UNIZIK VCship Saga: He is Dr Benard Odoh Not Professor – ASUU-NAU Chairperson
...Says Appointment Of VC Done in Hallowed Council Chamber Not in Hotel
By Mmaduabuchi Onwumelu
The Chairperson of the Academic Staff Union of Universities Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (ASUU-NAU), Professor Kingsley Ubaoji, says the controversially appointed Vice Chancellor of UNIZIK remains an academic doctor and not a Professor, thereby prohibiting him from leading the ivory tower.
In statement signed by ASUU-NAU Chairperson emphasized that the appointment of Vice Chancellor is done in the Hallowed Council Chamber and not in a Hotel, stating that their agitation is borne of conviction and not because he is from Ebonyi State or all those stories they told to attract sympathy.
The statement reads in part, ‘The Pro-Chancellor set out working alone without the internal members of Council. He harrased the Ag VC and ignored all our letters to him but the first which he used to oust Prof. Ikechebelu. If he truly is playing by the rule, why would he honour and acknowledge our first letter but ignore the rest. He came with an agenda to impose someone on us. The worst is that the person is not a Professor by the documents and qualifications that makes one a professor of a university. BEFORE IT GETS DARK AT NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY
-THE POSITION OF VICE CHANCELLOR OF A UNIVERSITY SHOULD NOT BE A SETTLEMENT FOR A POLITICALJOBBER
An appeal to the President and Visitor to the University to intervene in the brewing crisis in the University by IMMEDIATELY removing Dr Berrnard Odoh, who was recklessly imposed on the University as a Vice Chancellor on Tuesday 29th October 2024 and Amb. Greg Mbadiwethe Chairman of Council, who perpetrated the imposition.
‘Nnamdi Azikiwe University is an institution named after Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, the great African scholar, nationalist and irredentist. Given the antecedents of the great Zik of Africa, the University named after him is expected to symbolically stand in the very centre of development in Nigeria and Africa, lead in advancement of academic excellence and impactful community engagement. No wonder the founding fathers choose for the University, the motto discipline, self-reliance and excellence. This motto has continued to set us apart and has remained our constant measure in our drive to be a top-tier institution in Africa renowned for producing globally competitive graduates, and advancing knowledge through research and innovation.
On Tuesday 29th October 2024, the Pro-Chancellor and chairman of Council, who had since inception been behaving like a Pharoah, violated the solemnity and sacredness of our institution by fraudulently foisting a non-qualified person, Dr Benard Odoh as its Vice-Chancellor.Apart from Dr Benard Odoh not being qualified and not meeting the eligibility criteria, the Pro-Chancellor, violated, disregarded and undermined the rule of law and recklessly imposed him on the University, above very highly qualified academic giants.
FACTS ON DR BENARD ODOH ‘Dr Benard Odoh is a 1999 graduate of Geological Sciences from Nnamdi Azikiwe University.
‘He enrolled for and studied for a Master of Science degree in the same Geological Science Department between October 2004 and January 2006.
‘He again enrolled for a Doctor of Science degree in the same Dept. of Geological Sciences (Applied Geophysics) Department in January 2006 and graduated in August 2008, a period of 2 years. It is still to be understood how he completed the Ph.D. programme in two (2) years given that the duration for a full-time Ph.D. programme in the University is six semesters (which is 3 years). Meanwhile, at the material time, he was a full-time lecturer at Ebonyi State University.This happenstance is a red flag.
‘In 2009, DrBenard Odoh was offered an appointment into the Dept. of Applied Geophysics, Faculty of Physical Sciences as a Lecturer I. He was subsequently promoted to the rank of Senior Lecturer with effect from 1st October 2012.
‘By a letter dated 16th October 2014, Dr Odoh sought and obtained approval to embark on a leave of absence effective 1st November 2014 – 1st March 2015, to contest for the elective position of Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He was not successful in his bid for a Senatorial ticket.
‘In May 2015, he was appointed Secretary to the Ebonyi State Government and through a letter dated 29th May 2015 requested and obtained approval for a four-year leave of absencefrom the University. He remained in that position till April 2018 when he resigned.
‘At the time he was appointed SSG to the Ebonyi State Government, he was a Senior Lecturer. We were therefore surprised that he started using the title of a Professor.
