President Bola Tinubu has dissolved the Governing Council of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, Anambra State.

Tinubu also approved the removal of Prof. Bernard Odoh, the new Vice Chancellor, and Mrs Rosemary Nwokike, the registrar of the university.

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, made this known in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

Onanuga explained that council was led by Amb.

Greg Mbadiwe, included five other members: Hafiz Oladejo, Augustine Onyedebelu, and Mr Amioleran Osahon, and Rtd. Gen. Funsho Oyeneyin.

He said that the sacking of the governing council and officials followed reports that the council illegally appointed an unqualified vice-chancellor without following due process.

He also said that after the controversial appointment, the Federal Government stepped in to address tensions between the university’s Senate and the governing council of the 33-year-old institution.

The presidential aide said that the government expressed concern over the council’s apparent disregard for the university’s governing laws in its selection process.

Similarly, Onanuga said Tinubu also approved the removal of Mr Ohieku Muhammed Salami as the Pro-chancellor and Chairman of the governing council of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Benue state.

He stated that the decision followed Salami’s illegal actions, including suspending the Vice-Chancellor without following the prescribed procedures.

Onanuga said that despite the Federal Ministry of Education’s call for the unlawful suspension to be revoked Salami refused to comply.

” Instead, he resorted to abusive and threatening behaviour towards the Ministry’s Directors, including the Permanent Secretary.

” The Federal Government reiterated that the primary responsibility of university councils is to ensure the smooth operation of university activities in accordance with the act establishing each university.

” Tinubu warned the councils not to create distractions in their universities as his government is focused on improving the country’s education standards,” Onanuga said. (NAN)

The University of Benin says 385 undergraduates are to earn First Class Honours during its 49th/50th convocation scheduled for between Nov. 20 and 23.Prof. Lilian Salami, Vice-Chancelleor of the university, announced this on Monday in Benin during a news conference to herald the convocation ceremony .

According to Salami, a total of 20,630 are graduating for the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 sessions. She said the award of first degrees would hold on Nov. 22 while that of higher degrees would come up on Nov. 23.The vice-chancellor said out of numbers, 10,609 graduated for 2021/2022 session while 10,021 graduated for 2022/2023 session.Salami also announced conferment of professors Emeritus on seven distinguished academics as well on the university’s honourary degrees on three Nigerian personalities.“It is gratifying to state that the university of Benin continues to beam its searchlight internally and nationwide to identify and honour distinguished personalities found worthy to be conferred with the recognition as Professors Emeritus and Honorary Doctorate Degrees.“Seven distinguished Professors have been approved by the Senate of the University to be recipients of the honour of Professors Emeritus at this year’s convocation,” she said.The recipients of honourary degrees, according to her, include Chief Leemon Ikpea, an Oil, Gas and construction company magnate, who would be conferred with Doctor of Business Administration.She said Dr Kingsley Momodu; an alumnus and renowned dentist would be conferred with Doctor of Science and a foremost entrepreneur and Chairman, VESA Fisheries, Mrs Veronica Igbe, would tbe honoured with Doctor of Business Administration.Salami, who said the convocation ceremony would be her last as the vice-chancellor of the school, recounted her achievements throughout the five year tenure at the ivory tower.She said the milestone achievements included establishment of Information Communications Technology/Central Research Processing Unit (ICT/CRPU) and Centre For Educational Technology (CET)“Management of the University has not relented in the efforts to re-position the Institution in the top hierarchy of Institutions of global reckoning.“In this regard, the University has acquired over 100 additional desktop computers for computer-based examinations for the ICT Centre and 200 Desk-tops and lap-top computers distributed across departments and units to facilitate cutting-edge technology-driven assignments.“These are aided by the provision of internet services, some of which are undertaken directly by many of the faculties.“The ICT Unit, in the Vice Chancellor’s Office, now successfully deploys electronic voting in any election for which such mode is required,” she said.She also claimed that automation of the registry and bursary departments sponsored by Latter Day Saints was on-going.She counted various infrastructure development the university had been able to attract under her watch.She said that the infrastructure included ultra-modern office buildings, lecture theatres, multimedia gadgets and faculty buildings, among others . (NAN)

Prof. Musa Yakasai, Vice Chancellor of Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology Wudil, Kano, has lauded Gov. Abba Yusuf for allocating 31 per cent of the state budget to the education sector.This is contained in a statement by Malam Abdullahi Abdullahi, Deputy Registrar Information and Public Relations of the university, on Wednesday in Kano.

Yakasai described the allocation as unique in the history of the country. “This is unique as it never happened in the history of Nigeria. More so, it even surpassed the UNESCO 25 per cent requirement to the sector by countries across the world,” he said.He also commended Yusuf for declaring a state of emergency in the sector, and urged all stakeholders to support the initiative with a view to achieving the desired objective.The vice chancellor lauded the governor’s recent approval for the completion of Dangote Hostel of the institution that was gutted by fire, as contractors had already mobilised back to site.“More significantly, we commend him for his approval for the settlement of allowances, especially earned allowances owed to members of staff of the University,” he said.He appealed to the governor to allocate “any available facility” within Kano to the university to serve as its City Campus.Yakasai also appealed to the governor for release of the remaining claims and allowances owed the university’s staff.( NAN)