By Emeka Attah
The Office of the Vice-Chancellor, Nnamdi Azikwe University has called on the general public to disregard the letter purportedly emanating from the Federal Ministry of Education, claiming it has voided the appointment of Professor Bernard Odoh as the VC of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, describing it as false and misleading.
Recall that the University’s Governing Council had last week announced Odoh, a Professor of Geophysics as the 7th substantive Vice-Chancellor of the institution following a successful interview same day.
But the Federal Ministry of Education in a letter making rounds the media, addressed to the Governing Council and purportedly signed by one Mrs. R. G. Ilyasu on behalf the Permanent Secretary claimed it has declared as null and void all the processes in the appointment of Odoh as the 7th substantive Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University.
But the Personal Assistant, Media and Publicity to the Vice Chancellor, Charles Otu in a statement signed and issued to newsmen on Monday, insisted that due process was meticulously observed throughout the appointment of Prof Odoh as the Vice-Chancellor, by the varsity’s Governing Council.
Otu said based on Nigeria’s extant laws, the Ministry of Education only oversees general educational standards across the nation, but does not have the legal power to direct or control the daily decisions of a University Council, including who should be appointed as Vice-Chancellor.
He explained that the Management officially clarified the Ministry of Education on its enquiries regarding the processes leading to the appointment of Odoh from among the 15 out of the 18 other candidates who applied for the same position through the Registrar, R. I. Nwokike, made thorough clarifications attached with facts of the processes and proceedings of the University’s Senate and the Governing Council, including letters of invitation and actual representatives of appropriate authorities present during the October 29th 2024 interview and selection.
According to him: “The institution has rightly stated that all its actions were informed and conforms with the statutory requirements set forth in the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Act, Cap 139 (as amended), LFN 2004. The Registrar who doubles as the Secretary to the Council had replied that the actions of the Council were in total conformity with the provisions of Section 6 (a) of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Standing Orders of the Governing Council which stipulates that the quorum requirements which mandates the presence of five members, including at least one of the following: The Vice-Chancellor or his Deputy, one appointee of the Visitor and one appointee of the Senate.
He explained further that the Registrar had also in response to allegations of violations of due process clarified that due process was meticulously observed throughout the appointment for both the Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar.
“For further clarification, the attention of the general public must be drawn first and foremost to the fact that our extant laws clearly specified the roles of the Governing Council of a tertiary institution vis-a-vis those of the Visitor and the parent’s Ministry of Education. In Nigeria, the university governing council plays a unique and critical role in administration and governance of universities.
“It’s a special body that has been legally granted the authority to oversee the university’s operations, including making key decisions about policies, finances, and appointments—such as choosing a vice-chancellor (VC). This council is designed to function independently, separate from direct control by outside bodies, including the Federal Ministry of Education.
“We must understand that under our existing law, the University Council is established to make decisions in the best interest of the University without external interference. Therefore, the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Act 2003, also known as the Universities Autonomy Act No. 1, 2007, asserts this autonomy by stating that the council’s powers shall be exercised as provided in the law and statutes of each university, and that establishment circulars inconsistent with these laws shall not apply to the universities.
“The council works within a structure of university laws and rules that guide its decisions. It is therefore safe to conclude that the relationship between the University’s Governing Council and the Ministry of Education is structured by law to be respectful, yet separate. Therefore, when the Council reaches a decision, such as appointing a new Vice-Chancellor (VC), (as it has done in the instant case of UNIZIK), it communicates this decision to the Ministry as a form of official notice. This is a requirement for transparency and coordination, not for approval or control.
“In this way, the council is maintaining its role as an autonomous governing body—a body that can make its own decisions free from outside orders. This legal separation is important for a number of reasons. First, it allows the university to make choices based on what’s best for its students, staff, and academic goals.
“Second, it prevents political or outside influences from swaying important decisions about university governance. Autonomy in governance protects academic freedom, allowing universities to promote an environment where ideas can grow, research can advance, and students can learn without outside pressure.
“As a matter of fact, the Nigerian law recognizes university councils as autonomous bodies with the right to govern their institutions independently. While the Federal Ministry of Education has a general role in supporting and guiding the education sector, it does not have authority over specific university decisions or appointments. This structure is designed to protect universities and ensure they are managed by those closest to their academic mission” he stated.
“By respecting these boundaries, Nigerian universities can operate effectively, making choices that best serve their communities, while also upholding national educational standards. This balance of autonomy and oversight is crucial to a healthy and forward-looking educational system in Nigeria and that is exactly the broader goal and objectives pursued by the Council in the case of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
Otu added, “Without prejudice to related facts in this matter, however, it can be correctly deposited that the contrived misinformation and awkward desperation of some of those who died or whose preferred candidate(s) were unsuccessful in the race, though ordinarily common in an academic environment, is now getting unhealthy and distracting.
“Some of the suspected sponsors of these falsehoods that have been flying day and night since the official announcement of Odoh,a scholar who has distinguished himself in many publications and several other areas of competence and capacities within the university community and even beyond, now seems to be taken too far.
“Already, the appointment, which for now has not been expressly faulted by any law of our land, appears to be breeding some bad bloods and unsettling the nerves of some possible big spenders among our Igbo brothers, including some fifth columnists suspectedly in the nation’s ruling party.
“All parties in the matter, are therefore admonished to give peace a chance while members of the general public are urged to disregard, in its entirety, all the news and false documents purporting the declaration of the actions of the UNIZIK Governing Council as null and void.
“Rather, and in compliance with the recent circular of the Management of the institution, which informed on its website that a high Mass service shall be held on Tuesday, 5th November, 2024 as part of activities for the resumption of office of the Seventh Substantive Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Professor Benard Ifeanyi Odoh, members of the public are cordially invited to witness the events marking the first day in office of the new Vice-Chancellor.
“They are also urged to continue to demonstrate their unwavering support and commitments to ensure a successful tenure for the newly-appointed Vice-Chancellor. Already, the welter of congratulatory messages that have poured in from the academic communities, Ebonyi State, South East, Nigeria in general and the rest of the world, is already a testament to the fact that the appointment is a round peg in a round hole.”he stated.
