The Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, has appointed Prof. Bond Anyaechie as its substantive Vice Chancellor, marking the end of a year-long leadership impasse that followed the controversial removal of Prof. Bernard Odoh.
The announcement was made on Sunday by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Olugbenga Kukoyi, during a press briefing in Abuja.
Odoh’s earlier appointment had been reversed by President Bola Tinubu amid allegations of irregularities in the recruitment process and questions surrounding his academic credentials. The move triggered widespread criticism from the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the university’s chapter of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, which condemned the appointment as “irregular” and “prejudicial,” especially as the matter was already in court.
Kukoyi described the fresh selection process as both “thorough and transparent,” noting that the council followed due process at every stage.
“I am pleased to announce Professor Bond Anyaechie as the substantive Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University after a thorough and transparent process,” he said.
Who is Prof. Bond Anyaechie?
Prof. Anyaechie, a distinguished scholar in Medical Physiology and Clinical Measurement, brings nearly two decades of academic and administrative experience to the role.
He obtained his MBBS from Abia State University in 1998, a master’s degree in 2004, a PhD in 2009, and a Master of Public Health in 2011.
His academic journey began in 2002 as a part-time lecturer at Imo State University’s College of Medicine, where he later secured a full-time position. In 2007, he joined the College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, rising to the rank of Professor in 2013.
Anyaechie served as Deputy Provost of the College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, from 2018 to 2022. He has also been Acting Provost at the College of Medicine, Imo State University, and served as a visiting professor between 2020 and 2022 on a pro bono basis.
His appointment is expected to usher in stability and renewed academic direction for UNIZIK after months of uncertainty.
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