‘In 2019, he contested for the gubernatorial primaries in Ebonyi State under APC still pretending to be a Professor, but lost to Sonni Ogbuoji.
‘Again in 2023, he contested for the governorship of Ebonyi State flying the flag of APGA and lost.
‘Surprisingly he was in 2019 promoted to the rank of a Reader in our University under a very contentious circumstance, which elicited and still elicits controversy from his contemporaries who felt he was unduly favoured as he had not spent the requisite number of years required for the promotion. As a Union we do not have the details of how he was switching his status between political appointment, elective positions and his academic career. The law allows for leave of absence if you have a political appointment. A leave of absence means that your academic career is paused to resume when you return. However, if you are going for an elective position you are expected to resign your appointment with the University. Therefore, that Dr Benard Odoh continues to earn his promotion in the University even while running for elective positions is another red flag, and can only be explained by the past Vice Chancellor, Prof Charles Esimone.
‘So in our University now, Dr Benard Odoh is a Reader. Period! Attached as evidence of his current rank is the IPPIS salary payment slip for August 2024 which clearly shows that he is paid as a Reader (See Annexure I).
‘While Dr Benard Odoh has been tamed from officially using the title of a professor in the University’s official documents, he still parades himself as a Professor in his external communications and CV meant for external use.
‘In the University’s Central Information Referencing and Management System (CIRMS) wherein individual staff manage their pages, he wrote that “Prof. Ifeanyi Benard Odoh is a READER in APPLIED GEOPHYSICS Department, Faculty of Physical Sciences in Nnamdi Azikiwe University.
‘It is from his CV we saw that he makes a claim to an appointment as a Visiting Professor of Geophysics at the Federal University, Gusau from July 2015 to October 2017, as well as being the pioneer Head of the Department at the University within the same period. This coincides with the same period he was SSG to the Ebonyi State Government.
‘A reply dated 28th October 2024 from the Registrar, Federal University, Gusau,to a request for disclosure of the academic status of Dr Benard Odoh made by Kingsley Awuka Esq. of Awuka, Okafor & Partners, No 63 Old Onitsha Road, Opp. NAUTH, Nnewi, proved that the above claim is false. Part of the letter from the Registrar which is here exhibited as Annexure IIreads: ‘Our records show that Dr Ifeanyi Benard Odoh never(sic) a staff nor a pioneer Head of Department of Geology. Never shown (sic) up in the department or though(sic) any course(s).”
16. The above is a clear disclaimer to Dr Benard Odoh’s claim from the same University.
WHAT AN ACADEMIC FRAUD! In a saner clime, this dubious and false claim is enough to expel him from the university. But rather than do that, Amb. Greg Mbadiwe has chosen to promote him to lead one of the finest academy in the country, the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, which motto is DISCIPLINE, SELF-RELIANCE & EXCELLENCE, values that are diametrically opposed to what Dr Benard Odoh stands for.
17. But assuming without conceding that Dr Benard Odoh was actually appointed a Visiting Professor, it does not make him a Professor. It needs to be clarified that a Visiting Professor is not a full Professor. A visiting Professor is a temporary academic position that allows you to teach or conduct research at a different institution than your home one.The term “Visiting” means that it is not a permanent position and is not “tenure-track” (it is not earned by promotion). It is a mark of the deepening intellectual crisis in Nigerian Universities that even persons who have never had any academic engagement are offered “visiting Professorship” positions, but it doesn’t make them Professors.
18. The rank of a full professoris a tenure-track position with requisite promotional criteria, and appurtenances of office, and carries additional administrative responsibilities associated with membership on committees that are restricted to full professors like membership of Senate. Dr Benard Odoh is not a member of the University Senate. The Senate records are there for perusal.
‘The gap between a “visiting Professor” and a “Professor” is akin to the one between an “honorary doctorate” degree and an earned “doctorate” degree.
‘It is crystal clear from the above that Dr Benard Odoh is not a Professor and is not therefore qualified by the criteria published to lead our academy. Regrettably, he parades a forged qualification, and a dubious character, not desiring of a true academic.
