By Damilare Adeleye
Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, has announced the reinstatement of Prof. Joseph Ikechebelu as its Acting Vice-Chancellor, with immediate effect.
The Director of Information, Public Relations, and Protocol at the university, Njelita Louis, made this known in a statement issued on Thursday.
According to the statement, the decision followed the annulment of Prof. Bernard Odoh’s appointment as the seventh substantive Vice-Chancellor, which was declared unlawful.
Prof. Ikechebelu has been instructed to immediately resume full administrative control of the university.In addition, Mr. Victor Modebelu has been reinstated as Acting Registrar, replacing Barr. Mrs. Rosemary Ifeoma Nwokike, whose appointment as substantive Registrar was also nullified due to irregularities.
The statement read, “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.
“This decision follows the nullification of the appointment of Prof. Bernard Ifeanyi Odoh as the seventh substantive Vice-Chancellor, which was deemed illegally executed by the now-dissolved 10th Governing Council of the university.
“The reinstatement of Prof. Ikechebelu is outlined in the Federal Ministry of Education correspondence, Ref: FME/HE/CU/82°/1/308, dated 20th November 2024, and signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Nasir Sani-Gwarzo.”
The correspondence detailing this decision, signed by Dr. Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, instructed Prof. Ikechebelu to manage all administrative responsibilities.
Matters requiring Governing Council approval are to be referred to the Minister of Education until a new council is constituted.
Similarly, the reinstatement of Mr. Modebelu as Acting Registrar was sanctioned by the Minister of Education, following the nullification of Nwokike’s appointment, which was also deemed invalid by the dissolved council.
The university community has been urged to support the reinstated Acting Vice-Chancellor and Acting Registrar as they work to uphold the institution’s academic and administrative objectives.