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Wednesday, 21 May 2014

Intrigues, Acrimony At UNIZIK Over Next Vice Chancellor



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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