ACCEPTANCE SPEECH FOR THE POSITION OF ACTING VICE-CHANCELLOR

NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY, AWKA. 3rd JUNE 2024
Protocol

The Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University,

Members of the Governing Council,

The Vice-Chancellor, and Principal Officers of the University,

My Lords Spiritual and Temporal,

Fellow Staff of the University,

Great UNIZIK Students,
Ladies and Gentlemen.

It is with profound gratitude, uncommon humility and a deep sense of responsibility that I stand before you today, honoured to accept the position of Acting Vice-Chancellor of our great institution, Nnamdi Azikiwe University: The University of the Moment. I give all glory to God for making it possible for me to take this position despite all challenges. I wish to extend my heartfelt thanks to the Chancellor, former ViceChancellor and Council Members for your trust and confidence in my person to steer the ship of our great University at a time like this. I must also appreciate our Visitor: H.E. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR for his listening ears to the yearnings of Federal Universities, as I pray to God to continue to inspire and protect him.

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May I in a special way acknowledge the outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Charles Okechukwu Esimone FAS, under whose leadership and the Project200, our university has made significant strides. He placed great confidence and trust in me by appointing me the Focal person for

Project200 as the Director of Academic Planning in the first instance,
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then the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) for two terms. These positions and other administrative positions I held in the past (HOD Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Faculty Exam Officer, Sub-Dean Student

Affairs Nnewi Campus, Dean Faculty of Medicine, Coordinator Transparency/biscipline & Monitoring, Director University Consultancy Services and Chairman of several committees) prepared me adequately to assume such a higher responsibility as the Acting Vice-Chancellor of our great UNIZIK.

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Today, as I assume this significant position of Acting Vice-Chancellor, I am deeply aware of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, thus, in the coming weeks and months, even as I continue prayerfully to seek guidance and clarity from God, we shall vigorously pursue the goal of becoming the very best in everything good and edifying. Our hedgehog aphorism shall be defined as “Becoming Happy Productive Staff and Happy Progressive Student [HPS]2”. To achieve this, our short-term goal will be five-fold and captured in the following targets: Beautify UNIZIK, Light-up UNIZIK, Excellent UNIZIK, Digitize UNIZIK, and Secure IJNIZIK. The details of executing the ‘BLEDS targets will be made plain to us in the coming days.

In pursuit of this mandate, I come to you:

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with the HEART of DAVID [to work after God’s heart and the welfare of my people – Management, staff, students and other stakeholders].

with the WISDOM of SOLOMON [to use the divine ability to judge rightly and promote fairness and justice in the university community].

Faculty, Staff, and Students. Together, we is not just an
In conclusion my people, I feel deeply honoured to lead Nnamdi Azikiwe University into this new era of excellence. Let us embark on this journey with godly hearts, optimism, confidence and a shared commitment to becoming IHPS12 . Together, we will make UNIZIK not just a great university, but the Best university of our time.

God bless Nnamdi Azikiwe University. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria

God bless You.

Prof. Joseph I. Ikechebelu, FNAMed, FAMed5.

Acting Vice-Chancellor. 3 rd June 2024