INTERESTED PARTIES AND SELECTION OF VICE CHANCELLOR IN SELECTED SOUTH WEST UNIVERSITIES IN NIGERIA

Selection of leadership roles in university system has to do with the ability to get things done with the support and cooperation of other people within the institution. Leadership in the universities in Nigeria is handled by Vice-Chancellors and they are regarded as critical academic leaders because of the executive powers and roles attached to their offices. In choosing Vice-Chancellors of these higher institutions of learning, various actors are at play, both internal i.e. the Visitor, governing council and the university senate, as well as external interest parties such as politicians, businessmen, religious leaders, among others. This study examined the roles and influences of these various interest parties in the selection of Vice-chancellors in selected public universities in Southwest Nigeria. The theory adopted for the research is stakeholder theory. Primary and secondary sources of data served as the sources of information gathering. Interviews were conducted with various stakeholders in the university environments. The study found out that the major stakeholders (the Visitor, governing council and university senate) are backed up by law to appoint vice-chancellors based on laid down principles and merits. However, especially in the contemporary times, external interest parties (politicians, traditional rulers, religious leaders, etc.) have been influencing the process. Also, the interference of these stakeholders has caused many crises that resulted in loss of merit and quality in the governance of these institutions. Some of the interest parties have descend so low as to engage in dubious activities due to the interference. The research recommends harmonization of genuine concerns of interested parties in ways that meritocracy and integrity can be prioritized to ensure the appointment of competent and qualified individuals. Keywords: Interest Parties, Selection, Southwest University, Stakeholder, Vice-chancellor