ASUU Petitions President Tinubu Over Controversial Inaugural Lecture at MOUAU

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), has urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene in a contentious inaugural lecture slated for Wednesday, December 11, 2024.

In a formal petition, ASUU called for the cancellation of the lecture, citing alleged irregularities surrounding the professorship of the designated lecturer, Professor Raphael Echebiri.

The petition, signed by ASUU-MOUAU Chairperson M. Ugwuene and Secretary E. C. Osodeke, claimed that Professor Echebiri’s professorship was initially conferred during the tenure of former Vice-Chancellor Professor Hilary Edeoga but was subsequently revoked. According to the union, the current university administration reinstated Echebiri’s promotion without addressing unresolved concerns raised during the previous review.

ASUU referenced a letter addressed to the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Maduebibisi Iwe, dated August 26, 2024, which highlighted findings from a report by the MOUAU Visitation Panel. The report reportedly indicated that Echebiri’s promotion had not adhered to due process.

“We demand that the inaugural lecture be cancelled and urge the Vice-Chancellor to desist from actions that undermine due process and institutional integrity. Such actions risk returning the university to an era of impunity and damaging its public image,” the ASUU statement read.

However, MOUAU’s Public Relations Unit dismissed ASUU’s allegations. Speaking on behalf of the university, Public Relations Head Ubadire Agua maintained that the university’s Senate, which includes ASUU members, had duly approved Professor Echebiri as the inaugural lecturer.

Agua defended the Vice-Chancellor, describing him as a leader committed to fairness and institutional development. He affirmed that the lecture would proceed as scheduled, emphasizing that the university’s current atmosphere of peace and progress must be preserved.

“The inaugural lecture will hold as planned. The Vice-Chancellor has consistently prioritized the principles of fairness and the university’s overall welfare,” Agua stated.

The controversy has sparked concerns about the implications of internal disputes on the university’s reputation and governance, highlighting broader challenges of transparency and adherence to due process in Nigeria’s academic institutions.