The Admiralty University of Nigeria (ADUN), owned by the Nigerian Navy, is embroiled in controversy over the appointment of a substantive vice-chancellor, with its Governing Council chairman rejecting the selection process as illegal.
On Friday, the university management announced the appointment of Christopher Ogbogbo, a professor of African History at the University of Ibadan, as the preferred candidate out of the top three nominees selected by the Joint Selection Board. The announcement was made via a statement signed by the university’s Registrar, Isaac Mankilik, a retired commodore, following an extraordinary Governing Council meeting.
However, Dele Ezeoba, the Chairman of the Governing Council and a retired vice-admiral, distanced himself from the appointment, denouncing it as “illegal.” He argued that the selection process, which involved a global human resource advisory firm, KPMG, had ranked a different candidate as the top choice. Ezeoba insisted that merit should dictate the appointment and that the highest-scoring candidate should be named vice-chancellor.
Selection Controversy
Investigations revealed that the university had advertised the position of vice-chancellor on October 7, 2024, attracting 52 applicants. KPMG was tasked with screening them, eventually shortlisting five candidates: Lucian Chukwu, a professor of Marine Biology at the University of Lagos; Sunny Iyuke, a professor of Chemical and Process Engineering; Lawrence Omo-Aghoja, provost of the College of Medicine, Delta State University; Ifeoma Ijeh, a professor of Biochemistry; and Christopher Ogbogbo.
A nine-member Joint Selection Board, chaired by Ezeoba, was subsequently constituted to interview the shortlisted candidates. Following the interviews between February 24 and 26, the board ranked them based on performance: Chukwu (83.41%), Ogbogbo (72.5%), Ijeh (69.16%), Iyuke (60.83%), and Omo-Aghoja (59.5%). The set pass mark for the interview was 70%, making Chukwu the highest-scoring qualified candidate.
Deadlock and Disputed Appointment
At the Governing Council meeting on February 26, members debated the selection, with Ezeoba advocating for the appointment of Chukwu, while other council members pushed for Ogbogbo. The disagreement led to a deadlock, and no decision was reached.
On February 27, Ezeoba reported the situation to the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, who instructed that the process be halted pending further directives. However, on February 28, while Ezeoba and some council members were absent, other members convened an extraordinary meeting and declared Ogbogbo as the new vice-chancellor.
Ezeoba has rejected this development, stating that the decision violates the minister’s directive. “That exercise is illegal. The Honourable Minister of Education instructed that it should be halted. If a system is to be merit-based, why should the highest-scoring candidate be overlooked?” he said in an exclusive interview.
Federal Ministry’s Response Pending
A source at the Federal Ministry of Education initially denied the existence of any controversy but later confirmed the situation. The ministry is expected to release an official statement within 12 hours.
The university’s registrar, Mankilik, declined to comment when contacted, while the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Ministry of Education, Folasade Boriowo, also refrained from making a statement.
A Recurring Issue in Nigerian Universities
This crisis at ADUN is not an isolated incident. Similar disputes have arisen in other universities, including the recent dissolution of the Governing Council at Yakubu Gowon University and the removal of its vice-chancellor, as well as the controversial appointment process at Nnamdi Azikiwe University.
With tensions high, the resolution of this dispute will be closely watched, as it may set a precedent for university governance in Nigeria.
