DELSU VC Selection Process Was Transparent –Professor Asagba

By Daniel Dafe

Professor Samuel Asagba has described the process that brought him in as Vice-Chancellor of Delta State University, DELSU, Abraka, as transparent.

The incoming VC said this during an exclusive interview with Oasis Magazine on Thursday at his residence in Site 3 of the institution’s campus.

Recall that Asagba had previously made an attempt to become the VC.

Oasis Magazine had asked him what was different this time around during the selection process.

His words: “I can say the process was transparent. If you look at my background, my degrees, experience and academic achievements, it is expected that I should be the Vice Chancellor. With all humility, I believe I am the best among the lots based on my background and experience both academically and administratively.”

He added: “The Chairman of the committee gave everybody a level playing field and there was no interference from any quarters. I don’t want to complain about the last exercise even though many people were not happy with the outcome.
I took it as the act of God and prayed that my time will come and even saying that too, the position is also political too. The governor can take anybody among the three (3) people. So, it is at the discretion of the government so I just want to give glory to God that this time around I have been found worthy to become the eight (8th) substantive Vice Chancellor of the Delta State University (DELSU) through a transparent process. I came third in the 2019 process and first in 2024 because I worked harder and the grace of God was on my side.”

Speaking further, he said: “You could see the jubilation after my name was announced both on social media and everywhere people were happy because of the outcome. That is a kind of index to show that the process was transparent. I was not in town but I heard a lot of people that don’t know me were jubilating; even the indigenes. All these are barometers to indicate that the right choice was made.”

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On what was his initial reaction when he learnt that the government had endorsed the process, he said: “I just thanked God because power comes from God. You can be anything you want to be, but If God does not put His hand, it will not be successful. So, it is God because anything can happen. Like I said before, the government can take anybody out of the three recommended people even though I came first. They are not bound to take me but picking me shows that it is the work of God and that was my initial reaction. I now decided that because of that announcement, I will dedicate and commit myself to the service of the university. I have pledged to myself that I will do my best to raise the academic standard in DELSU to a level that everybody will be proud of.”

The new VC is a professor of Biochemistry and Environmental Toxicology and lectures in the Department of Biochemistry.

He joined DELSU in 1994 as an Assistant Lecturer and rose through the ranks to become a professor in the year 2010.

He has held various administrative positions. These include Departmental Coordinator, Departmental Rep in Pre degree, Associate Dean of Students, Chairman of TETFUND Research Grant, Chairman, Examination Monitoring Committee and Chairman of other outstanding committees.

He was also the Dean of the Faculty of Science from 2013 to 2015. Then, from 2016 to 2019 he was the Provost of the defunct Asaba Campus of DELSU and from 2019 to 2021, he was the Deputy Vice Chancellor Administration in DELSU.