UNIZIK Vice-Chancellor Pays Courtesy Visit to Eze Chinechendo I of Adazi-Ani.
The Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof. Ugochukwu Bond Stanley Anyaehie, recently paid a courtesy visit to His Royal Majesty, Igwe (Dr) Chinedu Benson Madubuko (Eze Chinechendo I of Adazi-Ani).
During the visit, the Vice-Chancellor expressed profound gratitude to the revered monarch and recounted his appointment as Vice-Chancellor in November 2025. He explained that upon assumption of office, his first official assignment was a comprehensive tour of the University’s facilities and infrastructure.
He noted that he was particularly awed by the magnificent 700-seater Zephaniah Madubuko Auditorium, a landmark edifice personally built and donated to the University by His Royal Majesty. According to the Vice-Chancellor, available records indicate that he may be the first Vice-Chancellor to formally visit the royal father since 2019, when the vision for the auditorium project was actualized.
As is customary, the Vice-Chancellor presented a royal gift to His Majesty. He further proposed the need to landscape the surroundings of the auditorium and provide a dedicated generator to enhance its functionality.
*Royal Response and Call for Accountability*
In his response, Eze Chinechendo I warmly welcomed the Vice-Chancellor and appreciated his visit and recognition of the unprecedented project. He emphasized that the auditorium was not a TETFUND-sponsored intervention but a personal philanthropic gift to the University.
The monarch also highlighted the numerous contributions of Adazi-Ani indigenes to the institution over the years. He cited the generosity of Chief Godwin Okeke (GUO) and Engr. Ikechukwu G. Okafor (Eziafakaego), among others.
Particularly, he drew attention to an endowment made in 2008 by Engr. Ikechukwu G. Okafor, who donated ₦500,000 to the Department of English to be awarded annually to the best graduating student. Regrettably, he noted that no student has benefited from the fund to date. His Majesty therefore urged the Vice-Chancellor to carefully study the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) guiding the auditorium project and ensure that its provisions are faithfully implemented.
*VC’s Commitment and Renewed Endowment*
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor thanked the monarch and the Adazi-Ani community for their immense support and philanthropy, describing donors as true “Friends of the University.” He assured His Majesty that any communication gaps or administrative lapses would be rectified.
Importantly, he pledged to reactivate the 2008 endowment by Engr. Ikechukwu G. Okafor. This assurance was warmly received by the petroleum engineer, who was inspired to make an additional endowment of ₦1 million to the Department of Petroleum Engineering. From the interest generated by the fund, ₦50,000 will be awarded annually to the best graduating student to encourage academic excellence.
To prevent a recurrence of past lapses, the Vice-Chancellor disclosed that a dedicated endowment account has been opened with a reputable bank. The intention is that only the interest generated from the principal sum will be utilized, ensuring sustainability and continuity of the donors’ vision in perpetuity.
In his concluding remarks, His Royal Majesty promised to give due consideration to the Vice-Chancellor’s requests, particularly regarding further improvements to the auditorium.
The Vice-Chancellor was accompanied on the visit by the Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof. Michael Ezenwa.
The visit marks a renewed partnership between the University and communities, reinforcing the vital role of philanthropy, accountability, and collaboration in advancing higher education.