Samson Ogbogu, a lecturer with the University of Nigeria, says the tenure of Ikechi Emenike, the chairman of the governing council of the University of Nigeria is the worst in the history of the institution.
Ogbogu made the call in a statement on Tuesday, in Enugu while lamenting that successive administration in the institution paid lip service towards addressing the challenges confronting it and that things has even gone worse under the watch of Emenike.
He said the issues of inadequate lecture halls, poor electricity and water supply, sorting of courses and unhygienic hostels are the issues that must be urgently addressed to return the lost glory of the institution.
This, he said, would solve some of the challenges facing the premier institution.
“Ikechi Emenike failed to devote more funds made available to him to address some of the challenges facing the university. It is only through proper utilisation of funds that we can have adequate human capital and infrastructural development.
“UNN under Emenike is a shadow of itself. Emenike is a not a competent administrator. He is self-centered, autocratic, and lack the managerial skills to deliver anything. I’m shocked he is aspiring to govern his state.
“Emenike failed to tackle sex for marks, poor electricity and water supply, sorting of courses, inadequate lecture halls, unhygienic hostels and unnecessary interference with the leadership of the SUG, making it so inefficient and toothless.
“UNN is now faced with the shocking phenomenon of declining standards of physical infrastructures and the near-total collapse of basic facilities that ought to be functional in a tertiary institution, to thoughtless demand for fees of varying amounts proposed by the school authorities that is financially squeezing the life out of the innocent students and their parents. From congested lecture halls to inexplicable delay in allocation of hostels to the new students for a whole semester even when the hostel fees were paid before resumption. Clearly, a major action that has caused concern for the students and brought dropping spirits among parents is the seeming neglect of the student’s hostels by the school authority to be overtaken by bushes, making it convivial for reptiles/rodents to struggle for spaces with students. And tragically unique is the revelation by the students that these hostels are left without portable water or electricity due to the school authority’s inability to neither power the school generator settle their indebtedness to the Enugu Electricity Development Company, EEDC.
“Regardless of what others may say, it will not be characterized as an exaggeration to state that the students of this institution are knowledge-hungry; that they are innocently asking for quality and affordable education delivered in a conducive/habitable environment laced with portable water and stable electricity. But as the present situation in the school reveals, one may be propelled to ask; what form of education should parents expect from their children receiving lectures in congested lecture halls and dwells in school hostels with the attributes earlier described?
“As a matter of fact, each passing day at the University of Nigeria brings more evidence that the school is facing serious administrative emergencies-that demand immediate actions to sharply reduce the financial pains suffered by both students and parents.
“Ikechi Emenike is a failure. He is failure personified. A serial loser with nothing to offer in any leadership position. Abians must avoid this calamity and those around him,” he said.
