UNN Vice Chancellor Urges Staff To Strive For Excellence!!

[Sunexx360]

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Bartho Okolo has urged staff of the Institution to divorce the culture of average performance and strive for excellence at all times to enable the University regain its pride of place in Nigeria and position itself as an academic force in the world.
Delivering an address at the just concluded leadership retreat of the University held at the Grand Hotel, Asaba, Prof. Okolo asked the leadership team of the University to join him in the crusade to enthrone the practice of excellence among the university staff. "My personal mission is to ensure that we all become apostles of excellence at the University of Nigeria, reflecting it in all our dealings," he said.
Further, the Vice-Chancellor said that it was the responsibility of all members of staff to promote the development of the university and protect its integrity. "In addition to pursuing our personal career objectives, we owe it as a duty to work relentlessly towards not just the survival, but also the sustenance, growth and development of our university. In other words, the institutional advancement ofthe Universityof Nigeria is our responsibility. If you ask me, it is the most important of all our responsibilities and should be our core responsibility," he declared
Prof Okolo bemoaned the disposition of some people who believed that the development of the University was the sole responsibility of the Vice-Chancellor.
His words; "Many of us do not lose sleep over sustenance or advancement of the University of Nigeria. They see it as the remit of the Vice-Chancellor alone. Many more even rejoice at any bad news about the University of Nigeria, because it gives more headache to the Vice-Chancellor, whose face or name they do not like."
"In truth, if the University of Nigeria becomes the ideal university we all wish for, the Vice-Chancellor under whose tenure it happens may get some credit and nothing more. The bulk of the credit would be shared by everyone –staff, students, alumni and friends."
The vice–Chancellor expressed optimism that the University has enough intellectual resources to make it one of the best in the globe. He however lamented that the manifestation of such potential was hampered by negative attitude of staff to work and their pessimistic relationship with the University.
He therefore called on progressive-minded staff and all lovers of development to join forces with him and disseminate the gospel of change and transformation across the campuses of the University.
Explaining the objectives of the retreat, the coordinator, Prof. Chidi Onyia said that the retreat was, among other things, aimed at sensitizing participants on the importance of developing emotionally intelligent leadership and teams, as well as guide participants to understand the need for meeting the key performance indicators in the academic strategic plan.
Also speaking, one of the resource persons atthe retreat, Monsgr Prof Obiora Ike, urged the participants to link the mission and vision of the University with its core values. This, according to him, would facilitate the enthronement of transformational leadership which is required to move the institution forward.
Prof Ike, who spoke on the topic; "Ethics, Leadership and Legacy Thinkingin Institution Advancement", entreated the leadership team to always pursue programmes that would be relevant in future development of the University, urging them to plan and implement decisions that would stand the test of time. He implored them to adopt what he described as "legacy thinking" in the performance of their duties.
Drawing inspiration from World Cup winning coaches, Prof. Osita Ogbu urged the retreat participants to build the spirit of winning among staff under them, inspiring them to know what winning means to their individual progress and the success of the University.
Further, Prof Ogbu encouraged the Leadership team to play down their ego for the greater goal of the University. "Leaders with humility direct their ego and attention away from themselves to the greater goal of leading their organizations to greatness," he said. Prof Ogbu spoke on the topic; "the Ethics of Winning Institutions: Lessons from selected worldcup coaches and other matters."
Similarly, Barrister Edwin Biayeibo, who spoke on the topic; "Creating Synergy for Effective Leadership and Management," emphasized that positive attitude towards life and work was the secret to living a fulfilled life style. He therefore urged the participants to imbibe positive attitude to work in order to influence positive change in the University.
Inya, Agha E.
SOURCE: The University of Nigeria .

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