Varsities can’t charge appropriate fees due to Nigeria’s poverty— UNILAG VC, Folasade Ogunsola

The current and first female Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, tells NAOMI CHIMA about her career, personal life and experience as leader of the university

Tell us about your educational and family background.

My father was a lecturer and my mother was a lawyer, although she started off as a teacher. I was the first of five children. I grew up on the campus of the University of Ibadan, and it was idyllic, with large gardens, a bookshop and staff club with swimming pool. It was a family-friendly environment.

I lived on Ebrohime Road, which had nine houses. Others who lived on that road were Prof Wole Soyinka, the Mowetes, and the Olaoyes, among others.

I had a fantastic childhood, and I am still friends with the people I grew up with. I had my primary education at Maryhill Convent School; while I attended Queens College, Lagos, for my secondary education. I later graduated from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) as a medical doctor in 1982, and went on to obtain a PhD in Medical Microbiology from the College of Medicine, University of Wales, Cardiff, United Kingdom. I did my house-job in Ife and the Lagos University Teaching Hospital. I also did my residency in Clinical Microbiology at LUTH. Before my residency, I had been in private practice, working mostly in paediatric wards. I intended to go into paediatrics until my mind was changed by some mentors, and my interest in HIV.  Clinical Microbiology afforded me the ability to do more than just work within the hospital.

I moved to Lagos after my marriage. And now, I have three children and four grandchildren. My first child is a chartered accountant, my second child is an engineer, while the third is a businessperson.

My father is late but my mother is alive and kicking.

How does it feel being the first female vice-chancellor of UNILAG in its over 60-year history?

I feel honoured and privileged, but I have a sense of urgency that there is much work to be done. And, I wonder why it took us (UNILAG) so long to have a female vice-chancellor. I see it as a great responsibility to bring my perspective and thoughts on how to move the institution forward. I see myself as a vice-chancellor who came at a time of crisis, and one who is going to be overseeing a lot of change in the educational sector, not necessarily brought on by what’s going on within the university system; but, because of what’s going on in the country and the world at large. This is a time of great change and the university system will have to respond to that if we are going to forge ahead. I believe I am here at a time also of great opportunities for us to grow in the Nigerian university sector.

We had been in the doldrums, and this came when there was a mass exit of lecturers from the university, from which we are just beginning to recover. I think I am also a bit of a midwife for the future, because that change and the requirements for change are accelerating, and I believe that part of what I am doing here is change management.

What are your goals and vision for the institution during your tenure?

My goals and vision for the university were captured under the four pillars I talked about when I came in, which speaks to a future-ready university. It encompasses finance, infrastructure, reputation and manpower.

Let me start with manpower development. We are a knowledge-based economy, and our ecosystem trades in knowledge, which is also what we pass on to students. So, it is clear that if we are going to have great students, we must invest massively in the faculty (lecturers) and the staff of the university.

We have a very demoralised workforce, because investment in education in the country is very poor, so a huge bulk of the load of running the university falls on the shoulders of the staff. One of the major areas we are focusing on is how do re-motivate members of staffs about changing their mindsets, so that they can continuously self-motivate, despite the harsh conditions that they find themselves in.

Ensuring that we have great manpower means we must have collaborate more with industries, and international partners in other universities to share ideas and leverage each other’s competencies to grow.

In the area of infrastructure, we need to improve the experience of students and members of staff. We think of how to have the right kind of lecture theatres that allow for innovative learning to occur. We are also working towards having the kind of campuses that international students and lecturers will want to come to. As a university, we also have to be part of improving the quality of our planet, rather than adding to its rapid deterioration. As a result of that, we are considering building policies to ensure that our hostels are in great shapes, and that we have greenery. We looking at waste management as well. Those are the areas of infrastructure we are working on to create a greater experience in the university.

The last pillar, which is very germane, is going for alternative sources of energy, so that we can have power supply all year round without paying through our noses. We will be looking into solar energy, which is cleaner than what we have presently, and is cheaper in the long run.

What are the biggest challenges the University of Lagos is currently grappling with?

The first is power supply. We were recently moved to Band A (which gets the most electricity supply), but it is expensive. As a university that wants to compete, we need electricity for 24 hours, but we cannot afford it; so that is a major challenge.

