The Federal Government suspended and dismissed Dr. Emeka Enejere as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council of the University of Nigeria following evidence that Enejere was polarising the institution, ignoring the instructions of the Minister and ministry of Education as well usurping the role of university management, as he became an Executive Chairman.
Enejere in particular disregarded the instructions of the Minister of Education, Barrister Nyesom Wike to pay the N1.9b earned allowances of university staff as he had taken over the University Bursary. These earned allowances were paid the allowances from December 20, 2013 following the removal of the pro-Chancellor.
The refusal to pay earned allowances made the Ministry of Education and the Vice Chancellor look bad before staff of the University and was even one of the complaints of staff.
The Federal Government appointed Enejere in April 2013 as chair of a Governing Council including one time Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Salisu Buhari. Enejere is an alumnus of the University of Nigeria who also taught in the institution before leaving as Lecturer 1. He is also an indigene of Nsukka.
Since his appointment, suspension and dismissal, the hitherto calm University of Nigeria has been embroiled in turmoil. Host communities of the institution have led protests to the school four times demanding that UNN management led by Prof. Bartho Okolo, as Vice Chancellor should provide power and water to them. Similarly, factions of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other unions are also demanding the resignation of the Vice Chancellor on the strength of an alleged probe by the Council that the supervising ministry of education has yet to acknowledge.
Investigations show that the Federal Ministry of Education considered Enejere’s chairmanship of the Governing Council as disruptive. The last straw was a demonstration by one of the host communities on December 2, 2013 witnessed by a Federal Government representative on the Council. Her report indicted the Chairman of Council as it showed that the demonstration was sponsored.
Records at the University show that the Pro-Chancellor unilaterally cancelled and suspended appointments/pomotions in the University, a function outside the scope of University Council.
In a memo copied to the Registrar and Controller Personnel Services, Dr. Emeka Enejere, asked University Management to “take note that with effect from the inauguration of Governing Councils of Universities on April 9, 2013 by the Honourable Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufai, any employment or appointment not brought before the Council for prior consideration and approval is null and void”.
In consequence, the appointments of two Deputy Vice Chancellors have yet to be confirmed as well as other key staff of the institution.
Enejere’s Governing Council also awarded contracts and instructed either the University Registrar or Bursar to implement. The refusal of the Bursar, Mrs. Chinwe Obi, to honour those instructions she deemed “unusual and not in line with procedure”, fetched her suspension from the Chairman of Council who personally supervised her evacuation and handover from 9pm to 2am on the day of her suspension.
ASUU and some other unions at UNN have been fighting for the return of Enejere as chairman of Council, abusing the Minister of Education whose ministry initially recommended Enejere’s appointment and later recommended his sack.
