The recent crisis involving two Nigerian universities, UNIZIK (Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka) and FUHSO (Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo), highlights serious governance issues that have caught the attention of the federal government.
At UNIZIK, the appointment of Prof. Bernard Odoh as vice chancellor and Rosemary Nwokike as registrar was mired in controversy. The university’s Senate, stakeholders, and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) all voiced strong opposition to the appointments. They claimed that the process was flawed, excluding key institutional stakeholders and violating established procedures. Allegations about Prof. Odoh’s academic qualifications also surfaced, adding fuel to the fire. In response, the Federal Ministry of Education quickly intervened, nullifying the appointments, citing disregard for constituted authority and failure to adhere to legal provisions. Despite this, the governing council, led by Ambassador Greg Mbadiwe, issued a seven-day ultimatum demanding that staff withdraw court cases related to the appointments or face disciplinary action. This defiant stance eventually led to the presidency dissolving the governing council and dismissing both Prof. Odoh and Nwokike.
The crisis at FUHSO, Otukpo, was centered around the unilateral suspension of the vice chancellor by the pro-chancellor, Ohieku Muhammed Salami, in direct contravention of institutional procedures. The suspension sparked significant tension between the governing council and ministry officials, as Salami continued to resist calls to reverse his actions. Despite multiple interventions from the Ministry of Education, including requests to follow proper procedure, Salami remained defiant, even reportedly threatening ministry officials. This led to the presidency stepping in, relieving Salami of his role as pro chancellor and chairman of FUHSO’s governing council, citing his illegal suspension of the vice chancellor and refusal to comply with due process.
In a broader reshuffling, the presidency also swapped the positions of pro chancellors at the Federal University of Oye-Ekiti and Federal University of Lokoja, appointing Victor Ndoma-Egba to Lokoja and Kayode Ojo to Oye-Ekiti, as part of an effort to ensure better governance and smoother operations at these institutions.
This series of actions underscores the government’s commitment to upholding due process and addressing governance failures within Nigerian universities, particularly when institutional leadership acts outside the bounds of established regulations.
