Professor Joseph Ikechebelu is a famous Obstetrician and Gynecologist. Beyond his inspiring professional reputation in fertility medicine, gynecological and endoscopic surgery, Professor Ikechebelu has over time proved himself a proficient manager of human and material resources in the course of discharging the responsibilities thrust on him by the sensitive offices he has held in service to Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) where he statutorily works. Since the environment of one’s engagement is instrumental in assessing and defining one, UNIZIK context comes handy in assessing Professor Ikechebelu.
Nnamdi Azikiwe University is unarguably the foremost tertiary institution in Anambra State. It belongs to the league of frontline universities in Nigeria. The university sits in glory of a devout nationalist, a committed Pan-Africanist and a profound educationist, late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe. In its 33 years, UNIZIK has produced scholars and persons of great repute among its alumni and staff. Like every organic entity however, the university has records of pleasant and unsavoury moments in its trajectory. The recent hiccups in the handling of succession of the University’s Vice Chancellor, after the statutory expiration of Professor Charles Esimone’s tenure on 3rd June, 2024 and the seamless transition to Professor Joseph Ikechebelu’s interim hold as the acting Vice Chancellor from 4th June, 2024 to 22nd July, 2024, were suggestive of underhand succession interests that tended to undermine the otherwise traditional tranquil power transition in the headship of the institution. But it is not entirely strange contending with the unsettling challenge that befell the University of late. Well managed, it could yet provide a precursory jolt to greater heights for the institution.
Often times we find academics of distinction on song in their various disciplines. Often we find administrators making invaluable marks in various fields, but we often do not have the privilege of a combination of flourishing professional academics adept in the management of human and material resources such that resounding testimonials entrenching their ingenious traits are easily locatable. It is in the light of this rare endowment that a vignette of the services of Professor Joseph Ifeanyichukwu Ikechebelu is thusly herein presented. More than merely showcasing Professor Ikechebelu’s innate brilliance and ingeniously resourceful and result-oriented work ethics, this exercise intends to provoke heightened devotion to responsibilities among people in public offices. It furthers Prof Ikechebelu’s visibility, and canvasses his viability and availability for more impactful public engagements as time unfolds.
Just as Professor Ikechebelu’s remarkable professional attainments in the practice of medicine is redoubtably acknowledged by his wide affiliations to national and global medical specialty organisations, his trademark dedication to the service of his employer (Nnamdi Azikiwe University) sets him out as a personable and consummate administrator who is deliberate in envisioning functional growth and effectively driving same in the purview of his office at any given time.
As a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and head of that department between 2008 and 2010, Professor Ikechebelu inspired both students and staff members of the department to more creative and productive plains as he superintended over their affairs. When he was the dean of the College of Medicine between 2012 and 2014, he initiated progressive transformational schemes that not only facilitated the quality of teaching and learning, but generally enhanced the deployment of digital skills in the affairs of the college. This made relevant information readily available at moments of need. This feat earned him the “Digital Dean” moniker. He did even more as the university’s director of Academic Planning between 2019 and 2021. The office enabled him to digitise the academic planning scheme of the university thereby making the process more rewarding in terms of information/data collection, processing, collation and deployment in the university’s academic planning. He was regarded as a pragmatic administrator who raced against time in the desire to achieve his set targets – usually optimally high.
The university found him worthy of serving in higher stratum of authority by making him the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics) in February, 2021. He acquitted himself creditably in the office by fostering innovations meant to institutionalise standardised practices within the scope of his office and beyond; little wonder he was appointed the acting Vice Chancellor on the 4th of June, 2024 when the tenure of Professor Charles Esimone expired. In less than two months that this opportunity availed him, Professor Ikechebelu demonstrated a vigorous will to transform the fortunes of UNIZIK in academic excellence, infrastructural uplift, wider visibility and greater public acceptability.
Professor Ikechebelu’s reinstatement as the acting Vice Chancellor of UNIZIK on the 21st of November, 2024 which spanned to 19th May, 2025, provided him the opportunity of demonstrating his proficiency in driving his envisioned development projections for the university. So in just about six months, UNIZIK felt the impact of Professor Ikechebelu’s surefooted headship in defined areas as infrastructural development, campus beautification and hygiene, operations digitisation, safety and security, and academic excellence. These fields were the cardinal points of his impactful interests in a short spell of six months. And as we interrogate his stewardship against these interest lines we will be able to make informed judgment of what he made of that opportunity to serve.
The reconstruction of the perimeter fence at the southern boundary of the university became the acting Vice Chancellor’s priority because of the increasing danger of stealing and insecurity that the failed portion of the fence exposed the university community to. He quickly fixed it and went ahead to enhance the physical face of the campus by rehabilitating the Beautiful Gate which is the major point of entry to the university. Added to this was the prompt rehabilitation of campus roads to ensure smooth vehicular and pedestrian access. As the acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Ikechebelu was quick in addressing the deplorable level of power supply on the university campuses by constructively engaging EEDC and other crucial stake holders. He also went into solar lighting of the streets on campus. The success of the campus power and lighting schemes invigorated positive activities on campus.
On academics proper, the acting Vice Chancellor ensured consistency of the academic calendar and insisted on meeting the comprehensive academic curricula of the university. He ensured hitch-free election of relevant officers to available positions and made valid appointments that facilitated his administration’s mission. He created the right academic environment that encouraged the numerous national and international awards and laurels won by the students, staff members and the University in the six months of his administrative intervention.
The infrastructural sector of the university was enlivened by the acting Vice Chancellor’s engagement at multiple fronts. He renovated, reconstructed, remodeled and commissioned a variety of projects like the physiotherapy building that was razed by fire, Faculty of Physical Sciences building, hostel blocks, Bus Terminal, ICT/CBT Centre, etc. He also strove to maintain greenery at dedicated locations on campus to promote aesthetics and the ambience of academia.
As the acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Ikechebelu designed a security and safety architecture with a vibrant and proactive Security Taskforce that guaranteed gross reduction of criminality on campus.
Professor Ikechebelu’s digital preferences became more manifest in the digitised publishing of students’ results and signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Silicon Hub for establishment of its centre in UNIZIK. He equally maintained the CIRMS portal that ensures that staff records and regular digital appraisals are unhindered. He promoted staff training and retraining as ways of maintaining the high academic standard that is the university’s wont.
The transformational bent of Professor Joseph Ikechebelu in the short spell of six months of his acting capacity as the Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (21 November, 2024 – 19 May, 2025) captured in his multifaceted tangible and impressive intangible attainments are evidently contributory to the present disposition of the institution to engage the world favourably. Evidently, Professor Joseph Ikechebelu’s academic, professional and administrative records in Nnamdi Azikiwe University resoundingly commend him for a greater responsibility to further deploy the depths of his expansive knowledge, wisdom, energies and reach for more consummate service to the academic community and humanity.
Mezue, a Medical practitioner writes from Nnewi.
