By Rose Obanye
Anarchy has been let loose due to primordial sentiments, infringement on the university autonomy, external mafia groups as well as greed that characterize the election / selection and appointment of new vice chancellor (VC) in UNIZIK have brought UNIZIK to its knees to the extent that confusion reigns supreme in UNIZIK..
Even though selection / appointment of Vice Chancellors in Nigerian universities most often than not involve intrigues and power play and primordial sentiments, keen observers of the happenings in Nnamdi Azikiwe University also known as UNIZIK will no doubt understand that the university is in a state of decay (The “so-called visibility” on the internet being a cover-up from the truth) and at the centre of this rot is several interests both from within and outside the university. It will be important at this stage to outline activities that is almost tearing UNIZIK into shreds to include:
1) Deliberate refusal by the outgone Vice Chancellor (Prof. Charles Esimone) to initiate moves to appoint a replacement for the post of a Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academics whose tenure expired with the shallow reason that there was no Governing council (A much later occurrence) and yet there were like replacements at sister federal universities. The intention no doubt was to nurture someone who is to serve as a cover up for all his stinking misdeeds, which has and will continue to stifle progress in the university for years to come;
2) Refusal of Professor Ikechebelu to convoke a senate meeting to elect names for submission to University Governing council (UGC) names for the position of Acting Vice Chancellor. Recall that Professor Ikechebelu, the DVC Administration was elected the Overseer of the university by the Senate pending the constitution of UGC.
3) The confusion caused by the continued claim of membership of 10th UGC by the seven statutory internal members of 9th UGC;
4) The “hasty” conducting of university senate by some senators based on the “Doctrine of necessity”;
5) The alleged remote control of the external members and particularly the Pro Chancellor and chairman of UGC as well as the Acting Vice Chancellor and so many others.
6) The targeted exclusion of some contestants for the office of VC as aided by outsiders through conditions unheard of in UNIZIK previous;
7) The targeted lowering of conditions for appointment of Registrar from five years down to three years as a politician has reserved it for his cronies;
8) The rumoured planned imposition of an Associate Professor by politicians outside the system for plundering of the university, where it was stated that the Acting VC has been directed to fast-track the process to pronounce the Associate Professor, a Professor.
9) The nature and content of the advert for VC and Registrar speaks volume as it is believed with the body chemistry of internal UGC members, little or nothing may be achieved to ensure university autonomy.
10) The rumoured planned awarding of a mega Naira contract to “settle” the Acting VC and the politicians that aided and schemed her coming in as Acting VC.
Regrettably, the unwilling recipients of this rot being UNIZIK, her staff, students and the neighborhood communities, who in the circumstance they found themselves are incapable of helping themselves and the university.
As it stands it is believed that it is only GOD that will provide the leader (VC) that will save UNIZIK when one considers the stage of the irreversible and irrevocable negative scenarios of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University. Worse still are the Intrigues, Connivances, Back and Forth Political and Horse-Trading and Internal and External Mafia Influences conjured to impose someone as VC for avaricious purposes from outside without consideration for the future of UNIZIK.
