Former VC Professor Chinedu Nwajiuba warns that state university Vice Chancellors face termination risks from governors and families, while federal VCs grapple with political pressures

Former Vice Chancellor of Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Professor Chinedu Nwajiuba, has raised concerns over the precarious position of Vice Chancellors in Nigeria’s public universities.

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Speaking on Tuesday at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, during a lecture honouring Professor Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, Nwajiuba said governors and their families often exert undue influence over state university VCs, sometimes threatening to terminate appointments if demands are not met.

“It has become treacherous to be a Vice Chancellor. For the VC of a State University, your master is the State Governor (sometimes his wife or children) who, depending on how he feels, may terminate your appointment and may forget that staff have to be paid,” Nwajiuba stated.

He added that Vice Chancellors are also increasingly stressed by matters related to the Academic Staff of Universities Union (ASUU), with some developing high blood pressure as a result.

Commending Professor Ofo Iwe for fostering unity at Michael Okpara University throughout his five-year tenure, Nwajiuba also highlighted the pressures faced by federal university VCs, including interventions from the Presidency, the National Universities Commission, the National Assembly’s ad hoc committees, and the Federal Character Commission.

The former ELFUNAI Vice Chancellor further criticised the practice of deploying university leaders as Returning Officers during elections, arguing that it diminishes their respect and exposes them to political intrigue.

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He concluded by noting that most academics remain unaware of the complexities of Nigerian politics, leaving them vulnerable to undue influence and operational challenges.