Michael Okpara University to Punish Errant Lecturers – VC

By Ijendu Iheaka

Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike Umuahia, Abia has vowed to punish errant lecturers and other staff members found guilty of any offence with evidences.

The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Maduebibisi Iwe disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in his office on Thursday.

Iwe said that as students who manifest high levels of indiscipline are thrown out so would the university punish any staff who breached its laws or rules.

The VC made the clarification while responding to NAN’s question on why the rate of open extortion of students was reportedly very high in the school with the institution appearing to be carefree about it.

“We have done everything we should have done. We have codes. We have terrible limits for what any student or staff could do in this University.

“But there is no how we are going to pardon, accommodate or condone rascality of any person because we often send students away when we notice high level of rascality.

“And of course we are ready to do that against any staff with evidences”, he said.

He said the University established a book pricing committee which assesses books by lecturers, gives them price tags and sends them to its bookshop to curb extortion through that means.

Iwe said his problem was that the students complained off the campus but hid their complaints inside the campus making it hard to trace and to punish erring staff members.

“It you ask them now to come and point to who they are talking about, they can’t; they are so afraid and timid about it.

“At times, the students especially those that call themselves class reps collude with the staff to be used to extort their fellow students.

“Even the Born Again Christian students among them, when you ask them to talk, they don’t talk, they don’t give any clue
and you know that in our country, we all compromise a lot” he said.

He said the extortion of students is all over the country and persists because most Nigerians have learnt to collude, to be impious and to be unrighteous resulting in the big problem.

Iwe therefore called on all Nigerians to join hands to fight the scourge of corrupt practices and ensure that they do not continue.

The VC confirmed that the delisted college of social sciences was returning this academic session as students would be admitted into the its departments in the university.

Iwe whose tenure would end in the first quarter of 2026 said the institution was expecting to get a Vice Chancellor who would continue from where his management would stop.

He said the University would resume a new session on October 5, 2025, stressing that the school would soon publish the new school fees to enable them pay up.

The VC wished the returning students safety in their journeys and a successful session ahead.