By Amaechi Agbo

On the 4th of April, 2022, the Enugu State Government announced the appointment of Professor Aloysius-Michaels Nnabugwu Okolie as the new Vice-Chancellor of Nigeria’s premier Science and Technology University, Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT). The appointment was contained in a letter signed by the then Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Simon Uchenna Ortuanya. The appointment was with effect from Monday, April 4, 2022.

Upon assumption of office, Prof. Okolie anchored his administration on restoring the old values setup by founding fathers of ESUT with a purpose of making the citadel of learning to be reckoned with as one of the first-class and highly competitive universities East of the Niger with administrative and academic excellence comparable to other global top-class tertiary institutions.

“The first vision I have for ESUT is to restore the basic values of scholarship and research and to turn the minds of the academia, including the non-teaching staff into believing in themselves and getting the internal orientation arising from reflection. I will make them to believe that they are cut out to perform specific functions which have to do with promoting teaching, research, collaboration and networking between groups, trans-groups and inter-groups with a view to extending frontiers of knowledge and building a very virile community of scholars in ESUT,” Prof Okolie disclosed on his first day in office.

Since assuming office as Vice-Chancellor, he has been on a mission to transform the university into a centre of excellence that serves not only the state of Enugu, but the entire nation and beyond.

With over twenty years of academic experience, Professor Okolie is no stranger to the world of academia his research interests spanning a wide range of topics, including political theory, human rights, conflict resolution, and international relations. He has authored several books and numerous academic papers, and his work has been widely cited by scholars and policymakers alike.

Invariably, ESUT was not a novel ground for him to explore.

Under his stewardship, the University has undergone a rapid transformation that has left many observers amazed at the speed and efficiency of the changes that have taken place. These transformations cut across physical development, staff and students’ welfare, discipline, research and innovation, scholarship, revival of committee system and return to the extant culture of the University among others.

Physical infrastructure: One of the most notable achievements of Professor Okolie’s administration has been the construction of a multi-million-naira asphalted pavilion for convocation, matriculation, and other ceremonies at ESUT. This has provided a much-needed upgrade to the University’s infrastructure and has given students and staff alike a sense of pride and belonging.

Chronicles of other modest achievements that fall under infrastructural development and improvement of existing facilities include but not limited to: replacement of seats at the Julius Onah Auditorium, ESUT; replacement of seats at the Senate Chambers; installation of solar energy in the Vice Chancellor’s office; improvement of electricity supply on campus by attracting the donation of additional electric feeder from stakeholders in the state.

Below are the list of THIRTY ACHIEVEMENTS, inter alia, recorded by the Vice-Chancellor in two years of his stewardship:

1.         Increment of Medical Laboratory admission quota from 50 to 240. The latest figure was confirmed during the Senate sitting on Thursday, March 28.

2.         Creation of Five New Departments – Mathematics, Statistics, Environmental Management, History and International Studies and Mechatronics Engineering

3.         Establishment of effective calendar for ESUT.

4.         Successful conduct of Biometric verification of staff members which helped to flush out tens of “ghost workers” and millions of naira saved.

5.         Successful conduct of Regularisation of staff members

6.         Regular Payment of staff salaries and entitlements

7.         Massive Promotion of deserving staff members as well as confirmation of appointment of workers

8.         Relocation of Pharmaceutical Faculty to its permanent site in Agbani

9.         Naming of Streets and major Roads in ESUT after prominent Nigerians

10.       Creation of favourable working environment with University staff/workers’ unions and associations.

11.       Buying over of Afrihub Building and converting same to Internet hub

12.       Re-establishment of ESUT Radio, 106.5fm which is 90 percent completion

13.       Improved webometric ranking of the University by the NUC in its 2023 rankings of the Nigerian Universities where ESUT was elevated to 29 out of 111 universities in Nigeria

14.       Digitalisation of ESUT records to enhance transparency and accountability in the system, reduce administrative bottlenecks, and improve the overall quality of service delivery to stakeholders of the University.

