Chidoka proposes N100bn endowment fund for Ojukwu varsity

Chief Osita Chidoka, Chancellor of Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership and former Minister of Aviation, has called for the establishment of an N100 billion endowment fund to elevate Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, COOU to the ranks of Africa’s leading universities.

Delivering the keynote address as Guest Lecturer at the 3rd Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Lecture, Chidoka urged stakeholders to position COOU as a hub for innovative solutions to pressing challenges such as erosion, insecurity, and sustainable development in Igboland in particular and Nigeria at large.

“Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University should not just bear the name of a great leader but embody his legacy by becoming a centre of excellence and innovation, Chidoka stated, adding, “This endowment will guarantee the university’s capacity to foster groundbreaking research, provide scholarships, and sustain world-class infrastructure independent of fluctuating budgets”.

Chidoka further called on the government to adopt what he termed the “Elitism of Ability,” drawing examples from the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). He noted that Indians are leading the world’s technology companies like Microsoft, Alphabet (Google’s parent company), Adobe, and IBM, and attributed this success to the foundation laid by IITs.

“The IITs are globally renowned for their meritocratic selection processes that cultivate world-class engineers and innovators. Nigeria must embrace this model to nurture talent, drive development, and secure a prosperous future,” he further stated.

Chidoka lamented the failure of Nigeria’s higher education to achieve the rigour or global integration level of the IITs. “Although we have numerous universities and an abundance of bright, motivated students, our institutions lack the resources, global partnerships, and strategic focus to become feeder grounds for global companies or prestigious institutions, limiting the broader impact of education on societal transformation,” he said.

Using Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu’s choice to join the military despite his privileged background as a guiding metaphor, Chidoka argued, “Education is not a ticket to comfort but a foundation for courage and purpose.” He emphasised that education must instill values, civic responsibility, and the drive to address societal challenges”.

“Who, if not us, will build this future? The time to act is now”, Chidoka concluded with this challenge.

In her welcome address, the acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Kate Omenugha, highlighted the university’s commitment to its “Three Vs” programme of Values, Viability, and Visibility as the cornerstone of her administration’s vision for COOU.

The memorial lecture was attended by notable dignitaries, including the Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim who represented Governor Chukwumaife Solidify, his principal; former Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, who spoke as a special guest of honour and called for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB and Prof. Greg Nwakoby, former Vice-Chancellor of COOU and chairman of the occasion.