Abuja, NIGERIA — A bombshell revelation has sent shockwaves through the Nigerian academic community, as the Federal University Gusau (FUGUS) has flatly denied ever having awarded Dr. Ifeanyi Bernard Odoh, the newly appointed Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), any academic title, let alone a professorship. The explosive clarification has cast a dark shadow over Odoh’s controversial ascension to the prestigious role of Vice-Chancellor, with questions now swirling over his qualifications and the political forces behind his appointment.
The denouncement by FUGUS follows a month of intense scrutiny and wild rumors, which suggested that Odoh, who assumed office on October 29, 2024, as NAU’s seventh Vice-Chancellor, had once held a professorial position at the university in Zamfara State. According to the allegations, Odoh had allegedly been awarded a professorship around 2015 and even served as the pioneer Head of the Department of Geology at FUGUS. However, in an official correspondence to legal representative Kingsley Awuka Esq, the university has emphatically rejected these claims, stating that Odoh had never been a staff member and had never taught a single course at the institution.
In a letter dated October 28, 2024, FUGUS asserted that Dr. Odoh had “never shown up in the Department nor taught any courses”—a revelation that raises serious questions about his academic credibility. Even more striking, the university issued a formal Notice of Corrigendum on November 6, 2024, confirming that Dr. Odoh had not only failed to hold any academic post but had also not fulfilled the basic criteria of involvement with the department in any capacity.
“We wish to clarify,” the letter read, “that Dr. Ifeanyi Bernard Odoh was never a staff member nor a pioneer Head of the Department of Geology in Federal University Gusau. He has never shown up in the Department nor taught any course(s),” the letter, signed by Senior Staff Officer Mal. Shehu Suleiman, reads, noting the institution’s “sincere apology” for a previous spelling error in their prior communication.
This startling admission has turned the heat up on Odoh’s controversial rise to the role of Vice-Chancellor, with growing concerns that his academic qualifications and career history do not meet the minimum requirements set by the National Universities Commission (NUC) for the position.
Adding fuel to the fire, the Federal Ministry of Education has waded into the growing storm, declaring Odoh’s appointment as Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University null and void. In an explosive letter dated November 1, 2024, the Ministry condemned the decision, accusing the university’s governing council of “gross disregard for constituted authority” by appointing Odoh without proper reconciliation with aggrieved parties within the university community.
The letter, addressed to the Pro-Chancellor of NAU, referenced an agreement made in late October that no appointments should be made without consulting internal stakeholders, including university staff and relevant Ministry representatives. The Ministry’s directive ordered the suspension of all new appointments, pending the arrival of the new Minister of Education.
“The Ministry has been informed that your Council went ahead to appoint a Vice-Chancellor for the University without engaging key stakeholders, including the Ministry’s representative, internal council members, and other crucial voices in the University community,” the letter sharply criticized. The Ministry, in a move that has sparked massive outrage, declared, “all appointments made so far are null and void.”
As if the administrative and legal firestorm weren’t enough, whispers from inside the halls of power suggest that Odoh’s appointment might not be based on academic merit but rather on political maneuvering by influential figures within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Sources within NAU and the Ministry of Education have accused political operatives of engineering Odoh’s rise to the Vice-Chancellor’s seat despite his lack of qualifications.
A dossier obtained reveals that Odoh, who was promoted to Associate Professor (equivalent to Reader) in 2022, had never held any major administrative roles in academia—such as Head of Department, Dean, or Director—positions traditionally required for anyone vying for a Vice-Chancellor position. Shockingly, Odoh has also never supervised any doctoral candidates, further questioning his qualifications for the position.
A well-placed source at NAU said, “It is clear that Dr. Odoh is being foisted on Nnamdi Azikiwe University by political elites who are determined to put him in charge, regardless of his qualifications. He has not even spent the requisite 10 years as a full professor, and now he’s being installed as Vice-Chancellor? This is not just an academic issue; it’s a political one.”
Compounding the controversy, some reports had suggested that Odoh’s alleged “professorship” at FUGUS was somehow tied to a visiting role granted in 2014 or 2015. However, FUGUS officials have flatly denied this claim, and records show no evidence to support it. In fact, the university’s correspondence makes it clear that Odoh had never been listed as a professor or received any such academic recognition from the institution.
Despite this, Odoh’s name has reportedly been listed as “Professor Bernard Odoh” on various academic platforms, creating confusion among students and faculty alike. University insiders allege that there has been a deliberate attempt to “inflate” Odoh’s academic credentials. “We’ve seen a pattern of deceit,” said one source. “Odoh is still collecting a Reader’s salary, but on some platforms, he’s being referred to as a professor. This is misleading, and everyone knows it.”
The storm surrounding Odoh’s appointment has escalated into the courtroom, with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at Nnamdi Azikiwe University filing a court injunction to challenge the legality of his appointment. The union argues that the process was flawed, lacked transparency, and violated both university and national policies.
“We cannot stand by and allow the integrity of our institution to be compromised by political appointments,” a spokesperson for ASUU NAU said. “This is not just about Dr. Odoh. This is about ensuring that the future of our university is guided by merit, not by political connections.”
As the controversy intensifies, the question remains: Does Dr. Ifeanyi Bernard Odoh possess the academic and administrative experience to lead one of Nigeria’s foremost universities? With the Ministry of Education’s intervention, legal challenges brewing, and political intrigue surrounding his appointment, the answer seems more uncertain than ever.
For now, all eyes are on the Federal Ministry of Education, the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Governing Council, and the courtrooms, as the battle over Odoh’s legitimacy as Vice-Chancellor continues to unfold. But one thing is clear: this is a story that will not be fading from the headlines anytime soon.
As tensions rise, further revelations are expected to emerge, and the scandal surrounding Bernard Odoh’s rise to Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University threatens to become one of the most explosive academic controversies in Nigeria’s recent history. Will the powers-that-be allow political interference to undermine the integrity of higher education, or will justice prevail?
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