SUCH A CHARACTER CANNOT BE TRUSTED WITH PRESIDING OVER THE TRAINING OF MIND AND CHARACTER, WHICH IS THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY OF A UNIVERSITY. NO ONE GIVES WHAT HE HAS NOT.
‘It is regrettable and painful that despite the fact that all these pieces of information were made available to the Ambassador Greg Mbadiwe-led Council, he insisted on foisting Dr Benard Odoh on the University as its Vice Chancellor in a most reckless, despicable and dictatorial manner.
SETTLEMENT FOR A POLITICAL JOBBER
‘Random musings about Dr Benard Odoh’s candidacy for the position of Vice Chancellor started in early April 2024 towards the end-of-tenure of the immediate past Vice Chancellor, Prof Charles Esimone. And gained traction with an article on Facebook titled: UNIZIK: Is Benard Odoh Also Among The Prophets.
‘The first two paragraphs of the article written by Magnus Ibegbulem are very instructive given its veracity (which has come to pass) and preemptive warning (which is the consequence ahead).
‘It is here reproduced for your reading pleasure:
“A university is supposed to be a model of excellence and the highest level of
decency, but it appears that politicians who are guilty of destroying the very
fabrics of our democracy and nationhood are not satisfied with the destruction
they have met and are now hell bent in bringing their atrocious greed and
diabolic corruption to the hallowed citadel of learning.
‘Hearing that a cabal in certain quarters has determined to foist Bernard Odoh, the former Secretary to the Government of Ebonyi state on the prestigious Nnamdi Azikiwe University as its Acting Vice Chancellor, is both insulting to the sensibilities of the institutions stakeholders and embarrassing to the idea of academic excellence and the sanctity of Nigerian tertiary education system.
THE UNIVERSITY SHOULD NOT BE A SETTLEMENT FOR POLITICAL
JOBBERS, AND IF THERE IS ANY UNIVERSITY THATCOULD BE USED
FOR SUCH EXPERIMENT, IT MUST NOT BE OUR PRESTIGIOUS
NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY”. (Emphasis mine)
‘Ever since this publication, the speculation that a cabal was bent on installing Dr Benard Odo as the Vice Chancellor of the University had continued to gather momentum until it finally came to accomplishment on 29th October 2024. All along, we took things for granted given that he is not qualified for the position, untilCZAR AMBASSADOR GREG MBADIWE as the Chairman of Council accomplished the task. With this accomplishment, it actually became clear that the position is being offered to him, a POLITICAL JOBBER (who has made one failed attempt at Senatorial primary, another failed attempt at Gubernatorial primary, and a failed attempt at Gubernatorial election) as a settlement.
On how the plat was hatched, ‘It appeared that in picking a hatchet man for the job, the cabal found in Ambassador Greg Mbadiwe, a fit and proper character. This perhaps explains why he alone out of all the previous appointees to the Council of our University in May 2024survived the review that followed the initial appointment. Hisdictatorial actions and tendencies ever since his assumption of office left no one in doubt that he has an ego to feed, and an illegitimate assignment to accomplish. From the onset, he made deliberate attempts to undermine institutional processes. Specifically, the Chairman,
• Made unilateral decisions without the full composition of Council and even thereafter.
• Disregarded the concern of the internal Council members, ASUU and Senate.
• Undermined institutional processes, including directing the appointment of an Acting DVC to which he has no right, the premature changing of Heads of Departments midstream into their tenure to serve “their purpose” of electing their preferred candidates into Council, among others.
‘A careful examination of the eligibility criteria listed in the advertisement for Vice Chancellor which Amb. Greg Mbadiwe personally published show that it is narrowly tailored to match the profile of a specific individual, rather than being broadly based to attract a diverse range of qualified candidates. This is evidenced by the exclusion of Professors from the Medical Sciences, and the emphasis and requirement of a proven record of having attracted not less than N400 million, which we consider restrictive and will disqualify numerous suitable candidates. What is the basis for N400 million as a benchmark if he had no person in mind? Such specific conditions are usually not tenable. What is often emphasised is the ability of the candidate to attract development to the University, which can come in form of grants, endowments, donations etc.The listed eligibility criteria left out very critical issues like evidence of university administrative experience, global reputation and visibility, apparently because the anointed candidate lacks such critically genuine experience. Previous copies of similar advertisements from our University and cognate institutions were provided to convince him that what he was doing was wrong, but all these were met with stubborn resistance. Representations made by MDCAN, ASUU and even representatives of the Senate of Nnamdi Azikiwe University were defiantly rebuffed. He neither replied to the several letters to him by ASUU nor acceded to the request for a meeting with the Senate. He has no modicum of respect for anybody and has not even paid a courtesy call to the Governor of the state or the traditional ruler of the host community Awka both of whom are major stakeholders and collaborators of the university.
