In 1994, I joined the Department of Political Science, University of Ibadan as a graduate student having studied Philosophy at the undergraduate level. At that time, the level of political consciousness was high in the southwest, if not the entire country. About a year earlier, the presidential election held on June 12, 1993, won by Chief M. K. O. Abiola, had been annulled. The aftermath were high restlessness, public demonstrations, strikes and general instability that ushered Nigeria into the new millennium as a ‘democracy’.
In those days, during lectures some lecturers found it challenging to devote substantial time to the curriculum without digressing into the encumbering discussion of the impasse that the military had created with the annulment of the June 12 presidential election. The issue had become very emotional. This was not so with Professor Alex Gboyega. Of course, he was concerned about the crisis. He had had direct experience of the strong-arm tactics of the military government, as branch chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), yet he exuded a calmness that was unusual for an activist. It was from him that I encountered the idea of the intellectual as an activist, not by classroom tutelage but by his practice. His writings provided a robust analysis of the 1976 reforms, was critical of the 1988 civil service reform, and sustained a remarkably deep engagement with decentralization efforts in Nigeria which he described as “picking the pebbles why crossing the river”.
He taught us Public Administration at the Master’s level. His teaching was characterized by deliberateness and simplicity. Given the euphoria of protest that galvanized the society at that period, his calmness, confidence, freshness of thought, an uncommon level of balance in discussing issues with a touch of geniality was very outstanding. The flair with which he handled his subject and the focus on the curriculum was very reassuring, especially so for an individual with a background in Philosophy struggling to find his way around the methodology and content of Political Science.
Eventually, I was allocated to Professor Alex Gboyega for supervision for the Ph.D. programme. To be supervised by Professor Gboyega was a blessing. He was one of Nigeria’s specialists in Public Administration, and a foremost scholar in the subfield of local government studies. He got me involved in several research projects that exposed me to field work early in my career and took me to the Development Policy Centre (DPC), where I had my first direct engagement with policy analysis. Since then, he remained a great pillar of support to my family and me, as an academic father and inspiration. He showed by example that one must not relinquish integrity for money. He was always available to give counsel, even in his last days. His sense of duty to the University of Ibadan, the Department of Political Science, his commitment to academic integrity, excellence, and the advancement of justice and fairness was unwavering.
I have indeed lost a gem. Rest on, father!
Professor Emmanuel Remi Aiyede is the current Head, Department of Political Science, University of Ibadan.
