NEWS: The Dangers Of Starting Off A New University On A Faulty Foundation; The Imperative of Due Process

THE DANGERS OF STARTING OFF A NEW UNIVERSITY ON A FAULTY FOUNDATION: The Imperative of Due Process

The elevation of the Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education to the status of a University by the Federal Government brought an immense joy to not only the staff and students of the institution, but also the entire people of Imo State and the Southeast in general. Alvan is one of the foremost higher institutions in the Southeast zone, named, as it were, after a great patriot and pan-Nigerian scholar, Dr. Alvan Azinna Ikoku of blessed memory.

Notably, with regards to the high esteem the Southeasterners hold the new University and the academic needs it has continued to meet in the lives of the teeming populace, it is important that every activity of the institution be made to represent nothing but excellence, probity and due process. 

Regrettably, the newly appointed Council members of the University led by Sen. Joy Emordi has unilaterally chosen to lay a faulty, abhorring, and reckless foundation in the highly cherished institution by ignoring due processes in the appointment of an Acting Vice Chancellor for the new University. 

To set the record straight, and to raise a general public concern on why this academic anomaly being orchestrated by the new Council of the Alvan Ikoku Fed University of Education should never stand, it is imperative to clearly enumerate the standard procedure and processes upon which the appointment of an Acting Vice Chancellor of a new University should be based:

1) If an institution is a brand-new University,  the Government (either State or Federal) setting up the University appoints a Professor (with, at least, 5 years' experience as a professor) to head the new University, as soon as, or soon after a Governing Council has been constituted.

(2) If the University is an already existing institution, the University Senate, working with the University Council, appoints an Acting Vice Chancellor, usually to temporarily replace a substantive Vice Chancellor who would have completed his tenure.

Unfortunately, taking into consideration these standard processes, it becomes quite embarrassing for the Sen. Emordi led Council to be induced by whatever promises or gratifications by the scriptwriter in which they are unprofessionally acting out to commit what could be best described as a charade and miscarriage of academic procedure and standards to the chagrin of the entire Alvan Community and sundry observers by wrongfully elevating Dr. Stella Lemchi to the position of an Acting Vice Chancellor of the University. Oh, what a huge blunder!!!

Regrettably, this kangaroo and overnight appointment supposedly done by the new Council has sent a rude shock to all the academic cum non-academic staff members of the new University, including the teeming students who have continued to express utter consternation. Now, the students seem very much ready to protest against the open and undeserving slap on the face of merit and due process in the institution. From all indications, everybody has taken into cognizance the following facts:

(a) Dr. Stella Lemchi, the former Provost of the erstwhile Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education (before it became a Federal University) is NOT a professor, let alone having years of professorship experience!

(b) Colleges of Education DO NOT promote their academic staff to the rank of professor; and, the professorship rank she suddenly claimed to have obtained from nearby Imo State University (IMSU) within a space of three months or so is, at best, a mockery of herself, the new Alvan University, and whoever claims to have awarded it to her because she's neither an academic staff of Imo State University, nor is her discipline (Home Economics) in existence in that State University as a course of study, to say the least; moreover,

(c) the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Education, Abuja, had earlier duly and formally appointed her as an Acting Deputy VC-Administration, in a magnanimous compensation to her; in view of the fact that she had two more years to complete her tenure as Provost of the Alvan Ikoku College of Education (before it became a University). So, why must Dr. Lemchi and the newly appointed Governing Council of the new Alvan Ikoku University make mockery of the Federal Government's sincere pursuit of due process by now arrogating to herself the unmerited position of Acting Vice Chancellor.?

Can Dr. Stella Lemchi serve in double capacities as both the Acting Deputy VC-Administration (as duly appointed by the Federal Government), as well as Acting Vice Chancellor (as locally/internally arrogated  to her)?

This sheer display of recklessness and show of shame must never be allowed to continue in a publicly revered institution that should be a hallmark of excellence and standard in all ramifications.

The Federal Government should make haste to do the needful by making the necessary appointment of an Acting VC for the new University. A stitch in time saves nine. The little wrong should be righted before the Alvan students become riotous on account of a straight-forward matter that can be very easily sorted out.

(Oluchukwu Ahamefule, A public opinion Analyst Writes from Umuahia, Abia State Capital)