-Prays for Aspirants
Following that the Post of the Vice-Chancellor, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu- Alike, Ebonyi State, will become vacant in February, 2021, and pursuant to section 3, Subsection 2,(b)(11)(111) of the Universities Miscellaneous Provisions Amendment Act of 2003, the University Governing Council is required to constitute a Search Team, consisting of two members of the Senate who are not members of Council, one of whom shall be a Professor, to identify and nominate for consideration, suitable persons, who are not likely to apply for the post. The University Congregation is also required to nominate two members to join the Search Team.



L-R: Registrar, Mrs. Odisa Okeke, Vice-Chancellor, Professor Chinedum Nwajiuba, Deputy Vice Chancellors Professor Ameh Akoh and Professor Philip Omoke agreeing on modalities

Consequently, two consecutive meetings of Senate and Congregation were held at the University Main Auditorium, on Thursday, 17th of September, 2020 to elect members of the Search Team and Selection Board for a new VC for the University. Recall that internal and external advertisements for the position of the Vice- Chancellor had been placed in National Dailies and Social Media platforms since Monday, the 24th of August, 2020.

Voting in progress

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Chinedum Nwajiuba, who will be exiting office in February, 2021, welcomed attendees at each of the meetings and requested that they sit according to Faculty and Departmental Divisions for proper identification and ease of vote casting. He thereafter called up the Registrar, Mrs. Odisa Okeke, to set the meeting in motion, which she did by enlightening participants on the purpose for the gathering, the guidelines and conditions for the free, fair and peaceful elections through which the members of the Search Team and Selection Board successfully emerged and were constituted.

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Chinedum Nwajiuba addressing Professors in AE-FUNAI aspiring for the position of VC as advertised

Three persons from Senate accepted their nominations and stood for election for Search Team. J.O Adeyeye, a Professor of Management and Engineer Doctor C. Ezeah, Dean, Faculty of Engineering, were elected as Senate representatives for the Search Team. For the election of the two members of the Selection Board, who, following the provisions had to be Professors, Paul Ezeonu, Provost, College of Medicine and Abel Ezeoha, Director, Academic Planning emerged.

Prayer session for Aspirants

At the end of the first phase of the day’s meetings, the Vice-Chancellor expressed his excitement and gratitude to all present for the meeting for their cooperation and good conduct. He also expressed gratitude to God that the process of selecting a new Vice-Chancellor to take over from him had commenced to the glory of God. He prayed for the will of God in the project and wished the teams well in their search and selection for suitable candidate(s).

Professor Nwajiuba and other Principal Officers observing vote counting.

In further demonstration of his neutrality in the choice of his Successor and in acknowledgement of the fact that it is God who crowns Kings and Queens, Professor Nwajiuba called out all the aspirants for the post of Vice Chancellor, from among Senate membership, for special prayers and presentation to God. Authority to render the prayer was bestowed upon Venerable Dr. Obinna Ibezim, Ag. Director, Language Centre, who prayed that God would bless their aspirations and choose from among them, according to His will. Those who presented themselves for the prayer were Professors Sunday Elom, the immediate past Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Michael U. Onu, Former Director, Centre for Education Services, Onuegbu O. Ugwu, Former Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Jonny.O. Ogunji, Director, CES, Rosemary O. Igbo, Dean, Faculty of Education and Chairman Inaugural and Public Lectures Committee and Fidelis O. Okpata of Faculty of Management and Social Sciences.

Vote Counting in progress

The meeting of Congregation followed the established procedure through to nomination and voting for the two members of the Search Team drawn from Congregation, made up of Teaching and Non-Teaching staff with a minimum of First Degree from a recognized university. Positions in the Search Team for this segment are prerogative of Professors for teaching staff and from Principal Assistant Registrar cadre for non-teaching staff. At the end of the nominations and voting process, Dr. Henry Aloh, Ag. Director, Health Services emerged as the winner to represent non-teaching staff, while Prof. G.M.T Emezue, a Professor of English and Literary Studies, emerged as winner with a considerable number of ‘yes’ votes; when Prof. O.N Omaka, Dean, Faculty of Science and Prof Romanus Ejiaga, Professor of History and Strategic Studies and former Dean, Faculty of Humanities, declined their nominations.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Nwajiuba, did not hide his satisfaction at the high level of decorum and transparency in the conduct of the elections and declared his trust and confidence in the people elected to search for the right people, praying that God would lead them in the right direction. He revealed at the forum that had received approval from Senate and the Governing Council for Convocation and Award of Honorary Degrees to hold this year-at the usual time, all things being equal and asked Senate and Congregation to keep that in mind.