Unizik Belongs to Nigeria, not to Any particular State: Let Odoh Concentrate

By Barr. Jack Iyioku

It is pitiful that everything in our beloved country, Nigeria has become political, and most times wearing the toga of ethnicity and religion. Even citadels of learning like the great Nnamdi Azikiwe University has also gone down as one of such institutions where some people with parochial interest would rather sacrifice merit for ethnicity and relationship.

This has been the case recently during the jostle for the seat of Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. It was really appalling to find supposedly educated people from the university community carrying placards to protest the appointment of Prof Benard Odoh, and an erudite professor from the Department of Applied Geophysics in the same university, after the institution’s governing council, led by Ambassador Greg Mbadiwe did a thorough job of the screening of the interested candidates and later announced Odoh as most suitable for the job.

In a bid to discredit Odoh who hails from Ebonyi State, some people in the university community who may have been bought over, or feeling irked by the fact that he is not from Anambra State carried placards with shameful inscriptions, protesting his appointment.

We have followed this VCship race since the very time the advert publication for the vacant seat was made by the institution, and we feel appalled by the way some people have tried to discredit Odoh by making frivolous claims about his credentials and even doubting his professorial seat. Most shameful is the release of a fake document which Odoh’s traducers claimed was from Federal University, Gusau, claiming that the institution has denied knowledge of Odoh, or his being awarded professorial seat in the institution.

All these are laughable, especially as there are verifiable records of how Odoh climbed the academic ladder to his current position. Records show he was assessed and appointed as a Professor at Federal University Gusau in 2015. We are very aware that these stiff oppositions are coming from certain people who feel that the VCship position of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka is the exclusive preserve of people from Anambra State, but what they do not know is that despite that the institution is sited in Anambra, it is a federal government institution that can be headed by any Nigerian from any part of the country, who meets the criteria for the position.

We are aware that Odoh, an erudite professor, who has proven his mettle in academia, public service as Secretary to State Government of Ebonyi State and even aspired to lead Ebonyi as state governor is thoroughly ripe for the position.

Those who feel disappointed because Odoh is not their kinsman should rather concern themselves with his pedigree and his ability to deliver, than where he hails from. We have seen antics like this in the past, especially when Prof Joseph Ahaneku from Imo State was Vice Chancellor of the university, and the stiff opposition he met, simply because he is not from Anambra.

But now that Odoh has fully taken over the leadership of the institution with the handing over ceremony to him by the outgoing Acting VC, Prof Carol Arinze-Umobi on Wednesday, the least that can be expected of members of the university community, both students, teaching and non-teaching staff, all the unions in the university is to give him full cooperation and see him move the university to greater heights.

What is not in doubt is Odoh’s ability to perform. Already, during the handover ceremony, he stated so. He reiterated his commitment to building on the university’s progress, aiming to reshape the institution to greater heights.

In a brief acceptance speech on Tuesday after his appointment, he had said: “I’m the first alumni of this university to be appointed to this position. I had my first, second and third degrees here, so I understand our challenges. Let me assure every one of us, I know there are prejudices and concerns but you are going to judge me by performances not on hearsay. I will serve you well and our university will make progress.”

The above are words that should serve as a healing balm to all aggrieved persons. It should be a thing to rejoice about that an alumnus of the university, who knows what it used to be, what it is today, would be able to visualize where to take the institution to.

The time to quit politicking is now, the time to stop all manner of shenanigans that can constitute a clog in the wheel of the progress of the university is now. This is time to get to work. Odoh has taken the driver’s seat, let’s give him full cooperation and see what package he has for us all.

Long live Unizik!

Iyioku, an Anambra based legal practitioner and alumnus of the great Nnamdi Azikiwe University wrote in through iyiokujacku@gmail.com. He can also be reached on 08038781937.