By Hassan A. Saliu
Prof. Tenuche, the Vice Chancellor of Prince Audu Abubakar University, Anyigba, turns 65 this year. I first came in contact her in Zaria in 2001 when I went to there to examine her doctoral thesis. She was supervised by the late Prof. Andrew Ohwona and the late Prof. Ayo Dunmoye. During the examination, I noticed her calmness and mastery of the subject matter of her thesis. She answered all my questions satisfactorily. Even at that formative stage, she left an impression of a woman with strong convictions. Her primary academic area is political economy. Over time, she has also been engaging with gender issues.
Little surprise, she has made her impact in academics. The story about her is that she is one of our bright stars in the field of Political Science. This was the motivation for the invitations I extended to her to participate in two of the programmes of the Nigerian Political Science Association (NPSA).
The first was her participation in our Roundtable discussions on the 2023 General Elections in Nigeria, the source of resources for it were: Professors Egite Oyovbaire, Adele Jinadu, Ade Adeniran and Dr. Tunji Olagunju. The programme was held at the Reiz Hotel, Abuja in February, 2023.
At the event, Prof. Tenuche was one of the panelists. She performed her role very well, but not without provocations. One of the issues on which she was taken to task was her remarks on democracy, which suggested her level of disappointment in the Western design for governance. Prof. Tenuche based her assessment on its poor outing and wondered if it could take us to the Promised Land.
Ever since, other Political Scientists have come to identify with her points at the Roundtable. The second invitation was to Ilorin in June this year as a motivational speaker at a Methodology Workshop for our female members. In her speech, she spoke to the female participants in a manner that fired their resolve to match her record and even surpass it. With credible and unassailable statistics, she proved the obvious fact of a male-dominated environment, especially in our discipline.
By the time she was done with her keynote speech, the participants felt relieved and challenged to conquer the world, with a “can-do” spirit vibrating throughout the event. It made us males wonder if we were safe with our young Amazons.
The point being made is that, though the field of Political Science is no doubt male-dominated, women stars like the VC of Anyigba and other female achievers were giving notice that they were coming up powerfully to take over or be adequate competitors. The occasion was later electrified with the presentations made by Professors Adedoyin Omede and Member George-Genyi, other senior Amazons at the event who further motivated the participants with their live experiences as mothers and academics.
Our females should therefore reckon with the fact that there are no barriers to reaching the pinnacle of our profession. All that is required is balancing the home front and being well-equipped to meet all the requirements for being partakers in the knowledge front.
As the VC of Prince Audu Abubakar University, Anyigba, Prof. Tenuche, representing the other gender, has been doing a good job. While one notes that, as the VC of Lokoja once said, “this is a bad time to be a VC in Nigeria” due to the economic crunch, the birthday lady of today is not discouraged. She has been astutely steering the affairs of the university in a positive direction. Expansion of the university is evident, and programmes that were previously stagnant are now running smoothly, while not ignoring the new programmes that have come up. In terms of infrastructural development of the university, her marks are indelible. For instance, the university stadium is a delight to the eyes. I once kicked a ceremonial ball on the pitch.
A wing of an infrastructural touch to university administration
No one should be surprised, as she had once acted VC before her current engagement. Prof. Tenuche loves academic and is passionate about it. She has taught at Kwara Polytechnic in Ilorin and attempted to join the University of Ilorin, but there were problems. She blamed it on a certain Professor, but I blame it on destiny. Probably, she would not have made much progress in her career if she had stayed at Ilorin.
She joined the services of the university she now serves as VC after its establishment and has remained there ever since. Prof. Tenuche has served as Dean, Social Sciences; Dean, Postgraduate Studies; Chair of Committee of Deans; member of the Governing Council; Deputy VC; Acting VC; and now as VC. Outside Anyigba, she has served as a resource person to NUC, NNPC, and Ministry of Environment and consulted for several other external bodies. The Nigerian State has tapped from her wealth of experience as she was made a delegate to the President Jonathan organized Constitutional Conference in 2014.
She has served as an external examiner and professorial assessor to numerous universities. As a widely traveled person, she has attended numerous academic events in various countries such as South Africa, UAE, UK, Sao-Paolo, etc.
The reader should permit me to specifically talk about her contributions to the NPSA. Before I do that, let me recognize the fact that she is an ABUSITE, having obtained all her degrees from ABU Zaria. Prof. Tenuche is relatively a senior Professor who attained the position in 2011 and has mentored so many academics who are doing well in pushing forward the knowledge agenda.
As a rounded alumnus of the university, the award she cherished most was the one awarded to her by the Department of Political Science, ABU, during the 50th anniversary of the department. I do not know what she will say now that she has been awarded the fellow of NPSA. I will take that up with her when next she comes my way.
It is no exaggeration to say that Prof. Tenuche is our pillar of support that we look up to in the NPSA. She has always been there for our Association. A two-time member of our national executive committee, she has been working behind the scenes to empower the exco to keep up the tempo of its mandate. Our members need to know that the Prof. Sam Egwu-led exco under which she had served as the Treasurer was able to pay paper presenters a token as transport. It was her responsibility to effect that decision. Prof. Tenuche carried out the directive seamlessly without any issues. I want to place it on record that her university was instrumental in organizing the 2024 conference of the NPSA in Lokoja through its support to the conference. She also hosted us in her university for a brainstorming session on Nigeria’s democracy in May 2024. Plans are underway to have the second leg of the Methodology Workshop for our female members in Anyigba later this year.
She is ever-willing and ready to put the NPSA on a high wave length. Prior to our visit to her university for the brainstorming session, she had chaired a seminar session on Nigeria’s democracy that prepared the ground for our subsequent engagement in her university on the subject matter in May, 2024. Prof. Tenuche has won several award one of which is fellow of the NPSA in 2024. She is a title holder in Ebiraland. She is OyinOizaEbira, conferred on her by the Ohinnoyi of Ebiraland in 2003.
On behalf of the executive committee of our Association, I congratulate Prof. Tenuche for attaining 65 years of age and urge her to continue looking out for the NPSA, which she has served without blemish. Our recognition of her as a fellow is just the beginning of the NPSA’s show of gratitude to her. More shall follow!
I salute the Amazon on her birthday. Congratulations, Madam VC.
Prof Saliu is the incumbent President, NPSA
