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Odoh Sues For Peace, Denies Allegation Of Non-Qualification For UNIZIK Vice-Chancellorship
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Amid the leadership crisis rocking the the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, UNIZIK, Awka, the newly appointed 7th Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Benard Odoh has urged the aggrieved members of the institution to sheath their swords and join hands with him in taking the university to greater height.

Odoh made the call at a press conference in Awka on Friday.

The Personal Assistant Media and Publicity to the Vice-Chancellor, Charles Otu, who addressed the media, said it's time to close ranks and get to work, as the race for the vice-chancellorship of the University is over.

Otu said that the question on the academic qualification of Odoh as well as the alleged violation of the precudures for the appointment of the vice-chancellor was a misrepresentation of facts. He added that it was time to dispel the unfounded allegations against the person of the vice-chancellor.

“This has become very necessary so that those who may not be eager to believe lies by ignoring the truth will not fall for cheap lies, perhaps for want of contradicting facts and evidences in the public domain. Especially in this internet age, they will appreciate a balance of facts, views and opinions. It has become even more imperative to speak not only to facts in this matter but to holistically address the desperate attempts by a combination of those who want to make a political cum economic capital out of the imaginary controversies in the appointment of the revered Professor of Geophysics as the new helmsman of the prestigious Nnamdi Azikiwe University and their perceived sponsors.

He stated that the Vice Chancellor is eminently qualified to lead the university, as he has all necessary academic qualifications, the exposure, experience and capacity as stipulated by the Governing Council.

Otu explained that the Vice Chancellor successfully completed his doctorate degree programme in Applied Geophysics in 2008 at UNIZIK and was appointed a visiting Professor of Geophysics (with concentration on oil and gas exploration) at the Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State in 2024.

Undoubtedly for want of space, we may not state all that we know about the towering academic heights attained by Odoh but we would be deliberate to clear all allegations regarding his academic records and profiles. In 1999, Odoh obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Geological Sciences from the alma-mater he now presides over its affairs as the 7th substantive Vice-Chancellor. He got his Master of Science Degree in Applied Geophysics, measuring in Geoelectrical Geophysics from his same alma-mater, Nnamdi Azikiwe University.

Between 2002 to September 2009, Odoh was lecturing in Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki while doing his Doctorate Programme in Applied Geophysics which he successfully completed in 2008 in his same alma-mater, NAU, Awka. In 2014, he was appointed a visiting Professor of Geophysics (with concentration on oil and gas exploration) in the Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State, Nigeria. He rose through the ranks in his career and was assessed and promoted to the rank of a full Professor of Applied Geophysics of the Federal University, Gusau in 2015. Even the Registrar who was in office when he was assessed and promoted reportedly approached the Court to swear to an affidavit attesting to all the due and lawful processes upon which he was found worthy of such elevation.

“Odoh was a researcher with the Society of Exploration Geophysics, (SEG) at Oklahoma, USA between 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2011 and to his credit within this period, his research in the area of Exploration Geophysics provided economic decision-making tools towards reducing failures: in groundwater exploitation; reservoir characterization and prospect mapping for World Bank Community Projects, Anambra-Imo River Basin among others. He is also a member of the European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers, London, and Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorations, Lagos as well as a member of the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society, Abuja”.

“His scientific academic research works and articles numbers well over 132 publications in reputable national and International journals. Odoh has served the University in different capacities as Director, Centre for Water Resources Research for the South-East, Coordinator, UNIZIK’s Seismic Observatory Station; and Special Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor on Academic Matters, to mention but a few and his credentials have never been brought to doubts or questions by any of these his colleagues now trying desperately to pull him down”.

“Rather and within the said periods, Professor Odoh has to his credit, some conspicuous achievements, including but no limited to; the attraction of about $1.7m donation to Nnamdi Azikiwe University from Schlumberger, the pioneering of the first ever Computer-Based Test, CBT UTME in UNIZIK as Special Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor on Academic matters in 2014 and the securing of a N150 million Naira World Bank grant to establish the National Water Resources capacity network building centre in UNIZIK.He is also credited with founding the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Earthquake Monitoring Centre, leading Nnamdi Azikiwe University to win the 1st Prize Imperial Barrel Award African Championship in 2013 among other numerous achievements. We may wish to ask; If a man who has accomplished all these and more is not qualified to be a Vice-Chancellor, then who should”?

