The outgoing Director, Regional Training and Research Institute for Distance and Open Learning (RETRIDOL), National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Patrick Eya has officially handed over the affairs of the directorate to Prof. Christine Ofulue.
Eya is now proceeding on sabbatical leave at the Department of Open and Distance Learning, Igbenedion University, Okada, Edo state.
In his speech during the handover ceremony held at the RETRIDOL office, NOUN headquarters, Jabi, Abuja on Wednesday, 10 November 2021, Eya expressed his profound gratitude to the management of the institution for giving him the opportunity to serve in different capacities.
“I joined NOUN in 2007. I have been in NOUN for 14 years, served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics, from 2013 -2018 and Director, RETRIDOL, for 4 years.
“Today, I am grateful and happy to hand over the directorate to a very capable professor who is grounded in Open and Distance Learning (ODL), for continuity,” he said.
He described his successor as hardworking, saying that “I am convinced that she will make sure that the development and progress of RETRIDOL accelerates better. She is grounded in her job and knows her onus.’’
Eya also identified lack of accommodation as one of the challenges bedevilling the directorate. “My staff clog in small space to work, though we have been promised space at the new postgraduate building, we are still waiting for its completion.”
The immediate-past director further implored staff of the directorate to double up and grow so that promotion will not elude them.
“If you are an academician, don’t rest on your oars till you attain professorship. If you are an admin staff, please don’t sit back, academics is one thing that will not fail you,’’ he advised.
He also commended his staff for their tremendous and unreserved support towards taking the RETRIDOL to an enviable height, saying that "I'm not leaving anybody behind. We are still living together.”
In her response, the incoming director, Prof. Christne Ofulue, thanked her predecessor for all his contributions in the directorate for the past four years of his administration.
According to her, “I am always a friend to RETRIDOL. I have also consulted for the institute. What RETRIDOL stands for is what I stand for. The operation of the institute is not new to me.’’
She further urged the staff to work as a team, as she will be counting on their collective efforts to achieve more.
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