15.       Attraction of extra 30 plots of land from host communities for the building of ESUT Secondary School

16.       About 15 hectares of land have been mapped out for planting of oil palm seedlings and pawpaw trees. The project, which involves the planting of 25, 000 seedlings of hybrid palm trees, is in the offing with the aim of making the university a major supplier of palm oil and pawpaw fruits within the next two years in Enugu State and South-East region.

17.       Back-to-back conduct of ESUT Convocation in 2022 and 2023. The last convocation, prior, was in 2016. The date for the 2024 Convocation has been set already to hold on Saturday, November 23.

18.       Asphalting of ESUT Ebeano Convocation Arena.

19.       Clearing Pharmacy Graduates to embark on National Youth Service. Prior to his appointment on April 4, some past graduates of the department were not going on the mandatory one-year national service.

20.       Full accreditation of over 89% of programmes that had undergone the NUC verification/accreditation processes.

21.       Increment of number of admitted students into the university from less than three thousand to over six thousand in 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 admission years, respectively.

22.       Attraction of the construction of one kilometre road in ESUT to be carried out by the Enugu State Government.  The road construction is expected to commence soon.

23.       Installation of Solar Energy in various hostels in the university that cost over two hundred million naira.

24.       Bringing the first helicopter to touch down ESUT premises during the 2023 Convocation ceremony on November 18, 2023.

25.       Enthroning discipline, punctuality and probity among the staff.

26.       Employment of ten able bodied men from the host communities as security personnel 

27.       Ensuring and implementing his policy of zero tolerance for cultism, social vices and examination malpractice with some students either under investigation, expelled or are facing trials in courts for their offences.

28.       Partnership with Eastwing Aviation Institute, Enugu, for the development of aircraft engineering technology in the South-East and beyond

29.       Perhaps most importantly, Professor Okolie’s administration has not owed staff monthly salaries since he assumed duty. This has been a significant morale booster for staff, who have often had to go for months without pay due to financial constraints within the University.

30.       Engagement with MTN to provide 4G network to boost internet connectivity on campus.

The list is not exhaustive.

Professor Okolie’s two-year stewardship as Vice-Chancellor of ESUT has been characterized by a strong commitment to excellence, innovation, and reform. He has demonstrated a deep understanding of the challenges facing Nigerian universities, and has taken decisive actions to address them. With two years down and additional three years to come in his five-year tenure, Prof Okolie has set a standard for himself and he cannot afford to lower the guard going forward. 

Professor Aloysius-Michaels Okolie’s Profile

Aloysius-Michaels Nnabugwu Okolie, born decades ago in Umuhu village of Agwu Local Government Area, Enugu State, is a Professor of Political Science and International Relations of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN.

Prior to his current appointment, he was Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, UNN and was also Chairman, UNN Chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

Regarded as Disruptive Innovator, Professor Okolie holds a Bachelor of Science degree (B.Sc.) in Political Science/Administrative Studies; a Master of Science (M.Sc.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in International Relations.  He was a Fulbright Scholar in 2004 at the prestigious American Studies Institute on United States Foreign Policy. He holds a postgraduate Diploma in Management of Higher Education from the Galilee International Management Institute, Israel.

As an erudite scholar, Professor Okolie was also a resource person to the National Defence College, Abuja, on Foreign Policy and National Security Round-table on Nigeria and her Immediate Neighbours.

He has held many leadership positions including: Chairman, Governing Council, Enugu State College of Education, Technical, 2021 till date. Vice President (2nd), Social Science Academy of Nigeria, 2021 – date. President, Nigerian Political Science Association (NPSA), 2018 – 2021. Pioneer Director, Joint Universities Preliminary Examinations Board (JUBEB), UNN, 2014 – 2019.

He is a renowned international Scholar and Researcher with over one hundred and eight (108) publications to his credit. Professor Okolie belongs to several national and international scholarly and professional Associations and has served in several national and international Committees including: Member, Federal Government Committee on NEEDS Assessment of Nigerian Universities; member Committee on Bilateral Relationship between DAPAD Foundation of Japan and UNN, and member, Visitation Team to Public Universities. A devout Christian, Professor Okolie is a Knight of the Order of St. Mulumba, in the Catholic faith. He is married and blessed with adorable children