Grumblings At The University Of Uyo

By Etim Etim

The University of Uyo community is enmeshed in a needless controversy over the recent appointment of Professor Nyaudo Ndaeyo as its new Vice Chancellor.

The problem stems largely from the inability or unwillingness of the Chairman of the Governing Council, Professor Austin C. Awujoh to follow the law that guides such an appointment.

UniUyo is the biggest of the four universities in Akwa Ibom State and a very important federal institution at that. Akwa Ibom people are therefore very interested in the wellbeing of the institution and will not condone any attempt to flout its laws for some strange reasons.

The University had earlier in the year advertised for the position to fill a vacancy that would be created when the incumbent VC, Prof Enefiok Essien, SAN, concludes his tenure on December 1, 2020.

Over 12 professors applied, and ten were invited for interview on Monday, October 5, but nine turned up. The law governing the process of appointing and removing a VC and other principal officers of all federal universities in the country is the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1993 as amended; and it is the governing council that is solely responsible for driving this process.  Not the President or the Minister of Education.

It is a fairly straightforward process, similar to hiring the chief executive of a major corporation. Section 3 of this law provides for a joint committee of the Council and Senate of the university to interview shortlisted candidates and recommend three of them to Council from which one would be selected by the Council as VC.

In this case, the joint committee, (known as Selection Board), on Monday, October 5, selected and recommended Prof Edet J. Udoh, Prof Gabriel Sunday Umoh and Prof Nyaudo Ndaeyo, to the Council.

The selection Board, I should emphasize, is also chaired by the Chairman of the Governing Council. It is also notable that the law gives the Council the latitude and discretion to select any one of the three recommended candidates, irrespective of their respective scores during the interview. 

The Governing Council, comprising the Chairman (Prof Awujoh) and 12 other members present, met on Tuesday, October 6 in accordance with Article 4 subsection 3 of the Act and accepted the three names recommended by the Selection Board.

The 13 members of the Council, including the Chairman, Prof Awujoh, through a secret ballot overwhelmingly chose Prof Ndaeyo as the new VC. He scored 9 votes, against Professor Edet Joshua Udoh (4 votes) and Prof Gabriel Sunday Umoh (zero vote). After the votes were taken, the Chairman of Council (he is also the Pro Chancellor), Professor Awujoh, voluntarily announced Prof Ndaeyo the incoming VC, in accordance with the University’s law.

The university community and indeed Akwa Ibom people are therefore embarrassed and disappointed to hear that the announcement of Prof Ndaeyo as the new VC has been repudiated just one day after the announcement was made.  

I understand that the argument is that Prof Ndaeyo was the second highest scorer during the interview. That is balderdash! The law, as I said earlier, does not ask Council to pick the highest scorer. Rather, the University Council is expected to rely on other qualities and criteria in making its choice among the three. In 2010, for example, Prof Comfort Ekpo, who was the least scorer of the three, was chosen as VC by Council. Even the incumbent VC also emerged after a similar vote at Council in 2015.

I have reliably learnt that Prof Ndaeyo was picked over the other two candidates for his broad experience in university administration. He is the current Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), and the immediate past Dean of Faculty of Agriculture. He was also Chairman, Committee of Deans and a former Head of Department, among other administrative experiences.

Professor Udoh has only served as Head of Department; Vice Dean and Director of School of Continuing Education; while Professor Umoh has only been Head of Department and a Director.  So, Prof Ndaeyo’s experience towers over and above the other two.  The fact that Prof Ndaeyo is the first alumnus of the 38-year-old university to be appointed VC has created a different kind of buzz on campus. UniUyo is one of the few institutions that have had a long run of smooth transition at the top leadership level.

With a student population of over 45,000, most of which are Akwa Ibom people, the institution is renowned for its strong faculty, emphasis on research and relative peace on campus. 

The attempt to upturn a process that the chairmen led and had wholly complied with the law and guidelines of the university, to say the least, is very destructive. The motive is dubious with potential to create problems on campus and destabilize the system.

It is wrong for the chairman to call a press conference to announce Prof Ndaeyo as the new VC, but would disavow the announcement in less than 24 hours.

These flip flops leave much to be desired. Academics should be honourable people. The Chairman goes about with a retinue of armed security personnel, so nobody could have forced him to participate in the vote or call a press conference to make the announcement as is being rumoured. 

I understand that he has gone to Abuja to seek the help of the Minister of Education. He will not succeed as the Buhari administration is a stickler for rule of law and due process.

Etim is a journalist & PR consultant

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