By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

The newly appointed substantive Vice Chancellor of Admiralty University of Nigeria, ADUN, Prof. Christopher Ogbogbo, will assume office Monday.

The governing council of the Nigerian Navy established university, in a declassified report of the council meeting as directed by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, also reaffirmed Ogbogbo’s appointment in line with the laid down rules and procedure of ADUN Law.

In a statement on Wednesday by the registrar and secretary to ADUN Council, Isaac Mankilik (PhD), a retired Navy Commodore, said the clarification was in response to “wave of inaccurate and misleading online and tabloid publications”.

The registrar said that the Minister had approved the declassification of the Council report from the 2nd extraordinary Council meeting for release to the general public, adding that it is fundamental to note that the final report was discussed, ratified and indeed adopted by the House before it was signed.

The retired senior military officer said the appointment of Ogbogbo was officially communicated by the Registrar and Secretary to Council, during the Council meeting that was held on Wednesday, Feb. 26 and Friday, Feb 28.

Mankilik explained that the council’s decision was made in strict adherence to the portions of the Admiralty University of Nigeria Establishment Act 2022 – First Schedule 4 (1) (h) (2) and 38.

According to him, the council selected Prof. Ogbogbo from the three candidates recommended by the Joint Selection Board, as mandated by Section 4(1) subsections 5 and 6 of the ADUN Act 2022, adding the Act does not require the Council to select the candidate with the highest score.

A peep into the council meeting report published by the university, showed that 9 out of 15 members of the council voted for Ogbogbo during the meeting and 13 out of the 15 members subsequently signed the report before it was submitted to the Minister on Monday.

“The general public is requested to note that the final process in picking a Vice Chancellor is by selection and not based on marks awarded by the Joint Selection Board.

“For the avoidance of doubt, what is important is the candidate to be selected must be any one of the three recommended by Joint Selection Board.

“On the last day of the council meeting on Feb. 28, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Rear Adm. MM Abdullahi, a member of Council was nominated as Acting Chairman since the Chairman was absent,” the varsity’s registrar said.

Earlier in a memo dated 3 March and signed by the Deputy Registrar, Establishment, Gideon Orhewere, the university upheld Mr Ogbogbo’s appointment. It directed the Deputy Vice-Chancellor to stand in pending Ogbogbo’s assumption of office.

“The Governing Council, at its 2nd Extra Ordinary meeting held on 26 and 28 February 2025 considered the report of the Joint Selection Board and appointed Christopher Ogbogbo, a professor, as the substantive vice chancellor of the university,” the statement reads in part.

“It is to be noted that the appointment of Dili Ofuokwu as acting vice chancellor automatically terminates upon the appointment of a substantive vice-chancellor. Consequent upon the above, the deputy vice-chancellor (DVC) is standing in for the vice chancellor pending when the newly appointed Vice Chancellor will assume duty.”

Prof. Ogbogbo is expected to bring a wealth of academic and administrative experience to ADUN. He holds a B.A. (Hons), M.A., and Ph.D. in History from the University of Ibadan, as well as LLB and LLM degrees from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and a professional law qualification from the Nigerian Law School, Abuja.

A distinguished Professor of History at the University of Ibadan, Professor Ogbogbo is the Immediate Past National President of the Historical Society of Nigeria and Vice-President of the Association of African Historians.

He is a Fellow of several prestigious organizations, including the Historical Society of Nigeria, the Philosophers Association of Nigeria, the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, the Society for Peace Studies & Practice, and the Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy. He is also a senior member of the Nigerian Bar Association.

With 36 years of experience in lecturing and research, Professor Ogbogbo has supervised 15 doctoral theses and approximately 120 Master’s Degree dissertations. His extensive academic career includes visiting scholar positions at Northwestern University (USA), St. Augustine University of Tanzania, the University of Benin, and a Visiting Professorship at Kennesaw State University (USA).

He has also served as a consultant to the University of Gambia and an adjunct Professor at Zehijang Normal University (China). Currently, he is the Director of Research at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Abuja.

Professor Ogbogbo is a prolific author, with over 90 publications in reputable academic journals and books. He has received numerous academic laurels and grants, including grants from the Institute for Research in Africa (IFRA), the MacArthur Foundation, and the University of Ibadan.

His research focuses on African History, with particular emphasis on the Niger Delta, security issues, and nation-building in Nigeria. He is a consultant to various organizations, including the Federal Ministry of Education, ECOWAS, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and Deutsche Welle.

He is also an adviser to the American Council for Learned Societies (AHP) and a member of several prominent academic bodies.

Born in Lagos to parents from Ogwashi-Uku in Anioma South Local Government Area of Delta State, Professor Ogbogbo is married with children. His current professional passion is to foster a deeper understanding of history among Nigerian citizens.

It is hoped that Professor Ogbogbo’s extensive experience and leadership will guide Admiralty University of Nigeria to new heights of academic excellence.