Host Communities Fault Dr. Philip Nto’s Professorial Aspiration, Defend MOUAU Governing Council
Host Communities Fault Dr. Philip Nto’s Professorial Aspiration, Defend MOUAU Governing Council
A group known as the Concerned Indigenes of Host Communities to Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU) has faulted the aspiration of a Senior Lecturer at the institution, Dr. Philip Nto, to be promoted to the rank of Professor.
The group also rose in defence of the university’s Governing Council amid allegations surrounding a disputed promotion process.
In a statement signed on Monday by Comrade Anyaragbu Chinweuba, Mr. Bright Chuks Eluwa, Mr. Ugochukwu Nwanguma, and Elder Ogbuji Kalu, the indigenes described claims by Dr. Nto as misleading and damaging to the integrity of the university’s governing structure.
They said the intervention became necessary to “set the records straight” and prevent what they termed an attempt to denigrate the image of the Governing Council through misinformation.
According to the group, Dr. Nto was promoted to the rank of Senior Lecturer within his first two years of proceeding on leave of absence in 2015, while serving as Abia State Commissioner for Finance.
They further alleged that he later laid claims to promotion to Associate Professor in 2018 and full Professor in 2021—periods during which he was reportedly still on an extended leave of absence.
The indigenes stated that Dr. Nto only returned to active academic service in 2023 after about a decade away and subsequently applied for promotion to the rank of Professor. They noted that the current Governing Council was inaugurated in 2024, questioning why the earlier promotion claims were not addressed before the present council assumed office.
The group described as “untenable” reports that Dr. Nto was assessed for both Associate Professor and Professor in a single sitting of the university’s Appointments and Promotions Committee, insisting that such a process contravenes established academic standards.
They cited provisions of the university’s Conditions of Service for Senior Staff (2003/2004 and 2017 editions), which stipulate, among others, that:
Academic staff on leave of absence (other than sabbatical) are generally not eligible for promotion during the period of absence.
Length of service required for promotion does not accrue during unpaid leave.
Promotion applications may only proceed if fully qualified and submitted before leave commenced.
Staff returning from extended leave are typically required to serve at least one year before being considered for promotion.
The indigenes maintained that these rules align with standard practices across Nigerian universities.
They also criticised the Vice-Chancellor, Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, over comments attributed to him in the media, which they claimed sought to distance him from the promotion matter despite being a statutory member of the Governing Council.
According to the group, such statements could undermine the authority of the Council and erode public confidence in the university’s governance framework.
“It is unfair to shift responsibility in a matter that requires collective institutional integrity,” one of the spokespersons said.
Beyond the promotion dispute, the host community representatives alleged that unresolved staff litigations and administrative appeals are still pending within the university system. They urged the management to respect judicial decisions and ensure fairness in the handling of internal disputes.
The group reaffirmed its confidence in the Governing Council, describing its members as experienced and incorruptible individuals drawn from diverse professional backgrounds, and called for calm while institutional mechanisms address the matter in line with established regulations.