Speech delivered by Professor James K. Tuitoek, Vice-Chancellor, Egerton University, during the Inauguration Ceremony held on Tuesday, 31 January 2006
The Chancellor of Egerton University, Council Members, Chancellors of other universities, Chairmen of Councils of other universities, Vice-Chancellors, Deputy Vice-Chancellors,Principals, Senators, Staff, Students, friends, ladies and gentlemen! I stand up to speak before this distinguished audience today with the full awareness that this is not only the most significant moment in my life as an individual so far - which it definitely is -but also, and even more so, that it is such a rare, extraordinary, high form of significance that I can only experience it as sublime privilege. If it is destiny, then I bow in front of it with humble reverence and make my first steps towards embracing it with the consciousness that I have to live to deserve it. Mr. Chancellor Sir, I, therefore, accept the mantle of leadership you have
just laid on my shoulders with profound gratitude for the trust and honour you have invested in me and also with the promise that I will not weakly crumble under its weight but will adjust my whole being to it - whatever the extent of self-transformation required - so that it and I become one. In other words, from this moment onwards, I dedicate myself to the onerous task of being a leader of this University.
When, on 13 th January this year, the Chairman of the University Council announced that I have been appointed the Vice-Chancellor of Egerton University, my memory took me back twenty-three years in time, to July 1983, when my first attempt to join Egerton College as a member of staff was thwarted. I now rejoice in the fact that my determination did not wane and when, six years later, in 1989, I applied again, I was successful and was hired as a lecturer in the Department of Animal Science.
At that time, I did not know much about the University. But in the years that followed, I felt increasingly attracted to and fascinated by this particular institution and the idea of a university in general. I must say that today I cannot think of any other societal force or organisational entity that I value more or regard as more important to the development of our society than the university. It is the life of the mind that elevates human beings to that highest, unique plane of existence that we share with no one and nothing else. And it is the truthfulness and the intensity of this life that determines the progress or otherwise the stagnation and even degeneration of human societies. But where else is this life of the mind cultivated if not in the university? I, therefore, like to look at the university in that broader sense - as a sanctuary of the life of the mind - rather than in the narrower one of it being a formal institution of training and learning.
Mr. Chancellor Sir, I think that because of the fact that the history of the university in Africa is relatively short, because the African university emerged when there was already a centurieslong tradition of university education in other parts of the world, from which we have often uncritically and haphazardly drawn, we have not spared much thought on the concept of a university. In particular, we have not really stopped to consider what it means to become an African university. This has led, on the one hand, to a certain lack of recognition - in our societies in general - of the true importance and power of the university. On the other hand, it has brought about some misconceptions, quick judgements and hasty conclusions. Consequently, the African university has not been able to come into its own yet.
When, for example, some among us fervently insist that the university should see it as its duty to produce hands-on personnel, cadres for the job market, rather than all-round intellectuals,
they seem to me to exhibit the syndrome of the late arrival on a scene, who, having missed out on the whole process of its making, is quick to pronounce its current, perhaps whimsical, state as its definitive nature. Elsewhere, such rash judgements would be considered anathema.
John Henry Newman (1801-1890) is just one representative of the long European tradition of serious debate on the desired character of university education. He was an educationist who powerfully affected the thinking of his contemporaries in Victorian England, many of whom praised him as an unusually compelling spokesman for "eternal verities". Among these "verities" was the one that declares knowledge an indivisible totality and a goal in itself. Newman's famous lectures on the aims of education were delivered in Dublin in mid-19 th
century at the newly found Catholic University of Ireland, of which he was for a few years the rector. These lectures, published in 1852 and later entitled The Idea of a University , are a classic statement on the value of "the disciplined intellect" which can be developed by a liberal education rather than by a technical training. These lectures may be compared to the later lectures of Matthew Arnold and T. H. Huxley.
I am not saying that such statements should be adopted as a formula for becoming an African university. I am, however, convinced that we cannot skip entire stages in the progression of thought on this subject and I urge that we should begin to develop our own philosophy of university education.
Similarly, when I hear clarion calls for revolutionary change in our universities, proposing to rip a still-colonial system by the roots and plant an indigenous replacement, I feel compelled to remind ourselves that this prospect depends on cooperation among politicians, academics and donors, and also to realistically acknowledge that such a revolution is less likely and less
desirable than partial, incremental change.