Also, funding is fundamental. A university cannot run without money, and we can’t charge appropriately because of the level of poverty in the country. So, we are always looking for creative ways to achieve things. We are always juggling, and prioritising.

The third one is mindset. We have a very entitled community, and I don’t mean within the university alone. People are all about what they can get. We need more people who will see challenges as responsibilities they have to bear. In any leadership (position), one is confronted with a lot of people who are more into what the system can give them, rather than what they can do for the system. However, I must state that in the university, many people are working extremely hard, but a lot of that hard work is not appreciated by the larger society or the government; and that can be very demoralising.

How can these issues be addressed?

I have already spoken about getting alternate energy sources.

As regards financing, we are cultivating our alumni, and friends of the university. We have an endowment too. We would love to better invest our endowment, but unfortunately, even though we have investment accounts, we had to move all our endowments into the government’s Treasury Single Account, and treasury bills, which for a long time, did not have great returns. If they are higher now, we will probably make more; but it will be great to diversify our investments, and that is not happening at the moment.

In terms of manpower, we are trying to better position our members of staff to grow our research funding. This entails having better collaborations with industries that allow them to grow and expand their minds.

Our ‘internationalisation’ is very heavy on staff exchange, and this is encouraged. Lagos has serious problems in terms of rents, which means we have to find a way for our staff to live within campus. We have started increasing housing within and around the campus for staff.

How do you plan to promote gender equality vis-à-vis supporting female students and faculty members in the university?

We have tried to make our reward system merit-based, whether one is female or male. Currently, most of the people in leadership positions in the institution are women, and that speaks to a system that is more female-friendly than you will find in many other places. We have a female vice chancellor, two of the three deputy vice-chancellors are females, the bursar is female, the librarian is female. The acting registrar is female as well, and a good number of the deans are females. We also have female directors. You can see that the institution is female-friendly. That may seem unusual, but it suggests to you that women can rise to the top, and are not particularly impeded in UNILAG.

What strategies have you implemented to enhance the academic standards and global reputation of the institution?

As regards improving academic standards, we have taken three steps. The first one is to see how we can improve the faculties in terms of skills and knowledge, support the attendance of conferences, and assist them to improve their pedagogical skills. To this end, we are setting up the Academics Development Unit, which is under the Directorate of Academic Learning.

The second area is the students themselves. We have increased collaboration with industries, so that our students can be trained in critical areas and skill acquisition to augment whatever we have been teaching them in class. We are also working with groups that focus on hands-on skills which will make the students more work-ready. We have also set up the career support service programme to assist them to be more confident in being able to write a CV, and to understand the job situation out there and what it requires.

The last part is to make sure that our classrooms and living conditions are better. This has started and is in progress. A lot of our students have taken part in international competitions, and they have gone on to do very well.

Reputation comes from two things— making sure that the kind of research we do bring about development, so that we are known for impactful research that lead to development. We have been increasing our investment in research, as well as having collaborations that help us with research grants.

We invest in research grants to support early and mid-career scientists to focus on challenges in our environment, and become problem-solvers.

How do you intend to improve student engagement and ensure that their voices are heard in university’s decision-making processes?

We have our departmental/faculty student-leaders, and hall leaders. They have access to the Division of Students’ Affairs, and are involved in certain things.

But, more importantly, we have started a process called ‘Bringing Back the Student Union’ with the setting up of a committee that includes students. We are in the process of developing a student experience centre, which will be open in the next 18 months. It will double as the headquarters of the students’ union.

Right now, we have an open door policy, and the student leaders have my phone numbers. They are able to get through to me, although many things that pertain to them are handled by the DSA.

What measures are in place to address issues such as bullying and harassment, as well as sex-for-marks?

First, we have zero tolerance for bullying and sexual harassment. We have well defined policies to address this, and we implement them. We are also speeding up our procedures of investigation to shorten the time, and ensure that justice is served appropriately.

We have a whistle-blowing system as well. Any harassment case, whether anonymous or not, is investigated. And, if anyone is found wanting, they would get the full punishment for the crime. There have been some people who were found wanting, and they were dealt with accordingly.

Recently, we also set up a safeguarding unit to put together all these policies and committees, to make it easier for students and staff to be aware of them.

There are counselling points around the campus that students and members of staff can walk into without being stigmatised.

