In a statement that would be joy to the hearts of students and other members of the academic community of the institution if implemented, Ukachukwu A. Awuzie, the acting vice chancellor of Imo State University, has said that his priority is to make the institution a model of emulation for other universities.
Awuzie, the immediate past national president of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), made this known in Owerri last week, shortly after a grand reception in his honour as the current IMSU vice chancellor and immediate past president (IPP) of ASUU by members at Imo State University chapter.
According to Awuzie, if his colleagues give maximum cooperation the university management under him would work assiduously towards restoring moral and ethical values of the university.
“I feel elated because my colleagues are giving me maximum cooperation because we are working. We want to restore the morals and ethical standards of this university.
“We want to make Imo State University a model of emulation by other institutions. But left for me, I have seen it all. I know what it takes because I have been to all universities, and am going to put in my best to improve the rating of IMSU.
He commended his colleagues for giving him support, for believing in him, saying “it is a rare opportunity in a nation where we have over 45,000 lecturers for one to be picked by a group of intellectuals to lead them for four years.
“I realised that I was only a leader among leaders.”
As the Acting Vice Chancellor of IMSU, he said he was lucky he has a wonderful Governing Council team to work with led by Clement Ogbonna, a patron who has come with innovation in university administration.
“For the first time in history we have a Pro Chancellor who is using his own money to build, not from the university’s money.
We also have a Governor (Rochas Okorocha) who is also education conscious, who has felt that the priorities of his administration is education, fear of God and agriculture and in education. He has done well because, since 1993 no governor (in Imo State) military or civilian, has built a structure on this campus,” Awuzie stated.
He added that since he took over as the Acting Vice Chancellor, a lot of good things have been cropping up in all the campuses of the university.
The present IMSU was established in 1993 by the late Governor Evan Enwerem, after the former IMSU located at Uturu near Okigwe was inherited by neighbouring Abia State, following states creation in August 1991, by the then Ibrahim Babangida military junta.
VICTORIA NNAKAIKE, Owerri