Another trendy idea in wide circulation today is that of the autonomy of the university, of its emancipation from the control of the government and the state. Again, the attractiveness of this appeal notwithstanding, we need to stop to consider why such autonomy has been
curtailed rather than consolidated in the rest of the world during the last forty years or so. Throughout the Western world, universities today educate some 40-50 per cent of young adults. As institutions of teaching as well as research, they are the beneficiaries of large sums of government money, and in Europe , at least, subject to ever-increasing government supervision. Thought to be the gateway to social mobility and economic well-being in a democratic age, they are deemed too important to be left to govern themselves. It is a period when their social and economic role is continually picked over by pundits and politicians. Even for us then it is far more productive to gain the support of various concerned parties by patiently explaining to them the real interests of the university and how inherently beneficial they are to the interests of the larger society than to wish everyone away from the affairs of
the university.
As I urge the university fraternity in Africa to launch a revision and expansion of hitherto existent thought on the university and the nature of university education, I feel greatly encouraged by the realisation that we are in fact heirs to a venerable tradition in this respect. I said earlier on that the history of the university in Africa is relatively short. I should have said that it is a disrupted history. For we should not forget that one of the most distinguished university dons of ancient times was the African Saint Augustine, born in Thagaste in Roman north Africa in 354. He is as well known as the bishop of Hippo (now Annaba , Algeria ) as for his appointment to a chair of rhetoric in Milan .
In his works, particularly in his magnificent autobiographical Confessions , Augustine engages in philosophical and conceptual reflection on problems such as memory, time, creation, form and matter. We also find in him the famous encounter with the problem of evil. These issues, together with many other, have been taken up throughout the history of philosophy, and the lengthy list of important thinkers whom his work has influenced includes Anselm, Aquinas,
Petrarch, Dante, Luther, Pascal, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche and Wittgenstein. And all these thinkers are, in one way or another, related to the formation of the university.
But even before Saint Augustine , in 3 rd -2 nd century B. C., Alexandria , the capital of the Greco-Egyptian monarchy, became the first scholarly centre of the ancient world. This is where the Museum (that is, the " Temple of Muses ", the Muses being the nine sister goddesses to whom inspiration in learning and art was attributed), which functioned as something like a palace of scholarship and art, was first established. In the halls and gardens of this Alexandrian Museum numerous scholars from different parts of Greece gathered to conduct research and to deliver lectures. This was the most lively place of the ancient world. But the most fascinating part of the Museum was the biblioteka , or the library. And isn't it the library, born as it was out of this mixed Euro-African parentage, that is today the mainstay of
any university, including the university in Africa ?
With this history of glory behind us, glory that for various reasons was later dissipated, we certainly have the inescapable duty to recover it. Let us begin to build the new African university on that solid foundation that was laid for it as far back as the Antiquity. As the newly
appointed Vice-Chancellor of one African university, I dedicate myself to this duty.
Mr. Chancellor Sir, if I have dwelt at some length on the university in general rather than on the University that has been entrusted to my care, this is because I strongly believe that we find ourselves at such a crucial stage in the history of higher education in Africa that many of the problems of individual universities can best be addressed once we have recognised their continental commonality. Perhaps one reason why problems continue to bedevil us is that we tend to be too parochial. We often operate in a contextual and conceptual void and, as a result, while we deal with what we believe are specific issues, we are actually dealing with the symptomatic manifestations of a cardinal disorder that remains undiagnosed.
But having said this, it is to Egerton University that I must now return.
The history of Egerton University is one major source of inspiration to me and in it I see a guarantee of the University's future success. Sixty-seven years is a relatively short stretch in the vast continuum of historical time. But it is amazing how packed with developments and meaning these years have been! We started as Egerton Farm School in 1939. In 1950, the
School was upgraded to an Agricultural College . In 1986, Egerton Agricultural College was gazetted as a constituent college of the University of Nairobi . The following year, 1987, saw the establishment of Egerton University through an Act of Parliament.