Even though these cases are thrown up, they are not the norm. It’s just that bad news moves fast. Many of our lecturers are decent. However, there are always bad eggs within any system, and we continue to make it clear that there is no room for that. When students come in at the beginning of the semester, during the orientation exercise, we talk to them about the facilities available for this, and they are encouraged to make reports and speak out.

What approach are you taking towards promoting morality and ethical behaviour within the institution?

 Morality cannot be legislated; it is innate. But, we have created room for interactions with students, and we encourage on placing what is right over what is wrong. We also have a disciplinary board where we are very hard on poor ethics, and exam misconduct. But, I think the most important thing is the discussions we have, and the role-modeling that we do. We hope that as we carry out our various programmes, including the ones on entrepreneurship, we are sharing with them the value of ethics and how it directly impacts them, teaching them to recognise that being ethical is not being stupid.

Some of the greatest challenges people have with employing young people has to do with their characters. Having good character actually pays. We let them know the importance of always being honest.

We also set up our culture and ethics committee, and one of its mandates is to promote our values, and push for us to be proud in being who we are. I think that is really working.

How do you manage to balance your professional responsibilities with your personal and family lives?

It has to be done intentionally. I have realised that if one does not intentionally make time for one’s family and friends, the work can stop one totally. As I have gone up the ladder, I have learnt to spend time with family and friends without feeling guilty, because the work never ends.

More importantly, I try to keep my weekends free of work. My children are grown up, so I don’t have the challenges I had when they were much younger. Right now, the only person I have to worry about is my husband. We try to spend quality time together, and we make sure that we talk all the time, and share what is happening in our lives.

I intentionally take time to rest, visit friends and have a ‘girls time-out’. I try to do the things I enjoy, such as watching a play.

It can be challenging though. There are times when the balance is not right. And, the balance is never right on the family side.

As a vice-chancellor in Nigeria, one has to do many things beyond what VCs do in western countries. One has to deal with light and water, which are not things people in this position in other parts of the world really do.

What legacy do you hope to leave, and what are your long-term goals for the institution?

The legacies I would like to leave behind are in two areas. One is a bit on the abstract side, which is mindset change. I want the institution to be more future-looking, and have members of staff who are more open to change. This is because things keep changing. If one does not have people who are receptive and adaptable, they will not survive. So, I am beginning to start those conversations, and bringing in changes. I am moving away from a rigid structure to a more open-minded system.

On the non-abstract side, one of the things I would like to leave behind is a fully automated university, because that is the only way we will be able to compete globally, and even nationally. By making better use of technology and automating our processes, everything we do will be efficient. We would be able to collect data that we need to grow, because universities curate data. It would make things a lot easier, especially in the area of research.

Once we have gone fully automated, we would have all the right tools to do what we need to do.

I would also like to leave behind a very innovative university that is known for its impact on development.  Not just innovative in the area of technology, but by using local resources for the things we do. I would like to see growth in our cultural values and entrepreneurship. I want part of my legacy to be students that are entrepreneurial in outlook, and can add value wherever they are.

I hope that by the time I am done, the university will be part of those pushing for urban agriculture, pushing conversations and actions around food security, in terms of city-aquaculture and city-agriculture. People need to be able to grow their food, whether they are in the cities or villages. And, I want us to be at the forefront of that.

Who are your cheerleaders?

My husband is my number one cheerleader; as well as my children, some friends and some mentors. I won’t mention any names, but I have quite a number of mentors; both female and male.

Some members of staff and students also encourage me. Students write letters to me.  Sometimes, I could just be walking down the corridor, and some students would come to hug me and talk to me. Things like that make my day, as I enjoy talking with young people. I truly respect their views, because they’re not yet jaded, so there is lots of optimism. They are very creative; and I think as older people, we sometimes get too worried, and start to doubt that things can happen. But, if things are going to change, it usually comes from people who are not fettered or kept down by doubt. I like their can-do mentality as well. Life has not hit them too hard; so, a lot of the change will come from them, because they are ready to take risks. Meanwhile, older people are more risk-averse.  I enjoy being in the company of students, because they fire one up. They make one see possibilities rather than what cannot happen.

How do you ease stress?

I like music. Sometimes, I would just sit and ‘vegetate’ in front of the TV. But, one of my nicest ways of relaxing is being at home with friends. I am not big on parties, and they are more stressful to organise. But, I am very comfortable with small groups of people, and that helps me to ease stress.

