Prof Joseph Ahaneku Marks 4 Years As UNIZIK VC

DR EMMANUEL C. OJUKWU

On June 3rd 2018, Prof. Joseph Eberendu Ahaneku, Fellow Academy of Science , marked four years of piloting the affairs of NnamdiAzikiwe University, Awka (UNIZIK) as the 5th substantive Vice-Chancellor. Prof. Ahaneku assumed office on June 3rd, 2014 after emerging tops in the keenly contested post.

A native of Nnarambia Ahiara Mbaise in Ahiazu-Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo state, Prof. Ahaneku rose through the ranks as a Head of Department, Sub-Dean, School of Postgraduate Studies; Director, Confucius Institute UNIZIK and HANBAN China and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic).

Prof. Ahaneku is a Chemical pathologist and renowned researcher with close to one hundred scientific research publications, books and articles in different areas.

In the last four years of his administration, Prof. Ahaneku had made a bold statement of his preparedness to pilot the affairs of this great institution of learning.

His administration has shown great commitment in the pursuance of relative peace and security in the University. This is evident through his defined policy of running an open, broad, transparent and inclusive administration. It is unarguable to say that UNIZIK is one of the safest institutions of learning in Nigeria as of today.

Apart from initiating numerous projects of which some have been completed, Prof. Ahaneku’s administration has always maintained that government at all level is a continuum. This is clearly seen in his focus on completing inherited projects from the previous administrations.

Some of the notable projects attributable to him include construction of access roads, construction of 4 gigantic school hostels in Awka, Agulu and Nnewi; construction of Multi-purpose halls / classrooms and offices in various parts of the University including Ifite-Ogwari which hosts the Faculty of Agriculture, installation of street lights within the Awka campus, digitizing the institution through the installation of 400 new sets of computers leading to the sustenance of Computer Based Tests.

Under his administration, staff welfare has received unquantifiable leap through timely assessments and promotions. Inaugural lecture series has been re-engineered through a new reinvigorated committee that is now up and working. So far, 18 inaugural lectures have been delivered under his administration and it is quite amazing to note that spaces for inaugural lectures have been fully booked up to 2026.

It is worthy of note that his administration cleared the backlog of Convocation ceremonies during the 10th convocation in March 2016. Thus in keeping with his promise that convocation will hold yearly, Prof. Ahaneku’s administration successfully concluded the 11th convocation in March 2017 and the 12th in March 2018.

One of the remarkable delights in Prof. Ahaneku led University management is the blossoming partnership between Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Xiamen University, China and indeed other universities in China. This partnership has seen over 200 UNIZIK students currently pursuing various courses in various Universities in China. Just recently, 47 students pursuing their studies in different academic disciplines in the University were offered scholarships by the Chinese Embassy. Currently, the population of candidates jostling for space at the Confucius Institute, UNIZIK has increased tremendously.

There is no doubt that Prof. Ahaneku will not relent on his oars in the remaining one year of his administration. It is expected that the tempo of achievement will continue until the end of his tenure on June 3, 2019. Then, drums will be rolled out to celebrate this great achiever and scholar per excellence for all his efforts in repositioning the Nnamid Azikiwe University as one of the best universities in Nigeria and beyond.