‘INFRACTIONS BY THE PRO-CHANCELLOR AND HIS CLIQUE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE SELECTION EXERCISE FOR VICE CHANCELLOR & REGISTRAR. The Chairman of Council erred by believing that only the external members of Council are essential members in the exercise. Unconscious of his awful doom, marginalised and disregarded the representatives of Senate and Congregation in the entire process of appointing both the Registrar and the “purported Vice Chancellor”.
“The Pro-Chancellor disregarded essential steps in the selection process which are mandatorily provided for by the enabling law. A few instances will suffice: (a)He negotiated a consent judgement with one of the dissident Professor and known friend of Dr Benard Odoh, Prof Tony Okoye, of the Dept. of Environmental Management, who despite not having a locus standi, as he was not a contestant for the position of the Vice chancellor, sued to enforce adherence to the already published contentious eligibility criteria which he believed favoured his friend. This consent agreement was reached without the knowledge of the other defendants in the case which includes the University, the Council and the Acting Vice Chancellor. WHAT A FRAUD! In return, Prof Tony Okoye was appointed by the Chairman of Council to represent the Senate in the Selection panel for the appointment of Registrar without the consent of Senate. This is a clear case of CRIMINAL COLLUSION. What a shame to both the Chairman of Council and the usurper, Prof Tony Okoye.
(b) The Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) (amendments) 2012 provides for the
establishment of a Search Team to be constituted as follows: A member of Council who is not a member of Senate as chairman. Two members of Senate who are not members of council, one of whom shall be a Professor; Two members of Congregation who should not be members of Council, one of whom should be a Professor. To identify and nominate for consideration suitable persons who are not likely to apply for the post on their own volition because they feel that it is not proper to do so.
The routine practice is that this Committee is set up at the time of the advertisement so that they use the six (6) weeks advertised window to search for candidates all-round the nation. And the various constituencies to wit; Senate and Congregation, are usually required to nominate their members (which is done through a popular vote). The Chairman set up the said Committee on 22nd October 2024 and single-handedly picked members of the Committee as suggested to him by his “Vice Chancellor designate”. Meanwhile the Chairman of Council is neither a member of Senate nor Congregation.
In setting up the Committee he had proposed that they have one month to do the search given that Council had proposed interviewing candidates for the position of Vice Chancellor in the first week of December 2024.
‘The unanticipated removal of the Minister of Education jolted the cabal andtheir hatchet man, Amb. Greg Mbadiwe. Not certain how things would turn out with the new Minister, they had to fast forward everything and deliver the new “Vice Chancellor” before the takeover of the new Minister on 31st October. With the interview held on 29th October, it means that the activity of the Search team was truncated, meanwhile we have it on good record that funds have been disbursed for the activity. THIS MONEY SHOULD BE RECOVERED AS IT HAS NOT BEEN used yet. (c) The same Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendments) 2012 requires that a
shortlist of applicants for the position of the Vice Chancellor is made (based on the advertised criteria). No such shortlist was made. There were 18 candidates and all the 18 were invited including persons above the advertised age and persons whose documentations were incomplete. Even the routine security vetting for candidates was not done. Out of the 18 applicants who were all invited, about 15 were present. The interview which was originally scheduled for 10.00am at the Council chambers of the University was moved to a Hotel, Awka.
(d) Before the interview started at about 12.10 pm, about two court summons (Motion on notice) were served on The Registrar, who refused to receive them despite being a lawyer herself. Determined not to obey any court summon, they proceeded with the exercise. A later attempt by ASUU to serve theirs was met with vehement resistance as the security men at the hotel gate were directed not to allow in any person. Inshort the court bailiff was rough handled and pushed out of the hotel. The interview ended before 2.00pm, meaning that each candidate had about 5 minutes. Candidates from many other Universities who came expecting to be thoroughly drilled left disappointed, all agreeing that the exercise was a charade.
