By Ikemefuna Ikem
A retired Career Diplomat, Amb. Ejike Eze has said that Prof Simon Ortuanya, the new Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) will reposition the institution to a greater height and academic excellence.
Eze, who was a former Senior Special Assistant on Protocols and Security to former President Olusegun Obasanjo said this in Nsukka on Saturday in a chat with newsmen.
He said Ortuanya as an erudite professor and seasoned administrator would bring his wealth of experience to reposition and make UNN one of the best in the world.
"The new VC is an erudite professor of Law and an administrator who held positions such as Commissioner for Education in Enugu State, Secretary to Enugu State Government, among others.
"I am optimistic that Ortuanya will bring his wealth of experience to reposition UNN to a greater height and academic excellence,' he said.
The career diplomat said that the appointment of Ortuanya as VC of UNN had broken the jinx of many decades that no Nsukka person had been appointed VC in the university.
"All sons and daughters in Nsukka cultural zone are excited and overwhelmed with joy at the appointment of Ortuanya as the first VC of Nsukka extraction.
"The good people of Nsukka will give their maximum support to the new VC and will be ready to contribute in whatever capacity to ensure his tenure after five years remains one of the best in the history of UNN," he said.
Eze commended President Bola Tinubu the Visitor of the university for approving the appointment, he also applauded Gov.Peter Mbah of Enugu State for standing behind the Nsukka people to ensure that their age-long dream was realised.
Eze also thanked the former Governor of Old Enugu State Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo who according to him was on national television many times to solicit support from Nigerians on the need to appoint a person of Nsukka extraction as VC for UNN since Nsukka is the host community.
"Nwodo made Nigerians understand that since 1960 UNN was established nobody from the Nsukka zone has been appointed VC,
"Nwodo's explanations on national television helped to garner support both locally and nationally for Nsukka people during the VC contest," Eze added.
It would be recalled that, the Governing Council of UNN chaired by Dr. Kayode Ojo, the Pro-chancellor and Chairman of the Council, had on August 3 announced the appointment of Prof Simon Ortuanya as the 16th substantive Vice-chancellor of UNN
The new VC took over from Prof Oguejiofo Ujam, the Acting VC whose six-month tenure expired on August 10, 2025.
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