The outgoing Registrar of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Dr. Hakeem ‘Bola Adekola has made ‘shocking revelation’ at his Send- Forth programme.

He disclosed pronto that it is more difficult to be a Registrar in a Federal University than in the state-owned, noting that the latter are more independent than the former.

Dr. Adekola made this known while speaking at a Colloquium,  organised by the Association of Nigerian University Professional Administrators (ANUPA), FUNAAB Chapter, in recognition of his meritorious service to the University.

The Colloquium titled: “Prisms of University Leadership: Dr. Hakeem ‘Bola Adekola As Focus” was held at the new Senate Chamber of the University.

According to Dr. Adekola, there is too much interference of authorities in the operations of Federal Universities such that they are apparently over-regulated, to the extent that they do not allow their Council or Senate to do their jobs.

Dr. Adekola pointed out that state government-owned Universities are far better off because they enjoy little interference.

Suffice to inform that Dr. Adekola served as pioneer Registrar in a private University, work in a State University and he’s now an outgoing Registrar in a Federal University.

Dr. Adekola who spoke while fielding questions from newsmen as part of programmes marking his send-forth also responded to question bordering on his experience in office as Registrar.

He did not mince words: According to him, it was a bitter-sweet experience which he puts succinctly, “It was good, ugly and bad to be a Registrar” in any higher institution.

“You just have to be very hardworking. You must be on your toes always. You must be firm without fear or favour and consistent always with your decision which must be based on the laws of the University”

“You can never be friend to all. Forget it! Just be fair, firm and considerate to all; and also you can’t be rigid, you have to be flexible to bend backward and not just fixated and rigid always on this is the position of the law”, he added.

The Registrar who is also a veteran Unionist of SSANU extraction revealed that he ran an open-door policy in office to the point that he attends to people even while having his meals.

Dr. Adekola, however, reiterated that the challenges of being a Registrar were enormous, as he was always under pressure, thereby urging those aspiring to become Registrar to always remain steadfast and never be too tough because they deal with human beings.

Speaking at the event, the immediate past Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Felix Kolawole Salako disclosed that the good working relationship that the outgoing Registrar had with his office assisted a lot in stabilising his Administration.

Prof. Salako pointed out that the Registrar’s cordial relationship with his office made it cohesive to withstand few storms that arose during their five years of working together.

The former Vice-Chancellor noted that Dr. Adekola’s contributions to the success of his Administration and the University were too numerous to mention, acknowledging that whatever shortcomings the outgoing Registrar might have perceived he had, his official service delivery as the Registrar of FUNAAB was excellent.

Also speaking, the pioneer Registrar of the University, Princess Adebisi Soboyejo charged Universities Administrators to always assist when there are difficulties, without setting bad precedence.

Princess Soboyejo urged Administrators at all levels to learn the strength and the weakness of their staff, adding that the outgoing Registrar was very humble, respectful and always listened to everyone.

Earlier in his Address, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Olusola Babatunde Kehinde, said Dr. Bola Adekola “came, saw and conquered”.

Professor Kehinde extolled the virtues of the outgoing Registrar as a seasoned Administrator virtually in all ramifications.

The Vice – Chancellor was more specific, describing Dr. Adekola precisely as “Mr. Fix it” for his tested and proven ability in proffering solutions to knotty official issues.

Prof. Kehinde admonished him to forge ahead in serving humanity in any position he finds himself in future.

The Farewell programme was massively attended as the venue, the sprawling new Senate Building Extension was filled to the brim.

It was like a payback time for Dr. Adekola as quite a quantum of people that he touched their lives or touched his excitedly turned up to honour him with their presence.

Leading the roll call of eminent well-wishers is the mentor of Dr. Adekola, Prof. Sabur Adesanya, an erudite scholar and enigmatic Administrator who is highly revered and reputed as the “Architect of Modern OOU” whose Midas touch as Vice – Chancellor of Olabisi Onabanjo University (Ago-Iwoye) after the perennial topsy turvy that rocked it transformed the institution to a far better state that it is today.

Also conspicuous are quite a chunk of serving and former Registrars of tertiary institutions, the National President of SSANU, many chapters of SSANU and ANUPA, kinsmen of the celebrants, among several others.