A palpable tension has gripped the Nnamdi Azikiwe
University, Awka in Anambra State as the institution has entered the
final stage of a highly politicized process to choose a new vice chancellor.
Named for Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the most revered figure in the struggle for
Nigeria’s independence, the university’s search for a new leader originally
attracted more than 30 candidates, according to several sources who spoke to
SaharaReporters. They added that partisan politics, religion and state of
origin have become factors in the process, with most of the candidates lining
up political and financial support from various politicians.
The university’s current vice chancellor, Professor B.C.
Egboka, is due to step down on June 3, after serving a five-year term and an
extra year in an acting capacity.
One reason for the turmoil at the institution, which is
called UNIZIK, is that a total of 34 professors initially indicated interest in
succeeding Mr. Egboka. The list of aspirants has been trimmed down to nine,
four of them academics from outside the university whilst five are current
professors at UNIZIK. Several sources at the university who spoke to
SaharaReporters disclosed that the odds are likely to favor one of the
candidates within UNIZIK. They are Professors J. Ahaneku, Osisioma, Ikpeze,
Greg Nwakoby and Ifeoma Enweani.
Most of the sources stated that the final stretch is likely
to be a race between Mr. Ahaneku and Mr. Nwakoby, even though some described
Mr. Ikpeze and Mr. Osisioma as veterans.
Different factions at the university accused the other
candidate’s supporters of attempting to thwart the due process for screening
the candidates. “All the candidates should face the screening panel made up of
external and internal members of UNIZIK’s council and Senate respectively and
let them be judged as others, Ejiofor, Ilochi and Egboka were rated by the
committee,” said one professor. He added: “The goal post must not be changed in
the middle of the game by people like Carol Umeobi, Godson Okafor, Emmanuel
Ojukwu, Barrister C.C. Okeke (the registrar), Harris Odimegwu, Professor Ken
Nworgu, Professor Esimone and Dr. Isidienu. All that is needed is fair play.”
Part of the acrimony arises from disagreement over what
constitutes fair play. One thing is for certain: The stakes are high for the
two presumed frontrunners.
Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State is reportedly backing
Ahaneku who hails from the same state, while former Governor Peter Obi of
Anambra favors Nwakoby. Ahaneku is a professor of chemical pathology whereas
Nwakoby is a professor of law. In fact, one source alleged that Governor
Okorocha gave Ahaneku N100 million to help his campaign for the VC position.
But one of the candidate’s supporters denied the allegation, saying former
Governor Obi was the one using his political muscle to support Nwakoby.
Our sources said Ahaneku used to be very close to the outgoing
vice chancellor who appointed him to the powerful office of deputy vice
chancellor (academics). But the two men reportedly fell apart after four years
when Egboka discovered that Ahaneku was “fond of playing all the sides,” in the
words of one source.
The source explained that Ahaneku was firmly on the side of
the outgoing vice chancellor and the administration during last year’s
prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). But, once
he began his bid to become the new vice chancellor, Ahaneku turned around and
assured UNIZIK’s ASUU leaders that he was always sympathetic to their cause.
“He was able to get many ASUU members behind him, but VC Egboka felt betrayed
by his volte face,” said our source.
Many of our sources described Ahaneku as a political player
who knows how to convert or neutralize his enemies. They portrayed Nwakoby as
erudite, calm and sometimes appearing almost snobbish but intellectually
vibrant and hard working.
Some of Ahaneku’s critics accuse him of favoritism towards
academics, staff members and students of Imo State origin. “You cannot count on
him at any given time unless you are from Imo,” one source said. They also
alleged that he is opportunistic when it comes to taking positions on any
important issue.
The more serious charges against Ahaneku are that, as DVC in
charge of academics, he ran an admissions syndicate that charged student
applicants N350,000 each to give them admission into UNIZIK; that he favored
students from Imo in admissions into disciplines like medicine, law, and
pharmacy, and that he gave access to the federal government TET funds only to a
small circle of his favorites.
Last month, the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board
(JAMB) queried UNIZIK for not using up their admission quota. “When many
students were crying to be admitted, Prof Ahaneku closed the admissions, which
he always handled alone, leaving out about 606 openings vacant,” said one
anti-Ahaneku source. He added, “Thanks to God that Egboka quickly arranged for
a mop up admission to arrest the situation. Ahaneku should have been replying
to a query for this, but he is busy courting the chairman of council, retired
Air Vice Marshal Larry Konya who seems not to know much about the person of
Professor Ahaneku and has been following the man’s lies and biases.”
A close associate of the outgoing VC accused Ahaneku of
being one of those leaking documents used to witch hunt Egboka even though the
two men once collaborated so closely that Ahaneku’s wife would cook meals and
take them to the VC.
Ahaneku’s main opponent, Nwakoby, has his own supporters and
detractors. One source who supports him stated that he is a no nonsense
administrator who dislikes corrupt academics. “He has no time for dining and
wining, but focuses on the job at hand.” The source added that Nwakoby’s
detractors are “those who are interested in personal gains from every
university administration,” claiming that the law professor “is not linked to
any corrupt practices.”
But his opponents accused Nwakoby, a former dean of law, of
being aloof and arrogant. Another critic said former Governor Obi wants
Nwakoby, who is from Anambra, to succeed Egboka, also from Anambra.
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