By Gerald Okoye
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) is caught in a governance crisis that recent appointments have deepened rather than resolved.
The removal of the Governing Council Chairman, the controversial appointment of a Vice-Chancellor who reportedly placed fifth in the selection process, and the naming of her referee as Chancellor have raised serious questions about due process, conflict of interest, and institutional credibility.
These developments come amid unresolved allegations of financial misconduct, academic fraud, and record falsification.
For COOU to regain public trust, the Visitor must prioritise adherence to rules and transparent reforms over ceremonial appointments.
Appointments and Council Shake-Up
On April 21, 2026, Governor Chukwuma Soludo, acting as Visitor to COOU, appointed Most Rev. Dr. Matthew Hassan Kukah, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, as Chancellor of the university.
This followed the dissolution and reconstitution of the University’s Governing Council.
Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, who served as Pro-Chancellor and Council Chairman, was removed alongside other government appointees.
The law establishing COOU provides for a four-year, non-renewable tenure for government-appointed council members. Odinkalu’s team had served only 22 months.
The reconstituted council retained nearly all former members.
Those reappointed include AIG Chris Ezike (Rtd), Chief Ndubuisi, and Igwe Chidume Oranu.
The notable exits were Prof. Odinkalu and Amb. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu.
Vice-Chancellor Selection That Won’t Go Away
Between January and August 2025, the Odinkalu-led council conducted the selection process for a substantive Vice-Chancellor.
At the end of the process, the top three candidates were ranked as follows: Prof. Chike Osegbue (1st), Prof. Leonard Onuba (2nd), and Prof. Chudi Okani (3rd).
However, on Aug. 4, 2025, Gov. Soludo announced Prof. Omenugha as the substantive Vice-Chancellor.
The appointment bypassed the top three candidates and triggered immediate criticism from sections of academia, alumni, and civil society.
A suit challenging the legality of the appointment is currently pending before the National Industrial Court.
Until the court delivers its judgment, the Vice-Chancellor continues to serve under litigation.
The Vice-Chancellor has also suspended Prof. Chike Osegbue—initially for three months, later extended by another three months—for allegedly failing to teach and examine a postgraduate course (PSC 811).
Osegbue maintains that he refused to teach and examine students who were admitted just one week before the examination, citing a violation of the Postgraduate School’s academic regulations.
The university community remains polarised, with staff unions and student groups issuing conflicting statements on the state of affairs.
The Optics: Referee Becomes Chancellor
Bishop Kukah was listed as a referee for Prof. Omenugha during the Vice-Chancellor selection process.
With his appointment as Chancellor, the university’s ceremonial head and its chief executive now share a documented mentor–mentee relationship arising from a contested process.
Meanwhile, the Council Chairman who supervised that process has been removed 26 months before the end of his statutory tenure.
This sequence creates a strong perception of conflict of interest.
Critics argue that it rewards loyalty over due process and sidelines the one actor perceived to have no personal stake in the outcome.
Institutions survive on public trust.
When appointments appear to validate contested outcomes, that trust erodes.
The question is no longer just who occupies the office, but whether the process that produced them can withstand scrutiny.
Beyond Appointments: COOU’s Structural Deficits
While leadership changes have dominated headlines, COOU’s core challenges are operational and systemic.
Stakeholders consistently cite governance and financial concerns, including allegations of contract diversion, inflated capital projects, poor budgeting practices, and disregard for council oversight.
There are also claims of the Vice-Chancellor’s office being used to benefit associates.
On academic integrity, persistent allegations of admission and certificate racketeering have raised concerns about the value of COOU degrees in the labour market.
Infrastructure deficits are also significant.
Lecture halls, hostels, and laboratories across multiple campuses are reportedly dilapidated and inadequate.
Students have also raised concerns about exploitative ICT fees tied to unreliable services.
In terms of human capital, staff morale is reportedly low due to irregular promotions, poor welfare, and fears of victimisation.
This has contributed to a brain drain, with qualified academics leaving for other institutions.
Records and Documentation
There is also an unresolved controversy regarding the Vice-Chancellor’s age declaration.
Petitioners have cited discrepancies between official Church records and a handwritten “To Whom It May Concern” baptismal revalidation letter allegedly obtained from the Catholic Church.
The provenance of this document remains disputed.
Observers have questioned how St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Nnobi, could confirm possession of baptismal registers for 1910–1926, 1952–1955, and 1967, yet declare the 1956–1966 registers missing.
The matter remains unaddressed by the Church.
What Good Governance Demands of the Visitor
The COOU law vests supervisory powers in the Governing Council, with the Governor as Visitor, to ensure the university is run in accordance with law, equity, and good conscience.
Frequent changes in councils and ceremonial appointments do not, in themselves, fulfil this responsibility.
The Visitor must insulate appointments from patronage.
Chancellors, council members, and principal officers should be selected based on criteria that prioritise institutional needs and public confidence. Where prior relationships exist, clear standards of disclosure and recusal should apply.
A Moral Question for the Chancellor
There is also a moral question for Bishop Kukah, a respected national voice on governance and ethics.
While his appointment is legally valid, accepting the role places him at the centre of COOU’s controversy.
Some argue that he should decline the position to preserve his moral authority and shield the Church from entanglement in ongoing disputes marked by litigation and allegations of fraud.
Others believe his presence could help mediate and drive reform.
It is also noteworthy that Kukah is associated with national peace initiatives.
The optics of accepting such an appointment shortly after electoral engagements may raise additional public concerns about neutrality.
Similarly, his other public roles may invite scrutiny regarding perceived patterns of alignment and their implications for institutional credibility.
APPOINTMENTS ATE NOT VALIDATION
COOU’s crisis is not merely about vacancies—it is a crisis of legitimacy.
The university requires validation on three fronts:
Process: That leadership emerges through merit, not preference.
Integrity: That contracts, admissions, and certifications are credible.
Purpose: That governance serves students, staff, and the people of Anambra State—not political or personal networks.
Until the courts conclude proceedings and judgments are delivered, new appointments risk being seen as attempts to manage perception rather than address underlying issues.
The Visitor has an opportunity to reset the narrative. That reset must begin with truth—not titles.
Gerald Okoye, a concerned Anambra citizen, writes from Igbariam.
