ESUTH: Setting The Records Straight - Gerald Orukwa - Naijaextra

Gerald Orukwa: Setting records straight on J.B.C Udem’s frivolous open letter to Gov. Ugwuanyi over ESUTH

A response to this highly convoluted, mendacious, insulting and hate-filled write up by a presumably faceless Dr J.B.C Udem would not have been necessary, but for the condescending language, despicable, unsavoury and sundry allegations laid against His Excellency, Governor IfeanyiUgwuanyi which postured him as part of the problem in ESUT.

Hear “Dr Udem,” ‘Your Excellency Sir, May I inform you, in case you do not know that there is grave yard silence in the State regarding how you are supervising the affairs at ESUT since you took over as Governor’.

It is really an irony that “Dr Udem,” who shortly will be exposed for who he is and represents, did not notice nor draw the attention of His Excellency to this grave- yard silence in the five years of Professor Luke Anike which took ESUT to the Hades, but has become a subject of media blitz following the logical appointment of Professor Charles Eze (an Nsukka Man in his words) as the Acting Vice-Chancellor, alongside other principal Officers of the University on 23rd May 2020.

The truth of the matter is that there are so many “Vice-Chancellors-in-Waiting” who in their convoluted minds think that ESUT is a conquered territory which must function according to their whims and caprices even when the State Government and the University Governing Council are determined to correct the entrenched system failures before bringing in the full complement of Principal Officers of the University, (not just a Vice-Chancellor) to superintend over the University.

For such Characters, they will gather under all names, spread Goebbels style falsehood and propaganda, denigrate sections of the society and foul the environment of peace, but the “The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and the awesome God of David,” will not allow evil to triumph over good.

It may interest “Dr Udem” the spokesperson of the Association of Vice-Chancellors –in-Waiting and Prof. Chinedu Aguba that Enugu West Senatorial Zone has not only monopolized the position of Registrar, but used that office to heavily skew the Nominal staff disposition in ESUT in terms of local government origin, in favour of Enugu West Zone, particularly Udi Local Government, as can be gleaned from the ESUT Council records shown below:

NOMINAL ROLL RANKING BY SENATORIAL DISTRICTS

Enugu West Senatorial District

“Dr Udem” writing on behalf of Prof Chinedu Aguba, the ASUU Chairman, complained bitterly the way and manner he was removed as the Director of Institute of Education and replaced with Prof, Ursula Nnabueze from ‘Nsukka Zone’, but failed to also report that the Vice-Chairman of ASUU ESUT, Prof Larry Eneje (from ‘Nsukka Zone’) was also relieved of his appointment as HOD of Applied Biology and Brewing, at the same time, for their brazen sabotage of the efforts of Management to commence academic activities on campus and save the university from certain collapse. What explains this level of selfishness and treachery? Is “Dr Udem” and his sponsors saying that Prof Larry Eneje (an “Nsukka Man”) is inconsequential or that Prof Ursula Nnabueze who is over 10 year senior to Chinedu Aguba as a Professor is not qualified to be appointed simply because she is from Nsukka? What a Shame? ‘Dr Udem’ and his sponsors have to explain how the desperation of Prof. Eze would lead him to remove Prof. Aguba who had presented himself to the Ag. Vice-Chancellor as a friend, but chose to be overwhelmed and suffused by sectional considerations in championing for the removal of the Acting Vice-chancellor in several monitored sectional meetings, and even on the floor of ASUU less than 3 month into his tenure.

Again, in the wicked desperation to create a nonexistent composition in the Management of ESUT, “Dr Udem,” his bunch of desperados and Nsukka haters spared no shame in misinforming the public. The truth is that there is nowhere in the organogram of any University where Director of Works and Chief Security Officers are part of the Management team. As a matter of fact, the Chief Security Officer is a middle level Officer of the University. It is not also true that Prof Frank Ezugwu is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of ESUT. He is currently the Provost ESUT College of Medicine – a position into which he was duly elected following the expiration of the tenure of the former Provost, Late Professor Anthony Ugochukwu. So, why this inciting misinformation?

Talking about domination of ESUT Management by Enugu North Senatorial Zone, “Dr Udem” and his co-travellers must be reminded that in the recent past, the whole Management team was populated by Enugu West Zone. For instance, at the time Prof. Chiweyite Ejike was the Vice-Chancellor of ASUTECH, Prof Festus Eze was the Registrar, Mr Akachukwu, the Bursar, and Dr Ngozi Ene, the University Librarian; all these Principal Offices were from one Zone. As recent as 2011, the Management and Council was also dominated by Enugu West, precisely Udi LGA. Details are as follows:

1. Visitor ——- His Excellency Barr. Sullivan Chime (UDI

2. Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council —- Chief ChiloOffiah (UDI)

3. Deputy-Vice-Chancellor —– Prof. A.E Uzoagulu (UDI)

4. Registrar —- Barr. C.C Igbokwe —- (UDI)

5. University Librarian —- Mr George Igwebuike (UDI

6. Provost College of Medicine —– Prof. A.O.C Akpa (Awgu)

So why didn’t “Dr Udem” and his co-travellers draw the attention of the Public to the above skewed appointments and skewed staff disposition in ESUT? “Dr Udem” should please do himself and his sponsors a favour by keeping to the popular aphorism that “those who live in glass houses should not throw stones”

The unwarranted onslaught on His Excellency and the people of Enugu North in the open letter to the Governor by “Dr J.B.C Udem” represents the mindset of desperados who are neither tutored by history nor guided by reality. ESUT will never fall into the hands of scavengers, who have made progress impossible in the University. The said letter has nothing to do with the composition of ESUT Management, but everything to do with those who have assumed the post of Vice-Chancellors- in- Waiting and feel that except Prof Eze is intimidated out; their pipe dreams will never be achieved.

It is also on record that since the inception of Enugu State Polytechnic Iwollo, eleven years now, Enugu West has continued to produce the Rector of the institution till date. Also Prof. Edwin Onyeneje from Enugu West (Udi) was Rector of IMT Enugu for 4 years and was succeeded by Prof. Iloeje from Enugu West zone (Udi) who was in office for five years. Who is fooling who? Where was the likes of Dr. J.B.C Udem and his cohorts then?

Why the desperation and hullabaloo for the appointment of a substantive Vice Chancellor of ESUT when it is obvious and certain that whenever such appointment is made, the appointee will be in office for five secured years which is the tenure of the office? Why the stereotyping and blackmailing of Nsukka people all the time? What is the offence of an Nsukka man? Enough is really enough. Oyi Ekwa Awueshi Kpachar’ Enya.

Dr. Gerald Orukwa wrote in from Enugu.