Non‐tenured leadership appointments in Nigerian university libraries: problems and prospects
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000005593 |
| Pages | 288-296 |
| Date | 01 September 2001 |
| Published date | 01 September 2001 |
| Author | A.T. Agboola |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science |
Non-tenured leadership
appointments in
Nigerian university
libraries: problems and
prospects
A.T. Agboola
Introduction
Until 1993, university librarians, registrars
and bursars in Nigerian universities enjoyed
tenured appointments. This meant that once
they were appointed, they stayed in the post
until they reached the stipulated age of
retirement at 65. However, unlike the
registrars and bursars who are classed as
administrative staff, university librarians
enjoyed academic status as they are
permanent members of senate and also serve
on other important academic bodies in the
universities. The tenured appointment of
university librarians during the period it
operated put them in a different class from
other academic principal officers such as the
vice-chancellors, deputy vice-chancellors, as
well as the provosts, deans and heads of
departments. These academic officers serve
for a fixed period ranging between two and
five years, renewable only once and no more
in most cases.
The move towards non-tenured
appointments for university librarians,
registrars and bursars in Nigerian universities
started on 1 January 1993 when the Federal
Military Government promulgated the
Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions)
Decree, 1993, otherwise known as Decree 11
of 1993. This decree, among other provisions,
stipulated that these categories of officers
``shall hold office for a period of five years
beginning from the effective date of their
appointment'' and ``may be re-appointed for
one further period of five years and no more''
(Nigeria, Laws, Statutes, etc., 1993a). This is
in a way similar to the tenure of vice-
chancellors who serve for a fixed non-
renewable term of five years.
The interest groups which were affected
such as the Committee of University
Librarians of Nigerian Universities
(CULNU), the Committee of Registrars of
Nigerian Universities (CORNU) and the
Committee of Bursars of Nigerian
Universities (COBNU) immediately took up
the challenge of getting the government to
reverse this decision. They advocated the
immediate repeal of the decree on the
grounds that it violated their original contract
of employment that by nature was tenured.
They also argued that the new decree would
politicise their offices resulting in adverse
effects on policy stability and motivation. On
the other hand, other interested parties such
The author
A.T. Agboola is Deputy University Librarian,
Nimbe Adedipe Library, University of Agriculture,
Abeokuta, Nigeria.
Keywords
University libraries, Nigeria, Employment contracts,
Job security
Abstract
Discusses a recent amendment in Nigerian universities'
law that changed the appointments of university
librarians, registrars and bursars from tenured to non-
tenured. Appointments to these posts which were
formerly until retirement at 65 are now for a fixed period
of five years in the first instance, renewable for another
term of five years at the pleasure of the governing
councils and no longer. The background to this
development is given and its implications for leadership
motivation, continuity of policy, issues of orderly
succession and the fate of the former incumbents are
explored. It concludes that in the present Nigerian
context, the merit of the new order far out-weighs its
demerits in terms of the much desired attainment of full
academic status for librarians and leadership motivation.
However, care has to be taken to ensure the future of the
former incumbents within the organisations if they are to
perform selflessly during their limited tenure.
Electronic access
The research register for this journal is available at
http://www.mcbup.com/research_registers
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is
available at
http://www.emerald-library.com/ft
288
Library Management
Volume 22 .Number 6/7 .2001 .pp. 288±296
#MCB University Press .ISSN 0143-5124
To continue reading
Request your trial