By Ovie Okpare
The outgoing Vice Chancellor of the Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, Prof Victor Peretomode says he is leaving his position as DELSU VC as a fulfilled man having brought academic sanity to the once restive institution.
He stated that he has no regret for his actions and policies during his five years reign as the head of the institution.
Prof Peretomode spoke on Thursday during a valedictory press conference at the institution’s Conference Room in Abraka as part of activities marking the end of his stay as Vice Chancellor.
The Vice Chancellor, who took time to reel out his achievement during his stay, said his greatest achievement as DELSU VC was the sanity he brought to the academic calendar where students graduate within the stipulated time frame of their programmes.
His tenure as DELSU VC will come to an end Saturday midnight November 30, 2019.
Peretomode, who hails from Burutu LGA of the state, was appointed by former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan on December 1, 2014.
He is the first Ijaw man to be appointed as the institution’s vice Chancellor in the 27 years of the school’s existence.
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Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has approved the appointment of Prof. Andy Egwuyenga to succeed him on Sunday December 1, 2019. Egwuyenga, was a former rector of the Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku.
Peretomode who was flanked by other top management of the institution including Prof. Samuel Asagba and Prof. Ifo Alex Amata, stated, “I have achieved my set out plans for DELSU within this last five years. I am a fulfilled man looking back. I can now go and sleep well.
“I must commend my management team who helped me to shoulder the challenges. Our policies have placed the institution as a quality place of learning. In the last five years, we have stablised DELSU academic calendar. That is my major achievement. We have had five convocation and matriculation under my reign as VC.”
He noted that the usual feud between management, staff and students which in most cases paralysed the institution’s academic calendar were not recorded under his reign owing to continued dialogue between all parties.
According to him, the institution among other things during his leadership initiated and completed a 5000 capacity mega library containing E-library with the state-of-the-art facilities as well as the introduction of E-Voting during the Students Union Government’s election.
He added that DELSU is one of the first universities in Nigeria to introduced E-Certificate so as to address the challenges faced by graduands in obtaining their certificates.
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The outgoing DELSU VC observed that his saddest moment as head of the institution was the killing of a 300-level mass communication student of the institution, Miss Elozino Ogege by suspected ritualists.
On his policies and dismissal of some staff of the institution for gross misconduct, he said, “I have no regret for staff and students who were dismissed or sacked for gross misconduct under my five years tenure. They were bad eggs and then, they were crushed by their actions.
“My greatest regret and saddest moment was the murder of Elozino. I was pained by his death. It was also unfortunate that some persons wanted to blame me for the incident.”
Prof Peretomode at the event debunked allegation accusing him of favouring Ijaw ethnic nationality in the employment of staff during the recently concluded recruitment exercise into the institution saying that he got the approval of the state government for the recruitment exercise.
While commending Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for the state government support for the university, he urged management, staff and students of the institution to extend their support to the incoming Vice Chancellor to enable him succeed.
