Boniface OKoro in Umuahia
The search for substantive Vice Chancellor for Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU), has begun.
ABSU’s Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Dr. Agwu U. Agwu, inaugurated a six-man Search Team for the recruitment of the 9th Substantive Vice-Chancellor for the institution on Wednesday. They will go searching for qualified academics, especially, Abians, to head the institution.
The team is chaired by Professor Onwubiko Dike. Other members are Professor Anthony Obike; Professor Mary Oluchi Iwuagwu (Senate Representative); Professor Sam Agu (Senate Representative); Dr. Osita Igbe (Congregation Representative); and Dr. Uchenna Kalu (Representative of the Registrar), who will serve as Secretary.
Inaugurating the team at the Council Chamber, the Pro-Chancellor explained that the exercise was in line with Section 12(2)(b) of the Abia State University Law, which provides for the constitution of a Search Team to identify and nominate for consideration by the Governing Council suitable persons, especially Abians, for the position of Vice-Chancellor.
The Council Chairman charged them to work with unity purpose towards achieving their mandate, as according to him, all the team members were carefully selected by the Governing Council based on their track records to represent the various interest groups as provided by law.
“You are to approach this responsibility as a formidable team, while embracing transparency, diligence and wide consultations in the task of searching for the most qualified academics who possess the commitment and capacity to lead a digital technology-driven university like ABSU in the 21st century,” he said.
He congratulated them for the well-deserved appointment to serve the university and urged them to go all out and look for square peg that would fit into the square hole the current Vice-Chancellor will be leaving.
The Pro-Chancellor also used the opportunity to commend the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ndukwe J. Okeudo, who will be completing two years in office by November this year, for his dedication and commitment since assuming office, noting that his leadership has repositioned the university on the fast lane of development in both academic and administrative spheres.
The Chairman of the Search Team, Professor Onwubiko Dike, assured the Pro-Chancellor and the Governing Council that the team would justify the confidence reposed in its members and thanked the Council for finding them worthy to serve. The meeting was attended by some members of the Governing Council.
It would be recalled that Governor Alex Otti had in October 2024 appointed Professor Ndukwe Okeudo as the new VC of ABSU with his appointment and tenure officially taking effect on November 1, 2024.
Professor Okeudo took over the leadership of ABSU following the release of a White Paper by the university’s visitation panel. He replaced Professor Maxwell Onyemachi Ogbulu who assumed office as ABSU VC on December1, 2020.
