In continuation of the celebration of International Women’s Day (IWD) 2024 and a survey of gender-related progress at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, this column today features an interview with the first female and longest-serving Dean of Students Affairs at the university, Professor Lateefat Durosinmi. Here we go.
Nuances: Good afternoon, Professor Durosinmi.
Durosinmi: Good afternoon.
Nuances: Could you tell us a little about yourself?
Durosinmi: Yes, sir. I am Professor (Mrs.) Lateefat Moyosoreoluwa Durosinmi; a Professor of Chemistry, and a Fellow of the Chemical Society of Nigeria (FCSN). I was the Dean of Students Affairs at OAU from 2008 to 2016 – the first female Dean of Students Affairs in the Nigerian university system. I was an External Member of the Governing Council of the Lagos State University (LASU) from 2015 to 2019. I’m a practicing Muslim, and was the National Ameerah/National President of the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria from 2005 to 2009. To assist and care for the underprivileged and vulnerable in the society, especially children and women, the Lateefat Moyosore Durosinmi Foundation, was established in my name in 2010. The Foundation has awarded about 300 scholarships to different beneficiaries and has given grants to about 200 women, since 2011.
Nuances: Thank you very much, Prof. March 8 is International Women’s Day. What is the significance of this Day for Nigeria?
Durosinmi: I know there have been celebrations usually by NGOs, but Nigeria as a country should particularly celebrate it, because the International Women’s Day is an occasion to review the progress of women, recognise their achievements and see what the country has done so far with regards to women empowerment, gender parity and other women’s issues.
Nuances: Thank you. As a very senior member of Obafemi Awolowo University, and a very influential one for that matter, what would you say are the institutional measures that OAU has put in place to promote the cause of women?
Durosinmi: Thank you very much. OAU is a pacesetter, especially in terms of women’s interests. The university has developed a gender policy document, and I was part of those who prepared that document. Before the document was produced, there were several workshops and several meetings. I was the focal person for the Faculty of Science. The focal persons for all the faculties were constituted into a committee, and we interacted with the females in our faculties, embarked on the sensitisation of members of the faculties across the university, and mobilised the Deans to support the effort through workshops specifically for the Deans. Eventually, the Gender Policy Document was produced. Subsequently, the university also developed a Sexual Harassment Policy for the university and this significantly protected the rights of women and female students in the university.
Nuances: Thank you. Now, would you say that these measures have been effective?
Durosinmi: Yes. The measures have been very effective. They have promoted the protection of women and female students, especially from harassment, and the punitive measures have been effectively deterrent. Firm application of the punitive measures against confirmed cases have curbed the menace, and female students are now more relaxed. They are more confident to achieve their goals in the university. Moreover, there are no restrictions to females holding positions in OAU. The current Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Olubola Babalola, is a female and I, as a female, have been Dean of Students Affairs in this university. These show that the university is gender-friendly. We thank God for our Directors of the Centre for Gender and Social Policy Studies who have mobilised and worked very hard to actualise all these measures.
Nuances: Thank you very much. Do you think additional measures would be required to promote the cause of women further in this university?
Durosinmi: I think the university should not relent in its current efforts, so that we can have continuous and sustainable basic policies that would enhance the progress of the university, irrespective of the administration in place. In addition, information on the Gender Policy Document must be regularly given to fresh students at orientation time, because if they are not properly sensitised, they won’t know what the issues and protective measures on ground are.
Nuances: Thank you very much. There’s this general stereotype that OAU students are very tough and difficult to handle. Now, you did that for 8 years as Dean of Students. How did you manage to do it?
Durosinmi: Thank you very much. Yes. OAU students are very tough, but it depends on the machinery, the ways, the strategies that whoever is on ground uses. First, I must say my motherly instinct and passion for their welfare and success was helpful. I was firm, I was just, transparent, objective. And when students associate you with such qualities, they tend to trust you. In fact, I later on became their arbitrator, their peacemaker, I became their friend. I ensured disciplinary actions as at when due. And even some of the people that were disciplined when I was Dean of Students still call me. I’ve attended wedding ceremonies and naming ceremonies of some of them.
