“I prefer to be a dreamer amongst humblest with vision to realise than lord amongst those without dreams and desire” – Khalil Gibram
The immortal words of Gibram quoted above is a reflection of Professor Charles Esimone’s visionary leadership since his assumption of office as the Vice Chancellor of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra state. The university is named after the Great Zik of Africa, who, among other compatriots, led the struggle for true pan Africanism and African solidarity.
Professor Esimone’s knack for academic excellence and holistic transformation of UNIZIK is in line with the motto of the institution – ”forward ever and backward never”. Interestingly, his intellectual acuity, exposure and vast experienced have been brought to bear in his quest of taking UNIZIK to enviable heights in the comity of universities in Nigeria, sub-Saharan Africa and globally as seen in his desire, lofty developmental strides and other laudable initiatives put in place since he became the Vice Chancellor four years ago. Professor Esimone has come up with and initiated a lot of projects which have added value to the university, and he is not relenting as he looks forward to add more.
Let’s hear from the horse’s mouth: “When I started Project 200, the project was to make UNIZIK amongst the best 200 universities in the world, the first 10 in sub-Saharan Africa and first in Nigeria. That was the mission, the vision and overall goal. We anticipated that within the five years I would serve as vice-chancellor UNIZIK, it would be achieved. We are fourth in Nigeria today, we are 13th in sub-Saharan Africa and globally, we have moved from 4494th to around 1200th.
“Our system has changed, the method of administration, academic delivery and method of interaction has also changed, they are now digital. I made sure staff and students have their signature emails bearing the UNIZIK identity. I insisted on institutional email because it is a brand needed to sell our university. The digital revolution is where I see we have made much improvement.
“We are strengthening our alumni to make sure that everybody who has passed through the university will contribute. This will solve the university administration’s teething problems of funding in our universities, alumni endowment is the way to go. Getting every alumnus is our priority and we are creating a website where we showcase our alumni of the week, month and of the year. We are going to have better alumni and powerful website. The money from that source alone can be more than what students are paying as school fees”.
Professor Esimone has taken UNIZIK from 36th position to 4th in Nigeria university ranking. He is a man of courage and valour who will never allow anything to stop his vision. As David Viscott said, “If you have the courage to begin, you have the courage to succeed”. and the UNIZIK Vice Chancellor is succeeding on all fronts.
“On my appointment as the Vice-Chancellor UNIZIK in 2019, we came with the vision of what we tagged Project 200 to make Nnamdi Azikiwe University one of the best 200 universities in the world and one amongst the best in Africa and number one in Nigeria. The vision is predicated upon five pillars, summarised in the acronym for ACADA, A – standing for Academic Excellence, C- for Community Development, another A – for Administrative Reforms, D – for Disciplines and the last A – stands for Advancement for whatever infrastructure that had been laid by our predecessors. In this regard, projects are not expected to be abandoned at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka”.
“I got a sitting House of Representatives member from Enugu state to site his water reticulation project in this university. We also have lots of special interventions from Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETfund). My cordial and enduring relationship with members of the National Assembly from this zone has helped greatly in influencing laudable projects sited in this great citadel of learning (UNIZIK).
“In our efforts at making UNIZIK one of the best universities amongst others, we have reached out to Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu, the Chairman, BUA Group. He is currently embarking on a N1 billion Student Centre at UNIZIK as well as we have been able to attract Alhaji Aliko Dangote Group, who promised us two hostels in our institution.
“And in memory of the Great Zik of Africa, Rt. Hon. Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, through Distinguished Senator Ben Obi, we are building a Zik Centre for research, courtesy FIRS as well as Maritime Centre situated at Onitsha, supported by Senator Linda Ikpeazu, and Chief Emeka Anyaoku’s Centre as well as Skills Acquisition Centre sponsored by Senator Uche Ekwunife.
“Through Senator Ifeanyi Ubah during Covid-19 pandemic, we got a wonderful hospital, courtesy Anambra Progressive Union and a 500-seater auditorium for Faculty of Social Sciences courtesy Adazi-Ani (Chiko) and ICT Centre for Environmental Sciences Faculty courtesy Onwa from Enugu Ukwu. I also got an alumnus of Nnamdi Azikwe University, due to the problem of accreditation at Nnewi Campus and he is building office complex and classrooms for Faculty of Medicine. His Royal Majesty, the Igwe of Obosi, is also building a Centre of Psychology for us at Nnamdi Azikiwe University.
“We got a lot of endowment from TETFUND including the completed Faculty of Social Sciences building and Faculty of Education, departmental offices for Vocational, Pharmacy with two structures, all completed. We also used TETfund Special Interventions to do the first Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory Centre, where we can analyse Covid-19 and other related issues. I don’t think we have such in the entire South-east. And it is well furnished and equipped. We built another Covid-19 Centre in Angulu through PPP. We also have wonderful TETfund Lab, a Urological Centre at Nnewi as well as TETfund Centre of Excellence for Bio-Medical Engineering and Agricultural Translational Research Centre as well as transforming part of old Medical Centre to Diagnostic Centre.
In the words of Theodore Levitt (1925 – 2006), a German-born American Economist, “The future belongs to those who see possibilities before it became obvious. If within four years of assumption office as Vice-chancellor Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Professor Esimone can bring to bear revolutionary initiatives and laudable programmes which has improved academic excellence, human capital and infrastructural development at Nnamdi Azikwe University, he deserves another major appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to add value to the Nigerian project.
Ibrahim writes via [email protected]*
