Professor Robert Dode, NPSA’s Financial Secretary, Adds Another Year

By Prof Hassan A. Saliu

Some Nigerians excel in their chosen fields outside their native roots, while others make their marks in their native areas. Many factors contribute to these contrasting scenarios. In my view, fair competition is essential for breaking the ceiling of excellence and rapid development in Nigeria. Alas, we are not there yet. I hope we will get there sooner than later.

Professor Robert Dode is a Nigerian scholar who has broken the barrier of nativism to reach the pinnacle of his academic career in an area not native to him, although with some challenges. I first met him in 2003 when he attended a conference I organized as Head of the Department of Political Science. He came from Uyo to participate in the conference. He was not the only relatively unknown political scientist who attended as Professor Christopher Isike, the current President of the African Association of Political Science (AAPS), was another. By his own testimony, I was the first person to publish him in his academic career.

Professor Shuaibu Ibrahim from Nassarawa State University, under whom I served as Vice-President of our Association (NPSA), was another discovery (came to know) I made through the 2003 Ilorin conference on Nigeria Under Democratic Rule. Two publications emerged from the conference with the same title.

My next contact with Professor Dode was through the NPSA platform. He attended the Abakaliki conference, interested in joining the exco. He schooled in Uyo for his first and second degrees (1992 and 2000) and obtained his Ph.D. in Political Science from UNIPORT in 2005. He began his working career in private sector employment before joining the University of Uyo as an Assistant Lecturer in October 2003. He rapidly became a Reader ten years later. Although his professorship commencement date reads 2016, he was not decorated as a Professor at that time due to the vagaries of our profession. Happily, when announced, it was backdated to 2016.

He stayed at Uyo until the initial tolerance evaporated, and identity politics resurfaced with challenges. He endured, made defensive appearances, and eventually navigated back to his native Delta State, where he now serves as DVC at Dennis Osadebey University, Asaba.

Professor Dode has been a regular face in NUC’s accreditation and served as a resource person to many institutions. He has been an external examiner to several universities and assessed professorial candidates. He is a recipient of many honours and awards, including best graduating student (1992) and best performing Head of department (2019) at Uyo.

He is well-versed in comparative politics and has been a vanguard for resource control as a Niger Delta person. He gave his inaugural lecture at Dennis Osadebey University, Asaba, on this issue. He was also at the National Defence College, Abuja, on sabbatical.

The birthday boy is the current Financial Secretary of the NPSA, having joined the exco first as an ex-officio member in Abakaliki. Initially, he preferred the Director of Research and Publications position, but I had already committed to Professor Sat Obiyan with the support of our elders who were at the conference. Professor Dode was made an ex-officio member and later elected Financial Secretary at the Ilorin conference in 2021.

As Financial Secretary, he has been active, although I believe he has more energy for the position. He is cooperative but could sometimes get on anybody’s nerves on certain issues. We can learn from this emerging scholar: he is a team player, always wants to air his views, defends his region’s interests, often comes up with solutions, and is sometimes impatient due to a lack of information.

In conclusion, Professor Dode is a committed member who wants the NPSA to take on more responsibilities. I agree, but our divergence lies in the lack of resources to move faster. I am not in support of crowdfunding from dubious sources. The exco under my watch has many ideas but is being pulled back due to our precarious financial situation.

Happy birthday to Professor Dode, an emerging scholar in Political Science in Nigeria.

Prof Saliu, the author is the incumbent President, NPSA