By Nahum Sule, Jalingo
A former Taraba State Commissioner for Works and Finance, Chief Bulus Maiyaki, PhD, has welcomed the appointment of Professor Benjamin Kefas as the substantive Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Wukari (FUW), describing the selection as a defining moment for both the institution and the educational landscape of Taraba State.
Maiyaki, a recipient of an Honorary Doctorate of Letters (DLitt) from the university, asserted that the appointment signals a deliberate shift towards institutional consolidation and indigenous academic stewardship. In a statement issued in Jalingo, he characterised the development as a long-overdue recognition of the intellectual capital domiciled within the state.
A Call Answered
The seasoned administrator and technocrat recalled that months before the expiration of the tenure of the immediate past Vice-Chancellor, he had publicly advocated for the appointment of a Taraba-born academic to lead the university. At the time, he argued that entrusting the institution’s highest administrative office to an indigene would yield multiple dividends, including improved institutional memory, deeper community ownership, and a more strategic harnessing of the state’s under-tapped academic reservoir.
With Professor Kefas now at the helm, Maiyaki noted that those projections have crystallised into reality.
“This is not merely a change of guard; it is a recalibration of the university’s orientation towards home-grown excellence,” he said. “Professor Kefas inherits an institution at a critical juncture, and his emergence affirms that Taraba possesses scholars of immense capacity ready to steer the ship of higher education.”
Merit Over Sentiment
Maiyaki was emphatic in his commendation of the transparent and merit-driven process that culminated in Kefas’ appointment. He praised the Governing Council of the Federal University Wukari for adhering strictly to criteria that prioritised competence, scholarly output, and administrative experience over parochial considerations.
He further extended gratitude to the Visitor to the University, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for upholding the integrity of the selection exercise. The Taraba State Governor, Dr Agbu Kefas, was also singled out for commendation, with Maiyaki noting that the Governor’s non-interventionist posture allowed the council to conduct its business without undue influence.
“What we witnessed was a model of institutional governance,” Maiyaki observed. “There was no imposition, no recourse to sentiment, and no manipulation of outcomes. The best candidate emerged, and that candidate happens to be one of our own. This is how leadership transitions should be managed in our public institutions.”
A Precedent For Future Appointments
Beyond the immediate significance of the Vice-Chancellor’s appointment, Maiyaki projected that the process would serve as a template for subsequent leadership selections in tertiary institutions across Taraba and beyond.
He argued that the visibility and credibility of the exercise have created an enabling environment where indigenous professors can now confidently present themselves for consideration, knowing that their qualifications and track records will be evaluated on their merits rather than peripheral considerations.
“We have broken a psychological barrier,” he said. “Qualified Taraba academics have seen that it is possible to ascend to the peak of university administration without leaving the state or relying on external patronage. This will energise the academic community and encourage healthy competition among our scholars.”
Strengthening Taraba’s Education Index
Maiyaki underscored that the elevation of Professor Kefas is not an end in itself but a means to a larger developmental objective. He expressed confidence that under the new Vice-Chancellor, the Federal University Wukari would witness measurable improvements in research output, infrastructure expansion, and academic programming.
These improvements, he argued, would in turn elevate Taraba State’s standing in national education rankings and enhance its attractiveness to students and researchers from other parts of the country.
“The university is not an island; it is embedded in the socio-economic fabric of Taraba,” Maiyaki explained. “When FUW thrives, the state thrives. When its research informs policy and its graduates enter the workforce with competitive skills, the entire sub-national benefits. That is the multiplier effect we are now positioned to realise.”
A Charge To Staff And Supporters
While celebrating the new Vice-Chancellor’s emergence, Maiyaki also issued a sober charge to university staff, academic unions, and the colleagues who had supported Professor Kefas throughout the selection process. He urged them to set aside any residual rivalries and unite behind the new administration in the collective interest of institutional progress.
“Power is a trust from God, not a prize for personal aggrandisement,” Maiyaki said. “Those who worked for Professor Kefas’ emergence must now work even harder for his success. Opposition must give way to collaboration. Criticism must yield to constructive engagement. The university cannot afford a leadership crisis at this promising moment.”
He added that history would reward not only those who occupy positions of authority but also those who contribute quietly to the stability and advancement of institutions during transitional periods.
Elevating Academic Profiles
Maiyaki also highlighted a secondary, yet significant, outcome of the appointment process: the elevated visibility of Taraba’s academic workforce. He noted that the rigorous screening to which candidates were subjected inadvertently provided a platform for indigenous professors to showcase their specialisations, publications, and administrative philosophies.
This, he said, laid a durable foundation for future leadership engagements, not only within the Federal University Wukari but also in other federal and state tertiary institutions where Taraba indigenes may seek appointment.
“Our professors have been profiled at the highest level,” Maiyaki remarked. “Their credentials have been examined, their visions articulated, and their capacities validated. Whether in Wukari, Jalingo, or beyond, the message is clear: Taraba is no longer a consumer of academic leadership but a producer of it.”
A Broader Vision
For Maiyaki, the import of Professor Kefas’ appointment transcends the boundaries of Wukari. It represents, in his view, a broader philosophical affirmation that competence resides in every corner of the federation and that federal character, rightly understood, is not merely arithmetic balancing but the deliberate discovery and deployment of excellence from all constituent parts.
He expressed hope that other federal institutions located in historically marginalised states would take a cue from the FUW model and pursue similarly transparent processes when the opportunity for leadership transition arises.
“What is good for Wukari is good for Nigeria,” Maiyaki said. “If we can get it right here, there is no reason we cannot replicate this across the federation. The future of our tertiary education system depends on our collective willingness to prioritise merit, integrity, and inclusion.”
Conclusion
As Professor Benjamin Kefas settles into his new role, the weight of expectation is considerable. But with the endorsement of stakeholders like Bulus Maiyaki and the demonstrated goodwill of the university community, the path appears clear for a tenure defined by purposeful leadership and measurable impact.
For Taraba State, the appointment is both a recognition of intellectual progress made and a challenge to accelerate further. For the Federal University Wukari, it is an opportunity to reposition itself as a centre of academic distinction in the North East. And for the broader Nigerian university system, it is a quiet but powerful testament to what becomes possible when process prevails over patronage.