When I am really stressed out, I tend to just lie down. I could read a book or watch TV. I am trying to add exercise to the routine; but, I have not quite got there.

What are some of the most memorable experiences you have had in your life and career?

One of them was getting my first grant, because it was about overcoming fear. I had never written a proposal before. But, that grant really set me up in academia. Prior to that time, I had decided I was going to leave academia, because it just looked so bleak. I looked into the future and I didn’t see anything. Then, I got a call from a young man who worked with a group from Harvard University in the United States of America. They were looking for a clinical microbiologist, and somebody had suggested my name. For me, it was really a combination of many things. How did I know the person that suggested my name? Well, I had decided that I needed to be busy, as work seemed like a boring routine. So, I set up a seminar group of young residents, which nobody paid me for. I would provide tea and the cups I got as part of my wedding presents. I would read and share with the group, and give them homework.  I was certainly not the most experienced microbiologist or the oldest at the time, but I was the one that had time for them. And, that was actually what changed the trajectory of my life. I met this group from Harvard and I spoke with them. They were in universities in Ibadan, Maiduguri, and Jos. And, I could not understand why they were not in UNILAG. They asked if I could write for a grant. I certainly didn’t know how to write, but I asked a lot of people, and I learnt many lessons. That was how I wrote my first grant and I got funding. I started the work, and it changed my life because, thereafter, I could not wait to come to work every morning. Whereas before,  I wouldn’t even be at work sometimes, and nobody would notice. After I got the grant, I became more excited. I would go to work in the morning and stay till nighttime.

The second memorable moment was becoming the first female provost of UNILAG’s College of Medicine. I certainly did not want to go into administration at that time. It never crossed my mind that I would become a provost. I was overwhelmed by the fact that people who were not even my friends were rooting for me to become the provost. They took it upon themselves to work for me to be provost. I could not get over that. I was really shocked at the number of people who called to encourage me.

That experience also taught me that no matter how hard it is for one to do something, there is always a way. Going out to campaign (to become provost) was one of the most difficult things for me.  Sometimes, I would get to the end of the corridor, and find an excuse not to go out and campaign. I did that for so long until I found an easier way. I started to send out texts and tell people I was coming. So, it was like I had introduced myself before. My conversation opener would then be, ‘I hope you got my text?’

What are your favourite foods and sports?

I don’t really have a favourite food. But, I like eggs, chicken, and garri. I also like lots of fruits; as well as ‘beautiful’ biscuits, even more than chocolate.

As regards sports, I don’t really engage in that. If I were to engage in any kind of sport, I would walk or do aerobics. I like the idea of Pilates as well, but I am very ‘unsporty’.

What were the personal challenges you had to overcome to get to where you are today?

One of them was the fear of losing my reputation, because it is a very vicious world. I also had the fear of my mistakes being in the public glare; as well as the fear of stepping outside my comfort zone. But, I have learnt to step out and move on. I have grown to be able to take hard decisions, which are not necessarily popular decisions.

Like most women, we were taught to be nice and accommodating, but I have learnt how to set boundaries, and trust my instinct. Slowly, I’m learning to be comfortable in my own skin, and acknowledge my faults.

I have learnt not to treat issues out of emotions too.  I was a shy child, but now, I speak in public. I am still reserved though, as I am not likely to be in front at big social events. To overcome shyness, I took deliberate steps, such as reading books to understand my personality. I purposely stepped into places I was not comfortable with, and I learnt to embrace failure. Nobody likes to fail but failure is a fact of life. It lets one know the way not to do things.

Now I know myself better, vis-a-vis my weaknesses and strengths. Some of my strengths are very intentional, especially in the area of ethics. If one does not decide to be ethical, it is very easy to fall; and that can be difficult, because Nigeria is hard.

How do you relate with Gen Z students?

We need to do a lot more in empowering them with skills, and listening to them. They are a lot more fragile than others. They are less resilient than previous generations. As a mother, I think we also need to give them boundaries and support them to interact with the real world. They are more digital, and can find information very quickly. For us as mothers, teachers or lecturers, we need to recognise that they easily cross-check facts. It is second nature to them. They probably know more than you think they know, so you have to be on top of your game when relating with them.