Nnamdi Azikiwe University, UNIZIK, has appointed a substantive Vice Chancellor, nearly a year after the reversal of Prof. Bernard Odoh’s earlier appointment by President Bola Tinubu.
Odoh’s nomination was annulled amid disputes over the selection process and questions about his academic qualifications.
The controversy drew objections from the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the university’s Medical and Dental Consultants Association, who labeled the appointment irregular and noted that the matter was already in court.
At a press briefing in Abuja, the university’s Pro-Chancellor and Governing Council Chairman, Olugbenga Kukoyi, announced Prof. Bond Anyaechie as the new Vice Chancellor. He described the selection process as “thorough and transparent.”
“I am pleased to announce Professor Bond Anyaechie as the substantive Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University after a thorough and transparent process,” Kukoyi said.
Anyaechie is a specialist in Medical Physiology and Clinical Measurement with nearly 20 years of teaching experience at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus.
He earned his medical degree from Abia State University, Uturu, in 1998, followed by a master’s in 2004, a PhD in 2009, and a Master of Public Health in 2011.
His academic career began in 2002 as a part-time lecturer at the College of Medicine, Imo State University, before transitioning to a full-time role. In 2007, he joined the University of Nigeria, rising to Reader and then becoming Professor of Physiology and Clinical Measurement in 2013.
Anyaechie has also held several administrative roles, including Deputy Provost of the University of Nigeria’s College of Medicine from 2018 to 2022. He served as Acting Provost at Imo State University’s College of Medicine and worked as a visiting professor from 2020 to 2022 on a pro bono basis.