Since we became University, we have made steady progress, the highlights of which include: opening of new campuses (Laikipia Campus College, Kisii Campus College, Nakuru Town Campus, College of Distance Education at Kenyatta Campus and Eastern Campus College at Chuka); establishment of new faculties (Engineering and Technology, Environment and Resources Development, Commerce, and Health Sciences); establishment of the Institute of Women, Gender and Development Studies; establishment of the Office of Alumni Services and Student Placement; undertaking major research projects; establishment of the Crop Management Research Training Centre (CMRT); creation of Tegemeo Institute of Agriculture Policy and Development; establishment of local and international partnerships and linkages in research and teaching; establishment of links with industries; acquisition of the Lord Egerton Castle and its development into a museum; development of the University Botanic Garden; and hosting the Secretariat of the African Council for Distance Education (ACDE).
But perhaps our major achievement is the graduation of thousands of students who have gone on to make a mark in various sectors of our national life and in the life of other countries
in the world. One would like to think of the immediate former Prime Minister of Tanzania, Mr. Fredrick T. Sumaye, the nominated MP, Hon. Cecily Mbarire, and the many more who are active in our schools, churches and elsewhere.
Mr. Chancellor Sir, the other great source of strength, pride and guidance for me are the individuals who have been at the forefront of this monumental work of construction. I cannot
even begin my work as Vice-Chancellor before I closely study the heritage they have
bequeathed to me and before I pay tribute to them today. First among these is Lord Egerton of Tatton, who fearlessly broke ranks with the perverse colonial tradition of oppression and disrespect for the African people and, employing remarkable generosity and enlightenment in the effort, founded this University. Then come my predecessors, the College Principals and the Vice-Chancellors of the University. I acknowledge everything positive they have done, I thank them for it and I intend to incorporate it in my work whenever possible. I wish to particularly thank my immediate predecessor, Professor Ezra Maritim. His largeness of mind, his singleness of purpose, his commitment to duty and his wisdom will continue to guide me
in the execution of my duties.
Mr. Chancellor Sir, the main force I shall rely on, however, as I embark on my responsibilities, are the current members of the University, that is, the staff and students. As colleagues, as a united family, as people who have the same goals and aspirations, who share respect and trust for one another, I believe we shall be able to make our home - Egerton University - a
lavish garden of knowledge and scientific discovery. I uphold the principle of plurality of opinions and views, not because pluralism is the fashionable political and publicity catchword today, but because it is an objective imperative of our time. As the world gains in diversity and complexity, it is only logical to expect that there will be spokesmen for a multiplicity of entries into it. I welcome this multiplicity and wish to assure members of staff that their views will always be listened to and considered. No one should self-censor the supposed radicalism of their ideas; I sincerely encourage the full expression of these ideas.
A team spirit is an ideal I truly cherish. I imagine that the task of leading Egerton University is akin to that of directing a boat in a long journey. This boat does not have an engine but uses paddles to propel it. There are many paddlers and for this boat to move fast and in the right direction all the paddlers must do their bit. The paddling must also be synchronised in order
for the journey to continue. I wish to appeal to everyone in this University to be a part of our boat's crew.
Mr. Chancellor Sir, the overall agenda for my term in office is clearly spelled out in Egerton's Strategic Plan for the period 2005-2015 which the University Council unveiled last year and in the preparation of which I played a major part. This Plan acknowledges the weaknesses we have as an institution and identifies the challenges facing us, chief among them being: limited qualified staff in technology, engineering, computer science, hydrogeology, agricultural economics and commerce; excessive dependence on government funding; inadequate physical facilities; inadequate and unreliable water supply; insufficient equipment and supplies; some unpopular academic programmes; imbalance in staff distribution; weak university-industry linkage; and poor Information and Communication Technology (ICT). This is what we shall strive to overcome in the coming years.
My major preoccupations will be the strategic priorities determined in the Plan: Academic Programmes, Research and Development, Science and Technology, Distance Education, Community Outreach and Extension, Environmental Conservation, Partnership and Networking, Gender Equity, HIV/AIDS, Lord Egerton Castle Museum , Corporate Governance, Staff Services, Students Services, Resource Mobilisation and Management, and Quality Assurance.
