The Vice Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike ( MOUAU), Prof Maduebibisi Iwe has declared the assessment and recommendations of Dr Philips Nto for promotion to the rank of a professor followed due process and extant regulations of the University.
He said only the Chairman of the Governing Council of MOUAU, Comrade Fidelis Edeh, can explain to the world while Dr. Philips Nto has not been promoted.
Speaking to newsmen in his office, Prof Iwe condemned in unequivocal terms the growing culture of interlopers who are not academics discussing issues concerning the professorial assessment and appointment of an academic to the position of professor.
He described as an aberration the practice whereby Edeh sent a non-academic to address the press on an exclusive academic matter which he was ignorant of.
” The person the pro Chancellor sent to address the press on Nto’s matter is not knowledgeable. He is not an academic and doesn’t understand academic issues. He was therefore incompetent to talk on the issues, “he insisted.
Prof. Iwe also faulted Edeh for accusing him ( VC)of not having presented Nto’s matter before now, saying that the university system is a dynamic one where the issue of appraisals and promotion come up regularly.
According to him, “there is no limit to the number of people the Council’s Committee on Appointment and promotion present to the council since we meet regularly.”
He said what the committee did was to present the case of Dr. Philips Nto to the council when it was due and had nothing to do with previously presented ones.
The Vice Chancellor declared that Nto’s appraisal and recommendations for appointment and promotion as a professor followed due process and should not have caused confusion or controversy.
” What we did with the Nto’s case were done properly. The council committee duly recommended him following from what was presented from the department and the college, etc.
When reminded that Edeh said Nto’s matter was being investigated, Prof. Iwe denied knowledge of such an investigation since there was no academic encumbrance to Nto’s promotion to the rank of a professor.
He said, ” Whatever that is making the case to linger, because it is still lingering, is only known to the Pro Chancellor,” he declared
