THE late Biafran warlord and Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu literally rose from the dead penultimate Monday at the Igbariam campus of Anambra State University, when the Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi announced the renaming of the institution to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University.
The renaming ceremony, which coincided with the marking of the 80th posthumous birthday anniversary of the late leader of the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, attracted who-is-who in Igboland.
Among those who graced the occasion were Ojukwu’s wife, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu; Ojukwu’s first son, Emeka Ojukwu Jnr; Deputy Governor of the State, Mr. Emeka Sibeuudu; National Chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh; the party’s candidate for the November 16, 2013 governorship election; Chief Willie Obiano and his deputy, Dr. Nkem Okeke; members of the State and National Assembly, Biafran war veterans, traditional rulers, officials of the University and students who, though still kept at home due to the lingering ASUU strike, attended the ceremony in large numbers.
Those who visited the university for the first time that day were highly impressed by the rate of infrastructural development and the large expanse of land on which the institution is sitting. In fact, when the state government acquired the defunct Igbariam Farm Settlement established by the defunct Eastern Nigerian government under the late Dr. Michael Okpara, as the permanent site of the university, it was obvious that the university would occupy the largest land mass among universities in the country. Renaming it after Ojukwu shows the determination of the state government to immortalise the Ikemba.
Immortalising the Ikemba
As soon as Governor Obi announced the new name of the university, the crowd went wild in jubilation. Biafran war veterans, who wore their Biafran Army and Naval uniforms, stood in attention as a mark of respect for the ‘General of the People’s Army’. APGA National Chairman, Umeh eulogised the late Ikemba with the titles bestowed on him in various parts of the country to the admiration of the audience.
When it was the turn of Governor Obi to speak, the people knew that more goodies were to come for the institution and indeed, they came. As the governor was mounting the podium, six glittering branded vehicles, two buses for the Students Union Government, SUG, and four pick-up SUVs for the security department were driven into the arena and their keys handed over to the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Fidelis Okafor. He then brought out a symbolic cheque for N5 billion which he also handed to the authorities of the university to continue the infrastructural development of the university.
Obi also announced that an arrangement has been completed for a cooperation between the university and a renowned foreign university to beef up academic programmes of the institution. He added that the N500 million debt owed by the institution would be settled by the state government immediately. Similarly, he announced the increase in the monthly subvention to the institution by 15 percent with cognate effect from January this year.
Explaining that the naming of the university after Ojukwu was most critical in view of what the Ikemba Nnewi stood for the Igbo nation, the Governor recalled that the state government had earlier named the most critical road in the state- the Head Bridge road- to Odumegwu-Ojukwu Boulevard, adding that the decision to also name the university after him was informed by the heroic contributions of Ojukwu to the Igbo people.
Obi, who said he started the Igbariam campus of the university from the scratch, expressed joy that the university could presently boast of perimeter fencing, imposing Faculty of Agriculture building; the Senate building, the on-going Faculty of Management building; the Faculties of Law, Social Sciences and Mass Communication buildings. Also through the state government’s intervention, he said, the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, is building N1.5 billion students’ hostel in the university.
Mrs. Bianca Ojukwu, in her speech, said her late husband must be very happy at the honour given him by the state government, adding that the late Ezeigbo was somebody who cherished education so much. She said: “When Ojukwu was alive, his best relaxing place was his library. He would stay there and read and even sleep and if he wanted any meaningful discussion, he would prefer that such discussion should take place in his library. Associating his name with this great institution is therefore something he would be happy for.”
Ojukwu’s son, Emeka, commended the Governor for initiating the naming of the university after his father. He reminded the people of the state that if the political party founded by Ojukwu fails, it means Ojukwu has failed and if Ojukwu fails, it means that Igbos have failed and prayed that such a thing would not happen. Also speaking, Sir Victor Umeh said the renaming of the university and the provision of tools to make it a centre of excellence befitting Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s name, was a right decision.
Right decision
“This gesture has added to the immortality of Ojukwu”, he said. The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Fidelis Okafor said the university community was overwhelmed by Obi’s gesture, noting that Obi had paid the greatest attention to the university more than any other governor since the school was founded.
“Before Obi, people hardly chose us as first choice university, but now, like other universities, we have far more number of people applying to us than we can take. He has increased our subvention many times.
“He started the development of the Igbariam permanent site; built a brand new University Teaching Hospital and College of Medicine for us. He was instrumental to the accreditation of many courses in the university. Today, he gave us a cheque of N5 billion, which no university has got in one full swoop in recent times. We shall reciprocate these gestures by doubling our efforts,” the VC said.
Traditional ruler of Igbariam Kingdom in whose domain the university is located, His Royal Highness, Igwe Kelly Nzekwe commended Governor Peter Obi for naming the Anambra State University after the late Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.
He stated that although Obi’s achievements in all sectors stand him out, the renaming of the Anambra State University to late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University has superseded every other thing he has done in the state.
According to him, the N5 billion the governor gave the university would help the institution to improve infrastructure, thereby making it one of the best state –owned universities in the country.
He also argued that compared with other state –owned universities, fees paid by students at Odumegwu Ojukwu University were very affordable considering the cost of running universities.
Besides, he observed that Igbos are known for their value of education and urged the students to understand the reason behind the amount they are paying in the university. “I know that a university student paying N130,000 per year for professional courses is not too much because if you pay less amount of money, the tendency is for you to employ lecturers who may not give quality teaching to the students as required,” he said.
