By Mmaduabuchi Onwumelu
Professor Joseph Ikechebelu on Monday, 3rd June 2024, took over from the immediate past Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof. Charles Esimone, FAS, on acting capacity.
Prof Ikechebelu, before his appointment as the Acting Vice Chancellor of UNIZIK was the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Administration. He formally assumed office as overseer of Nnamdi Azikiwe University until a substantive Vice Chancellor is appointed.
In his acceptance speech, Ikechebelu promised to introduce programmes that will motivate students and staff, in what he called HPS² (HPS squared),meaning Happy Progressive Staff and Happy Progressive Students.
Under the system, he said, Staff will be happy because staff will be motivated because atmosphere will be created for learning.
Ikechebelu promised to digitalize the system to make admission processes easier and so that students’ results will be processed in record time.
He promised that when the processes are digitalized students can apply for admission from foreign countries, get admission and arrive the day school reopens.
He said: 'We will digitalize Unizik to reduce human interference so that the system can work faster.
We will give a lot of incentives.
'You can stay in London and get admission in Unizik and arrive the day the school resumes,' he concluded
He said that already, staff are already undergoing training to handle the job.
When the processes are completed students will study and graduate in record time and be happy.
Ikechebelu also promised to tackle the issue of insecurity in the university to ensure safety of students and staff.
On the other hand, Ikechebelu promised to tackle the electric power supply which had issues in recent time.
Dubbed ‘Light up Unizik’ he assured of tackling the lighting issue as an emergency so that every part of the university will get light and get it cheaper.
Ikechebelu promised that Artificial intelligence would work in Unizik with his leadership.