed the deep fractures within Kogi’s ruling structure. This development underscores the waning influence of Bello’s era and the redundancy of his political machinery.

But amidst the political fatigue and growing disenchantment, a glimmer of hope rises — the Faleke Option. Hon. James Abiodun Faleke, though representing Lagos State in the House of Representatives, remains, without dispute, the most influential politician from Kogi State today. His record of empowerment, infrastructural interventions, and community development across Kogi West — and indeed, beyond — surpasses that of any governor since the state’s creation in 1991.

Faleke’s loyalty, discipline, and administrative acumen, honed through years of service under the progressive school of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, have marked him as a different breed — a politician with both compassion and capacity. Many of us who worked tirelessly for the Audu-Faleke ticket nearly a decade ago still carry the scars of that political injustice — a daylight robbery that denied Kogi her rightful leadership. We vehemently opposed that injustice, and some of us declined invitations to work with Bello from the beginning of his administration.

Yet, time, as always, has a way of vindicating the steadfast. The forces that contrived that injustice are today imploding under the weight of their failures. The coast is clearing, and the call to restore what was unjustly denied is becoming a popular chorus across the three senatorial districts of the state.

Hon. James Abiodun Faleke must now reconsider his political detachment from the affairs of Kogi. History is summoning him once again — not as an act of ambition, but as a response to duty. The people of Kogi, weary of stagnation and the politics of personality cults, now yearn for leadership rooted in developmental purpose. Faleke embodies that hope — a tested hand, a trusted mind, and a compassionate heart.

It is imperative for Faleke to answer this call and lead a new political awakening that will propel Kogi towards progress and prosperity. He carries the moral capital, political structure, and cross-regional goodwill to unite the state like no other figure in recent memory. This is not a partisan call; it is a moral and developmental imperative.

All well-meaning citizens — across party lines, ethnic divides, and religious inclinations — must come together to actualize this vision. Kogi deserves a new story; one that is not defined by recycled mediocrity but by measurable progress. The movement to enthrone developmental politics in Kogi should transcend partisan interests; it should become a people’s project. Regardless of party affiliation, we must prioritize the interest of our dear state.

The wind of change is gathering strength. The hour of restoration is near. James Abiodun Faleke, it is time to come home and lead your people into the dawn of a new Kogi — a state redefined by purpose, prosperity, and progress.