By: Elom Iyke Ubochi
SA to VC on Documentation
Sometimes history makes us and sometimes we make history. On 11th February, 2016, history made Prof. Chinedum Nwajiuba as he was appointed the 2nd Vice-Chancellor of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike Ebonyi State; an institution established by the Federal Government with 11 others in 2011 to enhance access to tertiary education in every part of the country.
On assumption of office on 26th February, 2016, the Vice-Chancellor, armed with over two decades of post-doctoral experience as a seasoned academic and astute administrator left no one in doubt on his irrevocable commitment towards taking the young university to the next level when he said “I have come to work and make friends. My prayer is that at the end it may be said that a child of God has passed through this place.”
More so, on 26th August, 2016 while addressing the University community at the old university auditorium, the Vice-Chancellor had encapsulated his mission statement as thus “We hope we shall be able to address issues of staff housing on campus, change the landscape, commence public and inaugural lecture, and strengthen our faculties in the short and medium terms. We should have a green campus strong on alternative energy to fossils, including solar energy. We should attract international scholars, and build a University we shall be proud to have been pioneers.”
Taking a cursory look at what he set-out to achieve as Vice-Chancellor, it is crystal clear that over the past 4 years and 6 months of his administration that Prof. Nwajiuba has already achieved beyond his goals and objectives in specific and concrete terms, yet he is not resting on his oars until the last minute of his stewardship. Be that as it may, today I will only be delving into one of the segments of his trophy-laden tenure. And that will be on the silent revolution that is happening in the area of infrastructure.
Prior to his emergence as Vice-Chancellor, the university that was barely five years then, was in short supply of critical infrastructure needed to ensure a conducive teaching and learning environment. The roads within the university were in a state of absolute disrepair with its attendant dust and mud during dry and rainy seasons. In fact, the university had no single meter of asphalt road. This caused a lot of environmental and health hazards to staff and students in particular and the university public in general. For instance, many students had asthmatic attacks due to the effect of dust. The university sits on a 438 hectres of land. Unfortunately the land was not fenced. This posed a serious challenge as security of lives and property could not be guaranteed on campus. Herdsmen and their cows were common sight in the university even as the university land remained at the mercy of land grabbers and speculators. As population of staff and students were growing there was not enough faculty buildings, lecture halls and staff offices to match the increase. This left many staff without offices and students scampering for the few available spaces for lectures. Lecture seats were also in short supply, as some students had to sit on blocks and at times bare floors for lectures.
The multi-million-naira university main gate was also not accessible despite been completed, and the university was running on power generators as t was not connected to the national power grid. The environment generally was bushy and unkempt especially at the Zone B part of the campus, formally referred to as permanent site with some tales of snake bites at night due to the bushy nature of the campus made worse by lack of lighting at night. To be candid, there were serious infrastructural gaps in the University.
But that is now in the past. A new dawn has emerged. Prof. Nwajiuba is making history with an unfathomable litany of projects that have turned the infrastructural fortune of the university around in a spate of 4 years and 6 months. History made him but today he is making history with over 5 kilometers of asphalt road networks completed around the campus and many still in the offing. The roads are also backed with solid drainage systems and solar-powered street lights. History has also been made when AE-FUNAI was connected to the national power grid, and also became the first university in Nigeria with 24-hours uninterrupted power supply courtesy of the 2.8 mw hybrid solar power plant built in the University by the Federal Government. This saved millions of naira that were hitherto used for purchasing diesel. With the asphalt roads and the uninterrupted power supply the era of dust and mud, asthmatic attack and snake bite are gone. The campus is now a wonder at night.
Nwajiuba is making history as the 438 hectares of land that the university is situated is being fenced. In fact, it is 80% completed, ensuring the security of lives and property on campus. The era of herdsmen and cows on campus is gone. The activities of land grabbers and speculators have been put to rest and never to rise again. Some of the original land owners have also been quietly relocated and settled. This has promoted harmony between the university and her host community. The Vice-Chancellor had sworn to remain at peace and harmony with the host community, no matter the provocation. History was also made when the hitherto abandoned multi-million naira gate was opened for public use through the construction of a box culvert across the road connecting the gate to the university. The Vice-Chancellor had noted that it was spiritually wrong for a completed gate to remain closed. It is instructive also to note that the building materials (iron and rods) used to commence the construction of the culvert was donated by the Vice-Chancellor (he brought it from his house in the village).This prompted many staff to make some donations in support of the project in form of trips of sands and bags of cement.
While history made him in 2016, Prof. Nwajiuba has continued to make history in AE-FUNAI with the provision of the necessary physical infrastructure to enhance teaching and learning in the university. Today, lecture seats are abundant. Students do not need to sit on blocks or bare floors as there are enough seats. Today, many faculty buildings have been completed while many others are nearing completion. Faculties of Humanities, Engineering and Technology, Law, Agriculture and College of Medicine as well as School of postgraduate Studies all have their buildings completed and being used. The story of Engineering is for another time – From a Faculty without a single room or equipment to a Faculty with a wonderful faculty block and three well-equipped workshops, in a spate of 4 years. Our Medical students also have a hostel completed for them- a requirement for accreditation by the Nigerian Medical and Dental Council. More so, the building for the newly established Centre for Non-Nigerian Languages has been completed and was inaugurated for use just on Wednesday, 2nd September, 2019 even as the building for the university demonstration school has also been completed. Other buildings that are nearing completion include Faculties of Education, and Management and Social Sciences as well as buildings for the Igbo Centre, university guest house, Arts Theatre, 2nd phase of the PG school, 2nd phase for the College of Medicine and many others. In fact, as we were all away on lockdown caused by COVID-19 pandemic, the university was turned into a huge construction site.
History is being made as the vision of having a campus where staff and students would live, work, school and interacts together as one big community is being actualized. This vision is in tandem with that of all great universities worldwide. In trying to achieve this lofty idea, the Vice-Chancellor started and completed 14 twin 2-bed room bungalows as staff quarters while new ones are also springing up and would be completed before the expiration of his tenure. Today, many staff are living on campus. As we speak, our university is becoming a beautiful campus because of its serene and eco-friendly environment. This is being made possible by the campus green initiative of the Vice-Chancellor where over 30,000 trees and flowers have been planted. It is his vision to make AE-FUNAI a campus in a garden. And it is his prayer that this dream do not die after he leaves office.
In concluding, it is not yet uhuru. A lot still needs to be done. But facts are sacred. History made Nwajiuba in 2016 but in the last 4 and half years as Vice-Chancellor of AE-FUNAI, he has made history in many fronts, and written his name in gold in the area of infrastructure.
… And many more
