It gives me a great pleasure to welcome you to this historic event, the maiden Chief Lecturer Inaugural Lecture of Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja. Indeed, this Lecture marks another significant milestone in the academic development of this Polytechnic since we came on board.
This is because, for over three (3) decades of the academic stewardship of the Polytechnic, this is the first time stakeholders would gather to celebrate the academic journey and accomplishments of scholars who have contributed in leaps and bounds towards personal development and promoting the core values of the institution.
This maiden inaugural lecture therefore marks the dawn of yet another significant era in our institution. It may interest you to know that, since assumption of office, we have scored so many firsts in the areas of efficient infrastructural provision, administrative revolution, academic advancement, moral rebirth, security architecture amongst others, all geared towards restoring the polytechnic to institutional preeminence. For the sake of reference, the roll call includes but not limited to:
Successful holding of the 4th Combined Convocation Ceremonies of the Polytechnic on 6th January, 2024 after over ten (10) years that such took place in this Institution;
Successful re-accreditation of 30 Programmes with full accreditation status by the National Board for Technical Education on 4th 8th April, 2022. Indeed, it was historic in all ramifications as that was the first time the Polytechnic would ever present such number of programmes for reaccreditation and with a 100% resounding success;
Construction, renovation and rehabilitation of student hostels and Perimeter fencing of the Female Hostels after over 5 years of off campus residence;
Aggressive construction, renovation and rehabilitation of lecture theatres, classroom and office blocks, Laboratories, workshops and studios across schools, departments and programmes in the Polytechnic;
Remodeling and reconstruction of the Old Library Complex to a 30-bed Medical Centre as a replacement for a 3-bed sick bay we inherited;
Aggressive erosion control by constructing drainages and walkway with dual benefit for traffic control particularly on the main campus;
Equipping the Polytechnic Library with up to date textbooks, Journals and the component e resource components;
Concrete regulation and zero tolerance for unethical/sharp practices such as extortion and imposition of textbooks on students, among others;
Frontal tackling of cultism, examination misconduct, indiscipline and other social vices;
Introduction and disbursement of Teaching and Consumable allowances to the Schools and Departments;
Introduction of Computer Based Test (CBT) for the conduct of the General Studies examination for ease of examination administration and for prompt release of results;
Introduction of e result computation to curb inefficiency, human errors, sharp practices and for prompt release of results with credibility and guaranty security to the students;
Implementation and cash backing of staff promotion from 2014 – 2020;
Provision of shuttle bus to convey staff posted to Itakpe Campus amongst others;
Establishment of new Directorates such as the Directorates of Legal Services, Information Technology and Resource Centre, Quality Assurance, Physical Planning, Sevicorm, Research and Innovation and Sports; and
Upgrading of some Units to full Directorates, including Entrepreneurship Development, SIWES, Public Relations, Internal Audit and the Legal Unit.
Today, we are gathered for another milestone by way of innovation geared towards strengthening academic excellence in the institution. The milestone is the commencement and celebration of those that have attained the pinnacle of their promotion in the Polytechnic education system.
It is therefore, not out of place for us to say that today will go down in history as the day another significant academic ritual was instituted in Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja.
While we celebrate this moment, it also come with an avowed commitment to advancing the frontiers of knowledge through sharing of our experiences and didactic research endeavours in our respective fields over the years.
It is on this note that I wish to challenge our highly respected Chief Lecturers to take advantage of this opportunity to strengthen the positive narratives on our institution through frequent presentation of Inaugural Lectures.
I heartily congratulate our Inaugural Lecturer, my dear brother and the immediate past Dean of the School of Management Studies, Dr. Joel Akowe, for accepting to take the lead in this epoch making academic voyage even as the Chairman of the Planning Committee.
Dr. Akowe has indeed distinguished himself for blazing the trail of the Inaugural Lecture on the salient topic: Manpower Resourcing and Productivity Management in Public Sector: The Cacophony of Paradox. Indeed, this type of heartwarming and jaw-breaking topic can only come from the oracles of the Public Administration and the related discipline.
I am firmly optimistic that we will leave here today much more enlightened on the intricacies involved in human resource management and what measures could be adopted to make it better in the best interest of corporate management in our dear state and the nation at large.
In a special way, I want to sincerely appreciate members of the Management and Academic Board for the massive support that led to this day. I also sincerely appreciate the Committee on Chief Lecturer Inaugural Lecture for the meticulous planning and commitment to the commencement of this academic ritual in the Polytechnic.
Let me use this medium to call on our senior citizens, most of whom started this Polytechnic but retired not too long ago, that they are owing us valedictory lectures. Notable in this category are Dr. A. A. Haruna, Dr. K. O. Toluhi, Dr. (Mrs.) Ekrin, Dr. Metiboba, Mr. Rowland and Mrs. W. B. Yusuf. The Polytechnic and indeed the younger academic need to benefit from their wealth of experience in their respective fields that has brought the polytechnic thus far.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, I want to profoundly appreciate our distinguished guests, academic stakeholders and the crème de la crème of intellectuals for turning up to share this epoch making event with us. We are indeed grateful.
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, on behalf of the Academic Board, Management and the entire Polytechnic community, I welcome you all once again to the Maiden Chief Lecturer Inaugural lecture of the Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja.
Thank you and God bless.
Salisu O. Usman, PhD, fcia
Rector
Thursday, 25th April, 2024
