…The students president, Nwangwu stated that Odoh’s removal was based on false claims questioning his academic qualifications.
ANAMBRA, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | Some students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, have urged the Federal Government to implement the judgment of the National Industrial Court, which ordered the reinstatement of Prof. Bernard Odoh as the university’s Vice-Chancellor.
Prof. Odoh was reportedly appointed as the seventh substantive Vice-Chancellor of UNIZIK by its Governing Council, led by Pro-Chancellor Greg Mbadiwe, on October 29, 2024, after a rigorous selection process involving 18 other candidates.
However, on November 20, 2024, President Bola Tinubu dissolved the university’s Governing Council and removed Odoh along with Registrar Mrs. Rosemary Nwokike. The Presidency cited reports that the council had allegedly appointed an unqualified Vice-Chancellor without following due process, claiming Odoh was not a full professor.
Following his removal, Odoh approached the Industrial Court in Abuja. The court reaffirmed his academic status as a full professor, overturning allegations made by some elements within UNIZIK and the Federal University of Gusau. The court also awarded ₦5 million in costs against the Federal Government and mandated a public apology from the university.
Addressing journalists in Awka on Monday, Chisom Nwangwu, President of the Nigerian Students and Youth Association, UNIZIK chapter, called on the Minister of Education, Dr. Morufu Alausa, to reinstate Odoh without delay in compliance with the court ruling.
The students president, Nwangwu stated that Odoh’s removal was based on false claims questioning his academic qualifications. He said, “Now that the court has confirmed that Odoh was duly promoted to Professor in 2015 and ordered that all his rights and privileges be restored, students are urging the Federal Government to reinstate him as Vice-Chancellor. Respect for court judgments is fundamental to nation-building and must not be treated as optional. Disregarding this ruling undermines democratic values and sets a dangerous precedent.”
He also highlighted that Odoh is the first UNIZIK alumnus to be appointed Vice-Chancellor, describing his removal as regrettable and motivated by malicious claims aimed at frustrating a young academic with a progressive vision for the university’s development.
The students appealed to President Tinubu to ensure full compliance with the court’s judgment, noting that such action would reinforce public confidence in democratic institutions and reassure young Nigerians that justice, fairness, and equality before the law remain attainable.
