His achievement are too numerous to be ignored and his success story is a testament to the enduring power of dream, courage, honesty and integrity. Prof. Vincent Ado Tenebe, Vice Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria is synonymous with success but it took more hardwork, diligence and professional training to get him to the enviable position he is today.
His passion always is to act as an agent of positive change and desire to always offer selfless service to his world were the principal factors that have continually propelled him in life.
Born in Kaduna, Nigeria, on August 17, 1958, Professor Vincent Ado Tenebe attended St. Patrick Primary School and Government Secondary School, Yerwa, Maiduguri, Nigeria from 1965 to 1971 and 1972 to 1976 respectively.
Professor Vincent Tenebe finished his B.Sc (Agric) cum laude in 1982, M.Sc. Agronomy in 1988 at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; and his PhD, Agronomy at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi in 1995.
Vincent Ado Tenebe began his academic career as a Graduate Assistant at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University in 1984. In 1988 he was appointed manager of the university farm. In 1995 he became Head of Department, Crop Production, ATBU. Other positions he held at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University are: Director, Consultancy Services Unit, 1997 – 1999; Director, Endowment, 1999-2001; and General Manager/Chief Executive Officer, ATBU Trust and Investment Ltd., 2001-2005. In 2003, Vincent Ado Tenebe became Professor of Agronomy at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Nigeria.
Professor Vincent Tenebe is the second Vice Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), a position he assumed on October 14, 2018. Before assuming the leadership of NOUN, Professor Tenebe was the pioneer Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration) subsequent to his previous position as Director, Kaduna Campus of NOUN (now renamed Centre for Educational Technology and Entrepreneurial Development ‘CETED’).
Since Professor Tenebe assumed duty as Vice Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria, the university has made modest accomplishments, such as
– Opening of more study centres thus increasing the number of study centres to 69 nationwide.
– Increasing the number of special and community study centres to 21 nationwide.
Successful transmutation from manual examinations administration to e-examination.
– Seamless administration of examinations on both e-examination and pen-on-paper platforms.
– Accreditation of NOUN academic programmes by the National Universities Commission (NUC) of Nigeria.
– The consolidation of the operations of the National Open University Consult and Investment Ltd. (NOUNCIL), with headquarters in Kaduna.
– Expansion of the Centre for Educational Technology and Entrepreneurial Development (CETED), Kaduna.
– Conferment of Best University of the Year 2011 and Best Chancellor of the Year 2011 on NOUN and Prof. Vincent Tenebe, by the National Association of Northern Nigerian Students (NANNS)
– NOUN rated in rank as the 7th university in Nigeria, in 2011 and 12th university in Africa in 2012 by webometric rating.
– Successful hosting of 13 matriculation ceremonies in arrow.
– Landmark increase of registered students from 16,000 to over 182,000.
– Initiation and launch of nationwide advocacy dress code (NOUN T-shirt and cap)
– Establishment of NOUN Football Club.
– NOUN joined the league of Universities Staff Sports Association Games and Nigerian Universities Games, and took 5th position overall among 22 universities, even at first attempt as well as winning gold in Football and clinching 6th position overall at the 2014 edition.
– Establishment of Staff Bus Scheme, to alleviate the challenges of staff transportation.
– Successful hosting of International Conference for Women in Higher Education the West African Sub-Region in May 2011 and May 2012.
– Hosting of international workshop on Information and Communication Technology for Academic Staff in NOUN in August 2011.
– Hosting of international conference on National Security in November 2011.
– Successful hosting of the 7th Pan Commonwealth Forum in December 2013, an international conference on Open and Distance Learning (ODL) which drew delegates from at least 49 countries across the world.
– Signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NOUN 105.9FM and Radio Netherlands to broadcast programmes on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
– The African Council for Distance Education (ACDE) Quality Assurance and Accreditation Agency being domiciled in NOUN Headquarters in Lagos.
– Featuring of NOUN in Queen Elizabeth 11 Golden Jubilee publication, and Commonwealth Ministers Reference Book 2012, among numerous other sublime achievements.
– Signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Centre for Management Development (CMD) and International Professional Managers Association (IPMA) of the United Kingdom, among other for the mounting of various academic programmes in the university.
– Successful entrenchment of annual convocation ceremony every January and hosting of three convocation ceremonies consecutively in the past three years.
– Establishment of two new schools: School of Agriculture and School of Health Sciences in the university.
– Commencement of infrastructural development at the university’s permanent site in Abuja, FCT.
– Securing of N4 billion for the establishment of a specialist hospital and for infrastructural development of the newly established school of Health Sciences.
– Establishment of NOUN Microfinance Bank Limited.
– Donation of NOUN study materials for use on the global Open Education Resources (OER) platform.
– Establishment of Advancement, Open Education Resources (OE) and Quality Assurance units.
The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), through the visionary leadership of Professor Vincent Ado Tenebe, has garnered a deluge of public goodwill, recognition and accolades, locally and internationally. Such honours include;
* The European Quality Award in Education, by the European Business Assembly, Oxford, United Kingdom.
* The Leadership Award in Educational Excellence, by the Africa-India Partnership Summit, Mauritus, both in 2011.
International Socrates Award Winner in Education in the Education Committee, Oxford, 2012
* European Business Assembly Award, 2012; others are
* Gamji Merit Award, by Tafawa Balewa Memorial Foundation, 2002
* Award for Outstanding Contribution to Education, 2012
* BSN Award for Pivotal Role in Biotechnology Education/Research, 2012
* Who is Whom in Nigeria, 2010
* Outstanding Achievement in Administration and Academic Management 2011/2012
& Most Valuable Vice Chancellor in Nigeria 2011 and
He has also been honoured with the traditional title of Sarkin Kudu, Gubi of Bauchi State, 2001.
The erudite scholar, Professor Vincent Ado Tenebe, in a brilliant career spanning over 30years, has made sterling presentations, addressing issues in agriculture, global warming and higher education at various times across the globe. He has published over 100 articles in foremost local and international journals, has successfully supervised 12 PhD candidates, 35 M.Sc. and over 80 bachelor degrees candidates.
Professor Vincent Ado Tenebe, who is the 1st Vice President of African Council for Distance Education (ACDE), Nairobi, Kenya, and holder of UNESCO Chair of Open and Distance Learning at the National Open University of Nigeria, among which are:
*Member, Botanical Society of Nigeria, 2004 to date
* Member, Agricultural Society of Nigeria, 1986 to date.
* Member, Farm Management Association of Nigeria, 1987 to date.
* Member, Weed Science Society of Nigeria, 1987.
* Member, Association of Applied Biologists of the United Kingdom, 1994 to date.
* Fellow, Institute of Cost Management (FCM), 2002 to date.
* Fellow, Nigerian Society for Experimental Biology (FNISEB), 2012 to date.
* Fellow, National Institute for Education and Research (FNIER), 2012 to date.
* Fellow, Association of Nigerian Teachers (FASSONT), 2013.
* Fellow, Nigerian Institute of Management.
* Fellow, African Business School.
* Fellow, Nigerian Academy of Management & Administration.
* Fellow, Incorruptible Icons in Africa.
* Fellow, Institute of Corporate Administration of Nigeria.
* Fellow, Biotechnology Society of Nigeria, 2015.
Professor Tenebe’s hobbies include gardening, sports, photography, music and travelling. He is happily married and blessed with children.