‘It was the same charade that attended the selection process for the position of the Registrar. The exercise for the selection of the Registrar was more dramatic in the sense that on the said day, the selection Committee changed venue three times as they kept running from one place to another for fear of being served a court order. They first moved from the original venue which was the Council chamber of the University to a Hotel where the Council members were lodged, then to another hotel and later back to the first Hotel used. In doing this, they exhausted the candidates. Despite having better candidates, Amb. Greg Mbadiwe selected his relation, Mrs Rosemary Ifeoma Nwokike, who is married to an Awka man, without disclosing the fiduciary relationship to other members of the panel and Council.
‘(f) The experience of external persons who attended both the Registrar and the Vice Chancellor selection process from other Universities was to say the least unwholesome as they left with bitter and derogatory experiences which IMPINGES ON THE CREDIBILITY AND REPUTATION OF OUR GREAT UNIVERSITY.
(g) As with the Search Team, the Chairman of Council single-handedly appointed representatives of Senate and Congregation into the Selection Committees for Registrar and Vice Chancellor respectively.
‘In all these, the Chairman colluded with other four (4) members of Council appointed to represent several interests to the exclusion of the internal members of Council (ie representatives of Senate and Congregation), whose presence and participation were disregarded.
‘WE FEEL GREATLY DISAPPOINTED Given the above, the members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and indeed the entire staff of Nnamdi Azikiwe University are: 1). Troubled by the abuse of process which has been demonstrated by the Chairman of
Council in several ways including:
(a). Solely advertising the criteria for eligibility for the position of Vice Chancellor without reference to Council.
‘Refusing to consider or accept the views of internal members of Council who requested for a corrigendum to correct the ominous eligibility criteria published.
‘Proceeding in reckless splendour to breach due process, after the Senate had on 16th October, 2024 requested a meeting with the Council, and resolved not to be part of the selection process, until a corrigendum to correct the ominous eligibility criteria is published and due process is complied with.
‘Despising the Senate of the Universityand its request for a corrigendum to correct the ominous eligibility criteria as published, disregarding the request for a meeting with the Senate, and usurping the power of the Senate to nominate its representatives in the two selection Committees by single-handedly appointing acolytes of Dr Benard Odoh, one of whom is barely three months asa professor to interview candidates some of who have been Professors for decades.
‘Appalled that the Chairman enlisted and invited for interview a candidate who is not a
Professorand who is not eligible by the criteria published. Regrettably, it has been in the
public domain that he was determined to enthrone this unqualified and wholly deficient candidate. Disappointed by the non-inclusiveness of the Internal Council members in this critical process. Hence all the key steps in the process (advertisement, search process, shortlisting) were dictated by the Chairman alone without consultations with the Internal members of Council.
On action sought,’ these unilateral actions and authoritative tendencies of the Pro-Chancellor/Chairman of Council and his clique of external members havecaused:
• Erosion of trust and loss of confidence in the Council and its leadership.
• Institutional instability, creating an environment conducive for conflict and power struggles.
• Damage to the image of the University, with negative impact on the institution’s reputation and credibility.
‘In the immortal words of Magnus Ibegbulem,THE UNIVERSITY SHOULD NOT BE A SETTLEMENT FOR POLITICAL JOBBERS, AND IF THERE IS ANY UNIVERSITY THAT COULD BE USED FOR SUCH EXPERIMENT, IT MUST NOT BE OUR PRESTIGIOUS NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY.
‘Given the above, we request the President and Visitor to the University to URGENTLY intervene in this matter by ordering the IMMEDIATEremoval of
1) Amb. Greg Mbadiwe, Chairman of Council
2) The four (4) other government appointees of Council. 3) Dr Benard Odoh, the “purported Vice Chancellor” from office
4) Mrs Rosemary Ifeoma Nowkike, as the Registrar
5) Reconstitute the Council, and (6) Order a fresh advert and selection process for a new Vice Chancellor and Registrar for the University. A stitch in time saves nine!,’ Ubaoji concluded .
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