When I became the Dean of Students Affairs, my initial thought was on how to manage the highly politically conscious ‘big boys’ of OAU. How do I prevent students’ crisis? How do I get them to respect a female as the Dean of Students? I resolved not to make nonsense of the opportunity, because of the implications for my person and my gender. The Division of Students Affairs is a very important unit in the university. In fact, it’s the heart of the institution. It’s a unit where things happen within minutes and if carelessly handled can lead to the university being closed down. So, a DSA must be able to think and act right and very fast. The effective management of students requires a lot of commitment, dedication and personal sacrifice on the part of not only the DSA, but also the other staff members. You also need to have the full cooperation of the university administration.
As DSA, students had free access to me at any time. I never ran away from them. Even when unrest was going on, I sat in my office to listen to their problems. At OAU, there were no bad students, but we had difficult students. However, we had to become extra-patient and good listeners to such students.
During my tenure, I ensured that there was the formal establishment of a Guidance and Counseling Unit, and we employed 6 Guidance Counselors who were assigned to the different faculties and halls of residence. We also assigned Guidance Counselors to physically-challenged or visually-impaired students to ensure that their examinations were hitch-free.
In addition, we addressed the problem of students who came in, but were not keen on graduating. They were more interested in seeking positions in the students union. So, I set and implemented the criterion that if you wanted to stand for election into the students union executive or related office, you must have a minimum CGPA of 2.5, to enhance participants’ commitment to their academic progress. Furthermore, I worked for the restoration of students’ unionism in the university. And we established partnerships with corporate organisations to handle orientation programmes. We also introduced work-study programmes and welfare schemes for less-privileged students. Then there was complete re-organisation of the registration or renewal processes for students’ organisations, to ensure the recognition of only credible and responsible associations.
Yes, I am a female, but I never ran away from the students. In fact, I have had cause to be at the Students’ Union Building and the halls of residence after midnight, in response to distress calls. I used to go there with the university security personnel, and on some occasions, my husband too went with me, and he would park at a distance from the scene, just in case there was the need for me to be scrambled to safety. All in all, my experience as a female DSA with the longest tenure has been very wonderful and educative.
I give credit to Almighty Allah and I thank all the staff for their cooperation and understanding. I must thank all Vice-Chancellors I worked with in different student-related capacities, from 1995 to 2016, for the confidence in me and their full support. They are Professors Wale Omole, Roger Makanjuola, Michael Faborode (who first appointed me DSA), and Tale Omole.
Nuances: As a female former Dean of Students Affairs, how do you feel about the growing trend of females becoming “The Best Graduating Students”?
Durosinmi: I feel elated about it. In fact, female students have tended to top the list. I vividly remember Miss Fatimat Oladimeji, (now Dr. Mrs. Fatimat Akinlusi, a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist) collecting almost all the prizes for the 1998 set of Medical students. That the Press is paying attention to it is a good development. Apart from topping the classes, the population of female students has kept rising. It makes me happy because, I have always worked for improvement in the education and upliftment of the dignity of the Girl Child and Women. We have always encouraged the female students to do very well; to face their studies, and also show interest in elections into students’ union offices. Our office created avenues to better listen to their problems and give motivational talks, and they saw us as role models. So, we must continue to encourage females to strive for intellectual empowerment for credible, functional and impactful membership of the society.
Nuances: Thank you very much. Now, the last question. What is your vision for the university between now and International Women’s Day 2025?
Durosinmi: OAU has a gender policy document. But it’s quite some years now that it was launched. I think there’s the need to look at it to see if there’s the need for any review. There should be steady improvement, because there’s the global movement towards so many new things now. And then there should be continuous orientation for both males and females. It’s important to orientate the males to understand the special nature of women and appreciate the university’s efforts towards gender equity. Finally, I envision, for the university, more women in leadership positions, academic and non-academic.
Nuances: Thank you very much. I appreciate you greatly for your time and the invaluable experiences you have shared.
Errata: Last week in this column, Professor Funmi Soetan was indicated as sued during the tenure of Professor Eyitope (not Eyitayo) Ogunbodede as Vice-Chancellor, rather than that of Professor Michael Faborode. Moreover, in the second to the last paragraph, “her husband, Professor Olufemi Soetan …” was written instead of “her husband, Dr. Olufemi Soetan, … the Chief Medical Director of Imole Specialist Eye Hospital.” The errors are regretted.
