The Personality of lecturers in the Electronic Engineering Department, University of Nigeria, Nsukka

Analysis of personality of lecturers in the department of Electronic Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka

This is intended to be an extremely incisive post. Being a student in this institution; and at the verge of graduation, my eyes have not been closed, and suddenly I feel I have what it takes to champion an analysis of this sort.
Thanks to my love for reading and writing, accompanied with the rigorous training I’ve received at the hands of these lecturers, I intend to tell the story as it is.
Frankness and succinctness will be my watch words in this article. I love all my lecturers, for the avoidance of doubt.

I want to capture the interest of;
(i) Secondary School Leavers who intend to join us at the Department, because they will never get access to ‘real’ information, which is rich in my menu. The JAMB brochures, nor specific Federal University brochures, do not go this far. They offer you general, unrevised information, and allow you experience the rude shock when you matriculate;
(ii) Current undergraduate students in the Department (esp 1st, 2nd & 3rd years) who may not see, standing up, what the adults see even while sitting down. They simply haven’t been around long enough.
(iii) My fellow colleagues, to verify or refute my claims.
(iv) My dear lecturers…………………what would school be without you?
(v) You, reading right now.



1. PROF .C.C. OSUAGWU:

“The Fountain of Knowledge” as he chooses to call himself. A title I wouldn’t want to dispute because you simply can’t be a student here and not have your life influenced in one way or another by him. This probably accounts for his popularity within and outside the Department, not to mention his academic achievement as a “Professor”.
An expert in Microprocessor Systems. How he manages to keep up-to-date with the ever-changing world of microcomputers remains a mystery, being that I rarely see him around this wonderful device, nor in such public ‘utilities’ as cybercafés, where you may spot one or two of his colleagues. Sometimes it’s a common joke that we are taught extreme computer expertise by an utter non-computer user.

I have to hand him the best teaching techniques I have seen anybody device for such a large crowd of students, giving the obvious limitations of our Educational System. One only wonders what an excellent grooming of students would occur had the crowd been a manageable number. Personally, if all other lecturers taught the way he did, a First Class CGPA would have been an average student’s target.
He definitely keeps the hard-working student very busy. Research assignments and discursive classroom lectures have been his renowned qualities.

Unfortunately, I don’t think I’m alone on this opinion, but though he be a great orator, he seems to have developed talking as a hobby, such that sometimes, in class, the words coming out may become surplus, unnecessary clichés, and annoying!

However such excellent talking prowess seems to have endeared him to the female folks. It’s a common and non-perturbing sight to see one female student or the other marching out from the colossal Computer Communication Center. Wow! I mean they seem to enjoy his company so much. The naïve thinker may want to imagine immoral professional ethics violation, but I think the personality of power and invincibility he has developed in academic circles seems irresistible to today’s undergraduate ladies who like a reliable solution in anticipation of troubles which always come their way, especially in the masculine world of Engineering. A ladies man you are, Sir!


2. PROF. A.N.NZEAKO:

The only other Professor in the Department. Currently, the Head of Department. Well known for his favourite teaching method of anologies between Engineering Systems and Man. I’ll always remember his statement that, “God created man in His image and likeness; Man created computer in his image and likeness.”
An expert of Control and Systems Engineering, but sometimes it may be difficult to distinguish his lecture sessions from a lecture in Philosophy or Sociology. Has a very hard line view against the current trend of religious fanaticism on campus and in Nigeria as a whole, as well as other social spheres of life, and politics.

I must commend his somewhat athletic build, even at his age. Has a characteristic forceful poise, and is a lover of cars; uses a few of them interchangeably unlike his colleagues.

He doesn’t seem to get close to students. I doubt if he could identify at least ten out of the two hundred students in my class, facially or by names. His relationship with students obviously ends in the classroom. Nevertheless he identifies with a few; the origin of such relationships I am unknowledgeable and uninterested.

He his also reputed for making a lot of mathematical errors on the board, while teaching. Even though he his ever apologetic about them, you can’t help but notice that they could be avoided to save some professorial integrity. I mean, a quick look into a book while teaching, or proper pre-lecture preparations wouldn’t hurt. Or could it be an aging factor?

3. DR.C.I. ANI:

Physically you can’t help but notice his whitened hair; more an indication of his belief or style than of age. Exhibits a very diplomatic manner of approach, good command of the English Language, and somewhat reserved.