Mr. Chancellor Sir, whereas I shall spearhead efforts in all these directions, the focus of my work in the immediate future will be Academic Programmes, Research, ICT and Distance Education. Bearing in mind the core activities of a university, my absolute priority will be the improvement of the quality of teaching. This implies improving the quality of teaching and learning facilities. I shall be asking the University Council to assist us in building a solid ICT system in the whole University. All teaching staff must not only be computer literate; they must also have easy access to and be adept at using the vast information that is now available in cyber space.
More resources will be allocated to research work. However, staff will also be required to develop relevant, up-to-date and highly competitive proposals for donor funding. Through encouragement and material support they should be able to have their research findings patented or published in respectable international peer reviewed journals.
My emphasis on high quality teaching will entail a vigorous review of existing curricula and the designing of new programmes. One major innovation in this respect will be the active involvement of all stakeholders in this process. Senators are aware that we have done this very well for our programmes in the Faculty of Health Sciences. I now urge them to institutionalise this approach and apply it to other programmes in the University.
The development of Kenyatta Campus will also be of special importance to the University. In the last few years, only 25 per cent of eligible KCSE candidates have found places in public universities whereas the majority are left to fend for themselves. This represents a great loss in potential manpower and is clearly undesirable. We are determined to contribute to the alleviation of this crisis through the expanded offer of Distance Education as a more flexible and cost effective mode of instruction.
Mr. Chancellor Sir, as I resolve to work along these lines, it is the vision this University has fashioned for itself that permeates my consciousness and that will ultimately inform my every thought and action. Our newly formulated vision is that of a world class university for the advancement of humanity. This, you will agree with me, is a grandiose vision. Its realisation can only be a continuous process, a forward march, which, having had a beginning, can have no end. Inherent in it is the timeless quality of the dream.
In his book, Good to Great , Jim Collins presupposes that great institutions progressively improve in a sustainable manner over a period of time - after attaining a point of transition. Egerton University reached this point some four or five years ago. Now we have embarked on the eternal journey of becoming world class Egerton University !
Mr. Chancellor Sir, as I approach the end of this Inauguration speech, I must briefly touch on one other issue that is central to this ceremony - the issue of leadership. We often speak of leaders in terms of their rise and fall. I take great exception to this stereotype. I am optimistic enough to believe that in spite of the many pitfalls a leader may encounter on his/her way, he/ she is not doomed to succumb to this vicious pattern of failure. I am confident that I shall not become its victim.
The great English Romantic poet, William Wordsworth (1770-1850), was much admired by his fellow poets both for his exquisite verse and for his liberal political views. They endorsed him as their leader. The intensity of his liberalism, however, declined as he grew older and he gradually turned into a political conservative. In old age, when he accepted a grant of money from the government and also the office of poet laureate, he alienated his younger colleagues. One of them was the immensely talented Robert Browning, whose pain and disappointment in his erstwhile hero found expression in his poem "The Lost Leader". In it, I find the following scathing words:
Blot out his name, then, record one lost soul more,
One task more declined, one more footpath untrod,
One more devils'-triumph and sorrow for angels,
One wrong more to man, one more insult to God!
Life's night begins: let him never come back to us!
I shall watch out, "behave myself" and make sure that I never provoke and become the subject and target of such a dark lament.
I wish in the end to express once again my deep gratitude to the Chancellor and the University Council for having appointed me as the fourth Vice-Chancellor of Egerton University and for having inaugurated me in that office today. I thank them for giving me this great chance: to lead for a time our eternal journey of becoming Egerton University . It is the motif of the journey that provided the impetus for this speech. It also marks its closure, which comes in the form of a poem I have dedicated to this occasion.
This Journey!
We march into a new stretch of the journey
like pilgrims, certain and not certain
because the distance is long, so long
and the progress slow
because the journey is difficult.
But we march into the journey in great strides
with a purpose
and I, a Moses figure, in the lead
with the sceptre and the flowing gown
you've entrusted me with today
utter a humble prayer for human and divine guidance ?
to navigate our beloved Egerton
into a new-millennium university.
Let's all journey then students,
staff and the community
like Socrates long ago seeking, ceaselessly seeking for the great good
for this university that we hold so dear
so that when at last,
on the home stretch we hear the trumpet of triumph and elation
from the shrine of Egerton ancients
we will all join in the ceremony of victory
as celebrants in dreams, visions and missions cherished, ingrained and well-lived.
And then we continue with this journey!
Thank you. May God bless you all.
