The Chairman of the Governing Council of the Admiralty University of Nigeria (ADUN), Dele Ezeoba, a retired Vice-Admiral and former Nigeria’s Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) has tendered his resignation letter in protest against the federal government’s confirmation of Prof. Christopher Ogbogbo as substantive Vice Chancellor of the Institution.
ADUN, a Nigeria Navy-owned university has been embroiled in controversies for couple of days now over the selection process of a substantive Vice Chancellor.

The university had in October 2024 advertised for the position of a vice-chancellor. At the deadline for application, a total of 52 applicants showed interest.
The Governing Council, therefore, tasked KPMG to screen the 52 applicants following the guidelines listed in its advertorial placed in Nigerian dailies. Reports have it that at the end of its exercise which included written tests, a total of five applicants were shortlisted and presented to the Governing Council for further screening.

The five shortlisted candidates were Lucian Chukwu, a professor of Marine Biology and current deputy vice chancellor (Management Services) at the University of Lagos; Sunny Iyuke, a professor of Chemical and Process Engineering and chief executive officer of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Delta State; Lawrence Omo-Aghoja, provost of the College of Medicine, Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka; Ifeoma Ijeh, a professor of Biochemistry and director of the Centre for Molecular Bioscience and Biotechnology at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, and  Christopher Ogbogbo, a Professor of African History at the University of Ibadan.

After a thorough examination process the five candidates score sheet was presented thus:  Mrs Chukwu scored 83.41 per cent; Ogbogbo (72.5 per cent); Ijeh (69.16 per cent); Iyuke (60.83 per cent), and Omoh-Aghoja scored 59.5 per cent. Meanwhile, based on the criteria set by the selection board, the pass mark set for the interview was 70, as those who scored below 70 were deemed to have failed.

However, while the chairman insisted that merit should be followed and that the candidate with the highest mark should be declared, some members of the council insisted that Ogbogbo, who scored 72 percent should be announced. This prompted the chairman of the council to report the development to the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa on Thursday, 27th February.  The Minister  reportedly instructed that a report should be filed and that the ministry would take appropriate action.

Despite the Minister’s directive, the university management on Friday, February 28 in a statement by the Registrar, Isaac Mankilik announced the appointment of Christopher Ogbogbo, as the preferred choice out of the top three candidates nominated by the Joint Selection Board of the institution’s governing council.

But Ezeoba swiftly distanced himself from the appointment, describing it as “illegal.”
“That exercise, whatever they have done is illegal, don’t engage with them please. This is because the Honourable Minister of Education, who is the supervising entity, instructed that the exercise should be halted until further notice. Whatever they have done is illegal,” Ezeoba said.

However, in another turn of events this Wednesday, the Ministry of Education confirmed the appointment of Ogbogbo, saying it aligned with the provisions of the Admiralty University of Nigeria (Establishment) Act 2022 and other extant provisions regulating the affairs of the University.
In a rejoinder by Folasade Boriowo, Director of Press and Public Relations,  the Ministry disclosed the affirmation was reached after a thorough review of the selection process.

“The Federal Ministry of Education seeks to set the record straight regarding the recent appointment of the substantive Vice-Chancellor of Admiralty University of Nigeria, Ibuzor Delta State.
“Contrary to recent misleading reports, the Ministry later discovered as a fact that due process was meticulously followed in the selection process culminating in the appointment of Professor Christopher B. N. Ogbogbo as the substantive Vice-Chancellor.

“Following a thorough review of the selection process, subsequent ministerial intervention and in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to merit and fairness, the Ministry confirms that Professor Christopher B. N. Ogbogbo is the most eligible candidate for the position of substantive Vice Chancellor of ADUN,” the rejoinder reads in part.

Obviously taken aback by the latest position of the Federal Ministry of Education and unable to reconcile the position with the painstaking and transparent task of the selection process which the Board he Chaired spearheaded, the former Chief of Naval Staff resigned his position as the Pro-Chancellor and  Chairman of the Governing Council of the university.