Education
Prof. Joe Ahaneku’s giants trides at UNIZIK in one year
By ORI MARTINS|
The academic and physical records at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (NAU) or what is popularly known as UNIZIK is at present both stimulating, thrilling and fascinating. Investigations conducted by Hallmark when the Vice Chancellor, Prof Joseph Eberendu Ahaneku, FAS recently marked his first year anniversary indicated that the University has never recorded such high flying landmarks in just one year of any of its previous administrator since it was founded.
The University was an offshoot of the defunct Anambra State University of Technology (ASUTECH) which was established through Law No. 7 of July 30, 1980 by the Government of the old Anambra State and operated as a multi-campus university, with campuses in Abakiliki, Enugu, Awka and Nnewi. In 1991, following the split of the old Anambra State into Anambra and Enugu states, the Awka and Nnewi campuses of the former ASUTECH were constituent into Nnamdi Azikiwe University by the Anambra State Edict No.5 of November 26 1991. Nnamdi Azikiwe University was taken overby the Federal Government by Decree No. 34 of July 15, 1992 during the regimeof Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife. In other words, UNIZIK was established in 1992 butthe institution is today living to its true meaning. Really, UNIZIK’s current ranking as one of the best universities in Nigeria is by no means accidental.
It is made possible by the drive, mission and vision of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ahaneku. In his one year of administering the University, Ahaneku has really proved those who chose him as the VC about a year ago right. In his maiden address to the staff and management of the University shortly after he took over from his predecessor, Ahaneku stated it pointedly that he would ensure a well defined ideal culture and institutional character in the University by promoting the institution’s values which are graciously enshrined in the motto of the school as Discipline, Self reliance and Excellence.
He charged the staff and management of the University to rededicate themselves to commitment, ideals and be focused in their services to the institution, to always regard themselves as models in the society. In many ways than one, the VC’s charge was well received by the staff and management of UNIZIK while the students are already reciprocating the good gestures.
Based on his pledge to pursue excellence in academics, science, technology and agricultural centres aimed at reducing unemployment in the society and producing well groomed graduates, Prof Ahaneku has steadily been leading UNIZIK to scores on enviable heights in academic glories as well as improving on the physical development of the Institution. For instance, under his supervision, the Biotechnology Centre of the school now produces distilled water.
The centre has commenced the production of distilled water and ice laboratory for pharmaceutical purposes. It is still within this period that a student of UNIZIK 21 year old Sandra Muna Okerie won the Most Beautiful Face in Nigeria and it was highly celebrated both in the University community and beyond.
While that euphoria was going on, UNIZIK under Ahaneku recorded another wonderful feat as a staff, Ogboso E. Ogboso takes first position in African Arts Exhibition held at Eagle Square, Maitama Sule Abuja between July 18 and 242014. With these developments, the gate was opened for a deluge of beautiful performance from UNIZIK students and members of staff. The entire UNIZIK community was magnetically electrified its Mechanical Engineering Department made a great breakthrough in construction and research by constructing a mobile vehicle named Autozik car.
While viewing the wonder car, the VC, Prof Ahaneku expressed excitement over unprecedented breakthrough. It was with the same equal excitement that greeted Dr. Dan Chukwu who became member of the Council of Historical Society of Nigeria just as UNIZIK Research Team tookf irst position in Nigeria Association of Petroleum Geologists Competition.
This exceptional feat qualified the UNIZIK team for the Imperial Barel Award held in March this year. On his part, the VC has ensured that the process of admission into the University is now very effective and efficient. According to him; “You would have noticed that we have upgraded our admission style and processes to what I consider the21st Century Approach whereby we, not just depended on the old analogue style of evolution. We have digitalized almost everything.
Following JAMB’s release of results, we applied the same measure JAMB used in screening their candidates for the JAMB exams, we deployed their level of technology; the Biometric capturing and we used that to also authenticate the candidates who presented themselves for admission in the 201/15 sessions and we carried that very experiment, it worked out very well because the revelation was very, very interesting. I can tell you that more than 405 candidates abandoned the exams and ran away; those who came impersonate.
And about 88candidates were arrested and handed over to the security agents who processed and charged some of them to court on the basis of exam misconduct”. The meaning is that admissions into UNIZIK now follows due process and are orderly conducted. Ahaneku has also done very well in the Continuing Education Programme and the result has been very wonderful as traders and artisans can now be differentiated from the real students who have come to the University to read and study.
The VC has equally been practicing what he is teaching the same way he has been rewarding excellence and punishing failures and those who promote laziness. On physical infrastructure, Ahaneku is struggling with completion of the beautiful gate which was awarded by his predecessor and he has made a pledge to complete and commission other structures like the Faculty of Arts Building and Science Village including the Main Entrance very soon. In pursuance of the dream and in fulfillment of the Founding Fathers of the University, Ahaneku made the following assertion shortly after he was elected as the administrator of the federal institution:
“This institution, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, is named after the legendary and Great Zik of Africa, the man who was adjudged as Nigeria’s greatest political Evangelist. Zik was an African statesman, pathfinder of the Nigerian nationalism and a proud Blackman. In other words, UNIZIK should be standard bearer in quality education and our aim is to ensure that this university is graded as the best in Nigeria, one of the first 10 in Africa and among the world’s leading institutions of higher learning”.
Indeed, the VC has been living up to expectations since he was voted the University’s helmsman almost one year now. For instance, under his administration, Ahaneku started his dream plans on making the University an enviable citadel of learning and one of the best not just in the country but on the continent.
To this effect, the VC commenced the completion of the Arthur Eze Main Avenue of the Campus and the Emeka Offor road. These roads have been asphalted. Secondly, environmental modification and beautification which is one of the major concerns of the administration is getting an unyielding attention from the Vice Chancellor, as roads which were not completed during thelast administration are being worked on.
Not only that, median and flower pots have been constructed on some of the avenues even as some projects that were embarked or started by the previous administrations are urgently getting urgent attention by the serving VC. To demonstrate the fact that the students are actually comprehending and reciprocating the good gestures of the VC and his cabinet or Senate members, the University recorded yet another landmark breakthrough recently when five of her students produced a Formula One Car.
The students from the Department of Mechanical Engineering produced the race car as their project. The names of the student engineers were given as Okoyenta Augustus, Okeke Chukwuebuka, Ofoegbu Kenechukwu, Ibekwe Ebeneezer and Ezeani Chikeluba. According to the initiator of the project, Augustus, the materials for the car were locally sourced and it took them two years to put in place. The cost of the project still according to him was about .4 million naira, though with thesupport of the department.
To their admiration, the students drove the car to the administrative block to showcase the novel achievement to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ahaneku and the University community. It is generally said that all work and no play make Jack a dull boy. With this in mind, Prof Ahaneku has always promoted social activities in the University.
