State University VCs at the mercy of Governors’ wives - Professor Nwajiuba

By Abah Margaret

A former Vice Chancellor of Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Professor Chinedu Nwajiuba, has raised concerns over what he described as growing political interference and mounting pressures facing Vice Chancellors in Nigeria’s public universities.

Nwajiuba spoke on Tuesday at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike while delivering a lecture in honour of Professor Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, whose tenure as Vice Chancellor of the institution ends this weekend.

In his address, the former university administrator lamented that Vice Chancellors, particularly in state-owned universities, operate under intense political control. According to him, some governors — and in certain cases, members of their families — act as “masters” over Vice Chancellors, with the power to terminate appointments at will.

“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,” he said.

Nwajiuba further noted that many Vice Chancellors are developing health challenges, including high blood pressure, largely due to disputes and pressures arising from engagements with the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

He commended Professor Iwe for fostering unity and maintaining cordial relationships with staff members throughout his five-year tenure, describing his leadership as stabilising for the university community.

The former Vice Chancellor also observed that administrators of federal universities are not exempt from pressure. He cited influence from the Presidency, the National Universities Commission, committees of the National Assembly, and the Federal Character Commission as contributing to administrative strain in federal institutions.

Nwajiuba further expressed concern that Nigerian Vice Chancellors are gradually losing public respect due to their involvement in electoral processes as returning officers. He argued that academics, often unfamiliar with the complexities and intrigues of partisan politics, should no longer be deployed for such roles.

He called for reforms to safeguard the autonomy and integrity of university leadership in order to strengthen Nigeria’s higher education system.