Delta State Deputy Governor, Prof. Amos Utuama, SAN, has lauded the Vice Chancllor of the Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, Prof. Eric Arubayi, for his visionary and exemplary leadership qualities, describing him as an educationist who has succeeded in reaching the pinnacle of his career both as a scholar and an administrator.

Utuama further said that Prof. Arubayi has successfully prosecuted qualitative education while also maintaining industrial harmony which has brought peace and stability to the institution. He described education as the biggest industry in the state, which is central to the policy of the Emmanuel Uduaghan administration.

“In Delta State, education has become the biggest industry as of today. Therefore, the future of the state and indeed Nigeria lies in the quality of its human capital; hence qualitative education is a central policy of the Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan administration which Prof. Arubayi has successfully prosecuted,” Utuama said.

The deputy governor stated this during the public presentation of the book, Above The Ivory Tower, organised by the Faculty of Education in honour of Prof Arubayi at the DELSU Ultra Modern 750-Capacity Theatre, Site 3, Abraka.

He noted that the book is appropriate to complement the achievements of Prof. Eric Arubayi within the last four years as the Vice Chancellor of DELSU.

According to him, “There has neither been rioting by students nor industrial dispute between any of the unions and the Delta State Government since he came on board in 2009. He is also a Midas, who deployed university resources to create profitable enterprises to boost the Institution’s internally generated revenue.” Utuama added that the vice chancellor has keyed and the university into the oil industry.

While commending the Faculty of Education for deeming it fit to put together a book in honour of the vice chancellor, he congratulated the honouree on his administrative excellence, asserting that Prof. Arubayi is one the rare academics who believe in the policy of town and gown not only to run his personal affairs but also the university affairs.

Utuama commended Arubayi for his administrative wealth of experience in bringing transformation to the university. He said: “If you are a poor man with poor thoughts, vision and ideas, we will not witness this kind of transformation today in the school.” He added that Arubayi is the kind of person needed to propel the students to great heights in their academic pursuits.

Reviewing the book, Prof. J. N. Omatseye, also of DELSU, noted that Above The Ivory Tower captures Arubayi’s strategies for educational goal attainment in knowledge acquisition, skill and value acquisition.

Omatseye identified these strategies to include collaborative leadership, learning directed leadership, effective students personnel management and teacher development. He noted that these factors usually constitute what all educational administrators, including vice chancellors, are held accountable for.

•Photo shows Prof. Utuama.

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