MARCEL MBAMALUAfter one month of uncertainty, tension, conspiracy theories, protests, and crisscrossing Abuja letters, Professor Romanus Ezeokonkwo, a long frontrunner, has emerged successor of Professor Charles Igwe. The latter was the 15th VC of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
Prof. Ezeokonkwo, in a senate election, polled 200 votes to beat two other Deputy Vice Chancellors (DVCs), Prof Johnson Urama (DVC, Academics, 180 votes) and Prof. Daniel Nwachukwu (DVC, Enugu Campus, 25 votes).
Join our WhatsApp ChannelProfessor Ezeokonkwo, 59, hails from Aguata LGA in Anambra State. He is of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, where he rose through the ranks as Head, Department of Veterinary Parasitology & Entomology, and Dean, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. He has been Director, Centre for Entrepreneurship and Development Research (CEDR), Dean, and later Provost, College of Postgraduate Studies, and until June 7, Deputy VC (Admin), UNN. He was also a member of the UNN Governing Council. He has at least 20 academic attainments, positions, laurels, and administrative experiences in the UNN and beyond.
His election happened at the valedictory senate meeting of Prof. Charles Igwe, which was also the 422 (Special) meeting of the UNN Senate. The senate meeting therefore, was a momentous occasion for many reasons, not least the time for Prof. Igwe, to felicitate with fellow senators after an eventful five years of office.
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The COVID-19 pandemic, which defined the economies and politics in many societies as well as very long ASUU strikes almost blighted the tenure of Prof. Igwe. Having made great use of the remaining three years or so, Prof. Igwe had a lot to rejoice about. However, the other events of the afternoon, during the senate meeting, made it far more than a valedictory meeting.
Some Prior Distractions
Prof. Igwe was full of emotions as he read a brief, but loaded speech. After the speech, two quick elections were held to vote for a substantive Provost and Deputy Provost for the university’s College of Postgraduate Studies. The acting Provost, Prof. Obi Njoku, was elected the substantive provost. Prof. Igwe then scarily introduced the procedure for the election of the VC. He spent a goodly one hour trying to defuse a torrent of lies, allegations and conspiracy theories about his intentions to foist an acting VC on UNN. He used direct expressions, innuendos and, at times, diatribes and swear words to show an apparent aversion to the attacks he had received on the matter. Prominent among the attacks was a June 5 protest by one Nsukka Youth General Assembly, which alleged secret moves by Prof. Igwe to install his successor through the backdoor, having postponed a meeting for election of a new VC indefinitely.
Dr Mbamalu, a Jefferson Fellow and Member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), is a Publisher and Communications/Media Consultant. His extensive research works on Renewable Energy and Health Communication are published in several international journals, including SAGE.
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Dr. Marcel Mbamalu is a communication scholar, journalist and entrepreneur. He holds a Ph.D in Mass Communication from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and is the Chief Executive Officer Newstide Publications, the publishers of Prime Business Africa.
A seasoned journalist, he horned his journalism skills at The Guardian Newspaper, rising to the position of News Editor at the flagship of the Nigerian press. He has garnered multidisciplinary experience in marketing communication, public relations and media research, helping clients to deliver bespoke campaigns within Nigeria and across Africa.
He has built an expansive network in the media and has served as a media trainer for World Health Organisation (WHO) at various times in Northeast Nigeria. He has attended numerous media trainings, including the Bloomberg Financial Journalism Training and Reuters/AfDB training on Effective Coverage of Infrastructural Development of Africa.
A versatile media expert, he won the Jefferson Fellowship in 2023 as the sole Africa representative on the program. Dr Mbamalu was part of a global media team that covered the 2020 United State’s Presidential election. As Africa's sole representative in the 2023 Jefferson Fellowships, Dr Mbamalu was selected to tour the United States and Asia (Japan and Hong Kong) as part of a 12-man global team of journalists on a travel grant to report on inclusion, income gaps and migration issues between the US and Asia.
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