Prof Odoh
The Federal Ministry of Education has waded into the internal crisis ravaging Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, by annuling the appointment of Prof Bernard Odoh as 7th substantive Vice-Chancellor.
Nnamdi Azikiwe University, UNIZIK, Awka, is a federal university.
The education supervising ministry annulled the appointment for not meeting the guidelines and ignoring the decisions of a stakeholders meeting that was meant to resolve the crisis that ensued because of the appointment.
Prof Odoh was on Tuesday announced as the substantive Vice-Chancellor by the Council led by Amb. Greg Mbadiwe, in circumstances that were not acceptable to some stakeholders and prompted protests in some quarters.
A letter from the Ministry of Education signed by its Permanent Secretary Mrs R. G. Ilyasu has voided the Council’s action.
The letter read:
“RE APPOINTMENT OF SUBSTANTIVE VICE CHANCELLOR AND REGISTRAR FOR NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY AWKA
“Sequel to your meeting with the Honourable Minister of State for Education (MSE) held on Friday, 25” October, 2024, it was formally agreed that no appointments should be carried out by your Council without reconciling with the stakeholders in the University Community.
“It has come to the attention of the Ministry that your Council had gone ahead to appoint a Vice-Chancellor for the University without the Representative of the Ministry, the internal council members and other Stakeholders on Tuesday, 29” October, 2024.
“This is a gross disregard to constituted Authority and is not in line with extant provisions. Against this backdrop; I am directed to inform you that all appointments made are null and void.
“You are therefore requested put on hold all other appointments in the University pending the assumption on duty of the new Honourable Minster of Education. Please accept the assurances of the esteemed regards and considerations of the Permanent Secretary Education”.
A senior staff member of the university said that the letter currently going viral on social media is authentic.
There have been protests over the guidelines for appointing a new Vice-Chancellor with some members of the academic community pointing out that the guidelines were duscriminatory and excluded them from participation in the exercise.
