The National Universities Commission (NUC) has presented the operating licence of the Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe University, Ogboko to the Imo State Government.
Executive Secretary of NUC, Prof. Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, handed over the license at a brief ceremony in the commission’s headquarters, Abuja.
The development has laid to rest the disagreement between former governor Rochas Okorocha and the Imo State Government over ownership of the university.
The Governor Hope Uzodimma administration had seized the university, which was previously known as the Eastern Palm University from Okorocha and renamed it Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwa University, Ogboko.
With the handover, the NUC recognised and approved the operational license of the university, as the 42nd state-owned university in the country.
While presenting the certificate, Prof. Rasheed congratulated Uzodimma on the development and assured him of the commission’s readiness to assist the state in its academic strides.
He commended the state government governor for the vision to expand access to university education in Imo state and by extension, the South East region.
He noted that the commission would continue to work with the state to ensure the university assumed its place among other universities in the country.
“By a copy of this letter, the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) are notified of this development,” he said.
Uzodimma, who received the letter of recognition, commended the NUC for ensuring stability in the country’s university system, adding that the resolve to establish the university was informed by the level of youth restiveness in the South East.
Meanwhile, Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has awarded scholarships to nine indigent students of the institution.
Chairman of the union, Christopher Echerobia, who spoke to journalists at the event, yesterday, disclosed that the beneficiaries, drawn from the eight faculties of the university, were selected based on their academic performance.
Also, no fewer than 50 retired members of the union, were presented with honorary awards in recognition of their contributions to the growth and development of the university and the union.
Beneficiaries of the scholarships are: Uzomah Onyekachi; Anyanwu Sandra; Onyeibe Anayo; Ojioha Chibuike; Felix Favour; Nnorom Precious; Amadi Maurice and Ubaegbulam Vivian, who in their separate remarks, expressed gratitude to the union and promised to remain good ambassadors of the university.
The retired members of ASUU, who were honoured are: Prof Jude Njoku (former Vice Chancellor); Prof. A.B.I. Udedibia (former Deputy VC, Academics); Prof. E.T. Eshette (former Chairman of ASUU and former DVC Academics and Emeritus Prof. M.O.E. Iwuala, among others.
