MONDAY EZE 
The decision of the National Industrial Court, Abuja, affirming Benard Ifeanyichukwu Odoh as a full-fledged professor, reinstating him as Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK)’s Vice chancellor, restoring all his rights, awarding N5 million damages against the Federal University Gusau (FUGUS) in Odoh’s favour and ordering FUGUS authorities to tender public apologies to him was a vindication which evinced the age-long maxim that truth is irrepressible. Even though it was long awaited, the judicial verdict came as a surprise to people of good will.
The academic community of UNIZIK is unique for also being aristocratic, with operative social stratifications which was followed like religion. The appointment of Odoh, an erudite professor of geophysics, with a humble background as the vice chancellor of UNIZIK in 2024 jolted the social setting of the university and sparked unending envy, rivalries and intrigues where both the law and excellence did not matter.
When legal efforts to vitiate Odoh’s appointment seemed not to work, a web of doubts was foisted on the academic records of the young man and on the heels of these issues which could have been solved by the court, self-help was introduced through an executive fiat from the Minister of Education which usurped the duties of the court of competent jurisdiction, sacking both Odoh and the UNIZIK governing council and turning the academic community into a pyramid of illegalities.
That Odoh’s appointment followed due process and was done pursuant to the enforcement of the consent judgement of a court of competent jurisdiction was not also important. The bedlam generated by advocates of constitutional democracy against the illegalities perpetrated against Prof Odoh and the UNIZIK Governing Council was blatantly ignored. Rather, executive fiat was further deployed to appoint an acting vice chancellor to replace Odoh.
At that point, Prof. Odoh initiated judicial processes to dispel the web of aspersions over his academic qualifications and to seek redress. On September 13, 2025, the new UNIZIK Governing Council initiated the process for appointment of another substantive vice chancellor for the university notwithstanding that the matter of the appointment of a substantive vice chancellor for the university was sub judice.
This contemptuous advertisement and the following recruitment process for another UNIZIK substantive vice chancellor was challenged with suit number NICN/AWK/51/2025. Processes were exchanged between the parties who progressed in the matter.
As the UNIZIK Governing Council curiously continued with the contentious recruitment process, a contempt suit with number NICN/AWK/61/2025 was filed against both the council and the process; while another suit number NICN/ABJ/383/2025 was filed against the advertisement for the recruitment of a substantive vice chancellor in contempt of a subsisting court judgement and the provisions of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Act. In one of the suits, ruling on the application for interlocutory injunction was fixed on November 25.
So, in the UNIZIK leadership challenge, the rule of law symbolised by the court’s decision reinstating Professor Benard Odoh as substantive vice chancellor prevails and should continue to prevail
In a move to protect the integrity of the institution and prevent further complication of UNIZIK’s leadership challenge, a group of academics under the aegis of Concerned Academic Staff of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, wrote a letter dated November 7, 2025, entitled: “Urgent Appeal to Uphold Due Process in the Appointment of Vice-Chancellor and Save Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka from Looming Crisis”, to the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa.
In the letter signed by Prof Anthony Chukwudi Okoye on behalf of the concerned academic staff of UNIZIK, the intrigues, power play and legal infringements that characterised the UNIZIK leadership tussle and their ominous implications were laid bare before the minister.
Dispassionate appeals and a genuine piece of advice were also made to the minister of education thus: “We therefore most respectfully urge you to exercise your good offices to direct the governing council to suspend the current appointment process and obey judgement of a court of competent jurisdiction and also wait until all pending legal matters relating to the appointment of a substantive vice chancellor for the university are resolved.
“The most prudent and lawful course of action would be to appoint an acting vice chancellor upon the expiration of the incumbent tenure pending the final determination of the cases before the courts. “This approach will safeguard the university from reputational damage, ensure compliance with judicial authority and maintain institutional stability.
Some of the court proceedings are attached for your information.” It is heart-breaking that this proactive and soothing letter was ignored, paving way for the continued affront on rule of law, undermining of judicial authorities and brazen contemptuous actions culminating in the purported appointment of Prof Bond Anyaechie as substantive vice chancellor for UNIZIK few days before the landmark court decision ordering the reinstatement of Prof Odoh.
Obviously, Professor Anyaechie’s appointment proceeded from unlawful and contentious actions designed in bad faith to ridicule the Nigerian judiciary and undermine the rule of law. This cannot stand in the face of the landmark court decision of December 1 reinstating Prof Benard Odoh as substantive vice chancellor of UNIZIK.