He further added that negative publicities against the person of the new Vice-Chancellor, was an attempt to drag his reputation to the mud.

According to him, those within the university and beyond who have taken to the media to tarnish the reputation of the Vice Chancellor and allege irregularities in the selection process, without any tenable fact, should put the interest of the university over personal gains.

He asked those in court to consider withdrawing their case as the Vice Chancellor is now focused on accomplishing his purposeful, broad and disruptive development vision for the university.

“Without prejudice to whatever may be before the Courts of Law in Nigeria, there is no gainsaying the fact that the race for the Seventh substantive Vice-Chancellor of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University had been won and lost since Thursday, October 29th, 2024. This followed the successful interview of 15 out of 18 applicants by the Selection Committee after which Professor Odoh emerged top with an outstanding 90 points. Before the successful conclusion of the free, fair and square exercise, there were contentions as expected, by some of the applicants over the advertisement notice published by the Governing Council of the institution and a National Industrial Court, here in Awka, presided over by Hon. Justice John Targema gave a consent judgment validating the position of the Governing Council on its scoring templates among other orders it had deemed necessary under the circumstance in a suit brought by Professor Anthony Okoye. Already, the said consent judgment paved the way for the council to proceed with its template as well as other well-laid-out plans to ensure a smooth conduct of the exercise”.

“The Ambassador Greg Mbadiwe led Governing Council also ensured fair-hearing, contrary to some Media reports by replying the letter of the Medical and Dental Council Association of Nigeria, MDCAN, UNIZIK Chapter and urging them to take their case to the National Universities Commission, NUC. The academic regulatory body has on several occasions maintained that the West African Post Graduate College of Medicine certificate obtained by Doctors which the various Medical associations cannot be considered as an equivalent of a Doctor of Philosophy Degree, urging them to rather introduce Ph.D programmes in Clinical studies. We recall that the ASUU National Chairman, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke had in an interview insisted in the case of UNILAG VC that it does not consider members who possess the said fellowship as having or being an equivalent of a Ph.D”.

“On the claims that a quorum was not formed during the Senate’s interview session, the University authorities through the Registrar who is herself a cerebral legal practitioner with a clear understanding of the law and all its implications had replied that a quorum was duly constituted in compliance with the statutory requirements set forth in the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Act, Cap 139 (as amended), LFN 2024. She had added that; “In accordance with Section 6(a) of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Standing Orders of the Governing Council, the quorum requirement mandates the presence of five members, including at least one of the following: the Vice-Chancellor or his Deputy, one appointee of the Visitor, and one appointee of the Senate”

“Further to straighten the records as have already been sufficiently clarified by the Registrar in response to the spurious claims of the Federal Ministry of Education that due process was not followed in appointment of the 7th substantive Vice-Chancellor of the University, it is germane to elucidate first and foremost; that notices were duly issued by the Registrar of the University/Secretary to the Council, Barr. Mrs Rosemary Nwokike dated 27th October, 2024 (at least 48 hours before the date of selection interview), inviting all Senate and Council members, relevant representatives of the Federal Government, including the Federal Character Commission which was represented by the Honourable Commissioner representing Anambra State and the State Coordinator, Mrs. Patricia N. Nwankwo to monitor the exercise. A reply from the Director, Monitoring and Enforcement, Hauwa Sani Muhammed for the Executive Chairman so expressly directed the aforesaid Staff of the commission to represent it and it was complied with”.

“Available records showing the grading of the Selection Committee for the 15 interviewed candidates under 10 key thematic areas earlier listed by the Selection Committee as the scoring template showed that Professor Alex Asigbo emerged the first runner-up with a total of 65 points while Professor Chinedu Eze became the second runner-up with a total of 57 points whereas, Professor Oluka S.I polled 53 points to emerge the third runner-up”.

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