…Harps on completion of ongoing projects, highlights key achievements

By Steve Oko

The outgoing Vice-Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, has advised his successor, Orsular Akanwa, to always cross-check issues thoroughly before taking decisions, warning that hasty actions could lead to avoidable mistakes.

Professor Iwe gave the advice while responding to questions at a valedictory media parley organised in his honour.

He acknowledged that mistakes are inevitable in leadership but insisted that any errors recorded during his tenure were not borne out of malice.

“Man is bound to make mistakes. I may have made some, but certainly not regrettable ones. If there were mistakes, they were made out of care and concern for the system,” he said.

Advising the incoming Vice-Chancellor, Iwe added: “I urge her to cross-check every statement and every matter before acting on it, so as not to make mistakes. We had many plans. Some were stalled at one point or another.”

Professor Iwe, who formally bows out of office on February 28, described the restoration of peace and stability in the university community as the greatest legacy of his administration.

He also highlighted efforts made under his leadership to position MOUAU as a major hatchery hub for the South-East and South-South regions, urging his successor to ensure the realisation of the vision.

According to him, negotiations with a Canadian firm on the establishment of a hatchery were already at an advanced stage, noting that a memorandum of understanding had been signed.

“We wanted to make this university a hatchery centre for the South-East and South-South. We made significant progress with a Canadian eggs firm. Despite the politics, we must have a hatchery centre here,” he said, expressing confidence that the incoming Vice-Chancellor, who currently serves as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), would drive the project to completion.

The outgoing Vice-Chancellor also urged the new administration to vigorously pursue the feed mill project initiated under his tenure, describing it as a critical revenue-generating venture for the university.

“We have everything needed to establish a feed mill production centre. Unfortunately, the consultant we engaged backed out at a critical stage. With the right consultant, this project can still be realised, and it will significantly boost our internally generated revenue,” he said.

Professor Iwe further listed some of the landmark achievements recorded during his tenure to include the establishment of a bread and biscuit factory, a water factory, the revival of the university’s microfinance bank, and the expansion of the university guest house from 16 to 55 rooms.

Other achievements, he said, include the restoration of five deregistered programmes in the College of Management Sciences (COLMAS), the introduction of new academic programmes such as Artificial Intelligence and Mechatronics, as well as the digitisation of students’ results and transcripts for easy accessibility.

He also disclosed that professorial promotions were made less cumbersome under his leadership, noting that more professors were promoted during his tenure than under any previous administration in the university.

Professor Iwe revealed that the Governing Council had approved a new condition of service for staff and appealed to both staff and students to give their full support to the incoming administration.

Expressing gratitude to staff and students for their cooperation throughout his tenure, Iwe pledged to offer support and guidance to the new Vice-Chancellor when necessary, until his final retirement from service in two years’ time.