Prof. Joseph Ikechebelu has been asked to step in as the Acting Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe, University, Awka, otherwise known as UNIZIK.
This followed the sack of Prof. Bernard Odoh, who was “illegally” appointed VC a few weeks ago by the Greg Mbadiwe-led Governing Council of the University, which was dissolved on Tuesday by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Ikechebelu had earlier served as Acting VC for several weeks following the exit of Prof. Charles Okechukwu Esimone, whose five-year tenure as UNIZIK VC ended in June this year.
He was acting until the Greg Mbadiwe-led Governing Council of the University was inaugurated in July by the former Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman.
At their first few meetings, Greg Mbadiwe-led Governing Council announced the appointment of Prof. Carol Chinyelugo Arinze-Umobi, as the Acting VC pending the appointment of substantive Vice-Chancellor for the school.
After several months of back and forth, Prof. Odoh was announced as the Vice Chancellor of the University, a decision that never went down well with some stakeholders, including the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), who found faulted the appointment processes and the qualifications of Prof. Odoh.
Meanwhile, the Director of Information and Public Relations/Protocol Officer of the university, Njelita Louis, in a statement, confirmed that Prof. Ikechebelu has been reinstated as the acting Vice-Chancellor of the institution with immediate effect.
The statement read: “This is to inform the Nnamdi Azikiwe University community and the public that, in accordance with the directives of the Honourable Minister of Education and the approval of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Prof. Joseph Ikechebelu has been reinstated as the Acting Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, with immediate effect.
“This decision follows the nullification of the appointment of Prof. Bernard Ifeanyi Odoh as the seventh substantive Vice-Chancellor, which was deemed illegally executed by the now-dissolved 10th Governing Council of the university.
“The reinstatement of Prof. Ikechebelu is outlined in the Federal Ministry of Education correspondence, Ref: FME/HE/CU/82°/1/308, dated 20th November 2024, and signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Nasir Sani-Gwarzo.”
