The management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, NAU, Awka, Anambra State, has officially reinstated Prof. Joseph Ikechebelu as the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the institution, effective immediately. This decision follows a recent directive from the Federal Ministry of Education, which nullified the appointment of Prof. Bernard Ifeanyi Odoh as the seventh substantive Vice-Chancellor, citing his selection as an illegal act by the now-dissolved 10th Governing Council.
The announcement was made in a press release issued on Thursday by Njelita Louis, the university’s Director of Information and Public Relations/Protocol Officer. In the statement, Louis emphasized that Prof. Ikechebelu has been tasked with assuming full administrative responsibilities for the university without delay.
In tandem with this change, Mr. Victor Ikechukwu Modebelu has been appointed as Acting Registrar following the invalidation of Barr. Mrs. Rosemary Ifeoma Nwokike’s substantive appointment. Like Odoh’s, Nwokike’s position was also deemed improperly executed by the dissolved governing council.
“This is to inform the Nnamdi Azikiwe University community and the general public that, in accordance with the directives of the Honourable Minister of Education and the approval of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, Prof. Joseph I. Ikechebelu has been reinstated as the Acting Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, with immediate effect.”
Louis cited Federal Ministry of Education correspondence (Ref: FME/HE/CU/82°/1/308), dated November 20, 2024, and signed by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, as the basis for these decisions.
Furthermore, the release noted that while Ikechebelu will conduct the university’s administrative matters, any issues requiring the approval of the governing council must be referred to the Minister of Education until a new council is constituted by President Tinubu.
The university administration has called upon the academic community to provide full support and cooperation to the reinstated Acting Vice-Chancellor and Acting Registrar in their efforts to steer the institution towards fulfilling its academic and administrative objectives.
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