The Federal Government has officially appointed Prof. Lucian Chukwu as the substantive Vice Chancellor of Admiralty University, Ibuzor, Delta State.
A Professor of Marine Biology and the current Deputy Vice Chancellor (Management Services) at the University of Lagos, Chukwu was announced as the institution’s new leader on Saturday.
His appointment was confirmed by Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, through a statement issued by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Folasade Boriowo. According to the minister, Chukwu secured the role with a score of 83.41%, making him the top candidate for the position.
The announcement followed an earlier declaration by the university’s Registrar, Isaac Mankilik, on Friday, naming Prof. Christopher Ogbogbo as the new Vice Chancellor. Ogbogbo, a Professor of African History at the University of Ibadan, was reportedly selected after receiving 9 out of 15 votes from the university’s Governing Council during an extraordinary meeting.
However, the Council Chairman, Dele Ezeoba, dismissed Ogbogbo’s appointment, describing it as “illegal”, asserting that the registrar lacked the authority to make such an announcement. He emphasized that only the Chairman of the Governing Council holds the power to declare a Vice Chancellor.
“What authority does he (Mankilik) have to announce the appointment of the vice-chancellor? Does his authority override that of the Federal Government? His announcement is illegal,” Ezeoba told Sunday PUNCH.
To ensure transparency and credibility, the university’s governing council engaged KPMG, a globally recognized consulting firm, to oversee the selection process. Among the 52 applicants, Chukwu emerged as the highest-scoring candidate with 83.41%, while Ogbogbo followed with 72.5%.
A source from the university revealed that some council members resisted Ezeoba’s decision to appoint Chukwu, instead advocating for Ogbogbo, which led to disruptions during the council meeting.
“On February 28, 2025, a selected group convened a secret council meeting without the chairman’s knowledge and declared Prof. Ogbogbo, who scored 72.5%, as the vice chancellor-designate,” the source disclosed.
In response, the Minister of Education emphasized that Chukwu’s appointment aligns with the Federal Government’s commitment to meritocracy, confirming that his five-year tenure begins on February 28, 2025.
However, as of the time of this report, the official appointment letter had yet to be issued to Chukwu, and efforts to reach him for confirmation remained unsuccessful.