He spearheads all courses relevant to Communication Networks. Generally, seen as a knowledgeable and good teacher, but he has refused to resign his age-long beliefs that mathematical problems should not be solved in class. This leaves students at the utter mercy of the unavailable textbooks, or gurus in their class, or worst still practicing how to solve those problems during the actual exam. Sir, just one example would do, please! Lest I forget, this makes him a suitable candidate for one of the lecturers dreaded for their examinations.

His lecture periods are usually the most serious; hardly is there time for comic relief or digressions. This is a hundred percent lecture session. However, this allows him to utilize efficiently his teaching time. Hence he rarely sees the need to fix lectures at unscheduled periods, like others do.

An extreme conformist at times. Has absolute respect for public holidays, and other officially designated lecture-free periods. In the third year class, he has maintained a tradition of a viva vocé accompanied by a check on taken class notes for every student.


This is funny; but I have a hunch he’s in a very romantic marriage. You can always see his wife drive him to his office almost on a daily basis. How lovely!


5. DR. OPARAKU:
It’s amazing that even after five years I have not been around long enough to write on this personality.

Currently, the Director of the Energy Research Institute on campus. Ever since this appointment, and even prior, he developed a phobia for the classroom. Thanks to this personality, I now know what it feels like to write an exam without any, or minimal, contact with the lecturer, even when you register as a full-time student.

He is identified as a religious person. However what you will definitely see is a fair, lethargic, but calm, figure, chauffeured in a grayish Peugeot 406.

Professionally, he is well-read in Semiconductors, Solid-State Electronics, and Crystal logy, but doesn’t seem to do a good job in transferring that knowledge. Whenever he attempts to lecture, they are rather dreary, to say the least.


6. DR T. NWODOH:

The newest member of staff. Accorded an almost messianic status (when heralded by Prof. Osuagwu) on his debut lecture.

He introduced VHDL (Very High Speed IC Hardware Description Language) to us, and a very contemporary approach to digital designs, like we had never seen before. This certainly justified our expectations of a lecturer, who was recently at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA.

Nevertheless, some of his attributes like stammering, and an outrageous obese stomach, have incited more distractions in class than learning.

He is due to commence full duties as a lecturer next session. Owing to the completion of my studies by that time, I won’t be one of his students (at least not too soon), but the interesting and viable designs he intends to teach should endear students to him.


7. ENGR. J.I. ANOKWULU:

This is an exceptionally peculiar personality; the Radio and TV Engineering specialist. Judging from his strides and behaviour, he could pass for a septuagenarian, but it’s highly unlikely he’s attained such a feat.

Well-known for non-punctuality to lectures, as well as outright absence, and consequently often unofficially scheduling lectures. More recently, is his attitude of selling lecture handouts which the students never see.

His lecture sessions are characterized by inaudibility and lifelessness; yet we may be in attendance because an exam is to be passed.
However he is an extremely approachable lecturer, and has a knack of diverting all consultations to his home rather than his office?! Hence it’s really difficult to track him down in the department.

It seems to me he’s despondent with a career as a lecturer.


8. ENGR. M.A. AHANEKU:

Has only been a member of staff for two academic sessions; handles Telecommunications-related courses.
His teaching techniques are characterized by dictating notes, or strict conformance to a particular lecture material or textbook, which apparently seems favourable to most students, whose sole aim is to pass exams.
His lecture sessions are never devoid of laughter, mostly associated with his witty remarks and obvious phonological interference.

Amazingly, unlike others, this personality can actually identify a majority of students in my class, facially and by names.
He creates an environment that is usually friendly for students to interact with him, and as expected, it has been well exploited, and one can’t help but think it’s costing him a loss of respect in certain areas.


9. ENGR. NATHAN DAVID:

Arguably the youngest lecturer, and still a bachelor; an eligible one. Normally involved with courses in Digital computer systems, Microprocessor-based designs, and aspects of Networking.

The obvious distinction, here, is that this personality is a half-caste; of a paternal Indian descent.

He also fancies dictation of notes, and periodic issuance of lecture notes as teaching techniques. Generally, he tends to be a fast talker, and accompanied with his inherent phonological interference, comprehension becomes a tall task for a few students. Quite knowledgeable in his field of study, but he isn’t endowed with patience; a crucial tool for educators.

Ever since his arrival at the department, exam invigilation has been top-notch, like never before (since my first year). Yet this very commendation seems to be the bane of enmity which has developed between him and students who turn out culprits at exams. This is largely understandable, but it takes an ironic posture with the overt relationships he keeps with certain other students, in a very amateurish manner.