Federal Government Annuls Appointment of Prof. Benard Odoh as UNIZIK Vice-Chancellor

The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Education, has annulled the recent appointment of Prof. Benard Odoh as the Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State. This decision, confirmed in a letter issued by the Ministry, follows a controversial appointment process that has sparked protests among stakeholders at the university.

Prof. Odoh's appointment, which took place last week under the supervision of Amb. Greg Mbadiwe-led governing council, has been described by university insiders as contentious due to the absence of key stakeholders, including representatives from the Ministry of Education and internal council members.

A memo signed by R. A. Ilyasu, representing the Ministry’s permanent secretary, declared the appointment "null and void," along with the recent appointment of a new registrar for UNIZIK. The letter cited the council's disregard for Ministry protocol and insisted that no appointments should proceed until the new Minister of Education assumes office.

The letter from the Ministry reads in part: “It was formally agreed that no appointments should be carried out by your Council without reconciling with the stakeholders in the University Community. It has come to the attention of the Ministry that your Council had gone ahead to appoint a Vice-Chancellor for the University without the Representative of the Ministry, the internal council members, and other stakeholders.”

The Ministry’s directive mandates the governing council to suspend all further appointments at UNIZIK, pending further consultations with relevant stakeholders.

While the authenticity of this memo circulated on social media has been debated, a senior staff member from UNIZIK confirmed that the Ministry has validated its legitimacy.