Plan to impose Acting Vice Chancellor on UNN busted

NSUKKA —-There is an uneasy calm at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, following the unveiling of a plot by the outgoing Vice Chancellor, Professor Charles Igwe, to allegedly impose his choice candidate, Professor Romanus Ezeokonkwo, as the Acting Vice Chancellor of the University.

It was gathered that the current Vice Chancellor, Professor Igwe, who is from Awka in Anambra State, is leaning on the support of Awka Area Association, (AAA), made up of UNN workers from Awka and the surrounding towns in Anambra State to allegedly arm-twist the Senate of the University in order to install Prof. Ezeokonkwo, another AAA professor as his successor.

It was also gathered that Professor Ezeokonkwo, had enjoyed undue favours from the present Vice Chancellor, Professor Igwe, who had within five years appointed him the Director, Centre for Entrepreneurship and Development Research, CEDR; Acting Dean, School of Postgraduate Studies; and the Dean of the Postgraduate School.

It was equally learnt that in a bid to boost Professor Ezeokonkwo’s chances, the Vice Chancellor equally elevated the UNN Postgraduate School to a College and also made Professor Ezeokonkwo the Provost.

As if that was not enough, our reporter learnt that he was appointed Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration) from where he is being positioned to become the Acting Vice Chancellor at the expiration of Professor Igwe’s tenure in June this year.

Having been appointed Deputy Vice Chancellor at a time the Council was not in place, it is speculated that the Minister has ratified the appointment.

This development, our reporter learnt has infuriated UNN professors and the entire university community who feel arm-twisted by the power of the Vice Chancellor and his Awka Area Association group.

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A UNN professor who pleaded for anonymity on Friday said “This is totally against the will of the University professors and the entire UNN community including other UNN staff who hail from Anambra State but not from Awka area. In fact, other Anambra workers who are not from Awka area are even more embittered that the rest of the workers from other areas of Anambra, Enugu, Abia, Imo and Ebonyi States were being taken for a ride by the AAA. The other Anambra groups feel that they are being used by the members of AAA to achieve their selfish aims of perpetuating themselves in power to the detriment of other Anambra professors and workers at UNN.”

Another source who also pleaded for anonymity reiterated what our reporter already found that “the current Vice Chancellor has been planning to install Prof. Ezeokonkwo as the next VC of UNN.

” In a clear succession plan, he was first appointed Director Centre for Entrepreneurship and Development Research, from there, he was made the Acting Dean, School of postgraduate studies and later, Dean of the School.

“In order to give him more advantage, they pushed for elevation of the School of Postgraduate Studies to a College and the current VC pushed the Senate to approve this and he was appointed the Provost of the College of Postgraduate Studies UNN.

“The main purpose of this action is to enable Prof. Ezeonkonkwo to earn additional points as a Provost. This was not the end, the VC again nominated him for the position of the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration and went ahead to impress on the Senate to ratify the nomination. The next plan of the VC and AAA is to ensure he is appointed or elected as the Acting Vice Chancellor of the University.

“Through these menacingly fast-track postings and elevations, the units got funded to enable Prof. Ezeokonkwo to appear hard-working. He was funded by management to renovate CEDR and PG School that management did not consider worthy of renovation prior to his posting to those units.

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“Interestingly, these appointments of Professor Ezeokonkwo from one position to another are consistently happening within a short time leaving him with little or no experience to prepare him well for the leadership of the ivory tower. In all these positions, he did not spend the stipulated number of years or tenure before he is appointed to other positions.

“More importantly, there are other well-qualified professors including the current Deputy Vice Chancellor , Academics, who coincidentally is the most senior and longest serving Deputy Vice Chancellor in the University that is eminently qualified to serve as Acting Vice Chancellor,” the source said.

It was also gathered that all efforts to encourage the Vice Chancellor to support the appointment or election of a more experienced Professor as acting Vice Chancellor after his tenure received no attention by Professor Igwe and his AAA people, thereby leading to several other agitations from all quarters seeking for the leadership of the Lion’s Den as UNN is called.