BELOW IS THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING AND THE COMMUNIQUE SIGNED AT THE MEETING:
University Liaison Committee Members present at the meeting: 1. Eze Aloysius Ojinnaka; 2. Dr. Obinna Duruji, Honorable Commissioner for Youths & Sports; 3. Chief Apollo Nnaji, Secretary University Liaison Committee; 4. Chief Nicholas Nnabue; 5. Chief O.J. Onumara; 6. Chief John Oziwuru; 7. Chief Alphonsius Okwara and 8. Chief. Ijeomah, Secretary General of Ugbele-Akah Autonomous community.
Representative of Old Boys of St. Saviours Secondary School Umuaka: Professor Mike Dike and Dr. Chris Chima Nwachukwu.
Divisional Police Officer in Umuaka, Mr. M.A. Amoni, who was visiting observed the meeting.
Old Boys Association of St. Saviour’s Secondary School had a meeting on March 24, 2003, at the principal’s house. The president of Old Boys Association, Dr. Ojiaka, a Lagos based physician; and Chief E.I. Amadike, Principal St. Saviour’s Secondary School Umuaka chaired the meeting. Old Boys Association mandated Dr. Chris Chima Nwachukwu and Professor Mike Dike to meet with Dr. Obinna Duruji to know more about African University of Science and Technology, since the idea of this university came to Umuaka when Dr. Duruji was the commissioner for education in Imo State.
The meeting was held at Dr. Chris Chima Nwachukwu’s Heritage Villa, Uba, Umuaka on March 28, 2003. The meeting started approximately 10:00 A.M. Eze Aloysius Ojinnaka said the opening prayer and presentation of kola nuts. Issues raised at the meeting are:
1. Whether African University of Science and Technology is a private or public university;
2. Whether African University of Science and Technology is approved by relevant authorities in Nigeria especially Nigerian University Commission (NUC);
3. Whether Imo State Government approved African University of Science and Technology to take over St. Saviour’s Secondary School Umuaka;
4. Taking a community property by a private university;
5. Authority of Eze Aloysius Ojinnaka to grant deed of conveyance and sign memorandum of understanding with African University of Science and Technology on behalf of Umuaka community;
6. Whether Umuaka Community can be able to build another secondary school. St. Saviour’s Secondary School has 21 buildings and vast area of land conservatively valued at more than 400 million naira.
7. Re-settlement of students at a suitable place by African University of Science and Technology;
8. African University of Science Technology co-existing with St. Saviour’s Secondary School;
9. Whether African University of Science and Technology has foreign partners/campus or adequate funding to run a university; and
10. Umuaka community allocating land to the African University of Science and Technology.
Professor Dike presented the position of Old Boys Association to Dr. Obinna Duruji. He inquired from the honorable commissioner whether the university is legitimate or another 419. He inquired whether, the university is approved by Nigerian University Commission. He said the Old Boys Association is in support of African University of Science and Technology coming to St. Saviour’s provided the university is approved, and re-settle current students to a suitable place by raising some buildings to accommodate the students.
Professor Dike asked whether the university presented any application from NUC. He wanted to know the identity of the people behind the university. He inquired any involvement of American government or non-governmental agency in the United States. He said that it seems that the university has four campuses, which is capital intensive. He said that Umuaka community should require temporary approval from NUC before giving St. Saviour’s Secondary School to the university.
He said that it is not possible for the community to build another secondary school. He said that merging St. Saviour’s with Technical Secondary school Umuaka is not an option since it will bring a moral issue and demise of the students.
Dr. Duruji responded that all the concerns are legitimate. He said that application of African University of Science and Technology is pending. He said one of the criteria of NUC to approve a university is physical location. He said that the university has published a handbook, which he promised to provide copies to Old Boys Association. He said that he will not speak for the university, but provide information which he knows.
He said that Old Boys Association can inquire from the university. He said that there are several stages in the application and approval of universities by Nigeria University Commission. He said that the university is a private enterprise not affiliated with any American university/government. He said that Americans are technical partners, which has visited Umuaka. Dr. Chris Chima Nwachukwu interjected and wants to know the names and addresses of technical partners in America, which he was unable to furnish.
Dr. Duruji also mentioned about the welfare of the students. He said that he supports the idea that the university will relocate students to a suitable place by raising some buildings at Holy Rosary Primary School or another suitable site. Dr. Duruji also said that the university does not want to share the campus with secondary school.
Dr. Chris Chima Nwachukwu said that Old Boys Association according to the president, Dr. Ojiaka has sent Mr. Chiedozie Ejiji, a Lagos based pharmacist who is well connected in Abuja to NUC to inquire about African University of Science Technology. He raised the concern of “reverse eminent domain.” Taking a community property for a private use. Normally private property is taken for a community use. He asked Eze Ojinnaka whether the university will be accounting their profit to him. Dr. Chris Chima Nwachukwu said he is in support of university coming to Umuaka.
He said an approved and well-funded university will help develop and boost the economy of Umuaka. He said a mushroom university will not benefit the town. He said before allowing the university to move to St. Saviour’s Secondary School, the university will build suitable place for the students. He said that St. Saviour’s Secondary School is more than 45 years old and greatest legacy of the town. The name of Umuaka is synonymous with St. Saviours Secondary School. He said Umuaka should be cautious to give up such legacy.
He said asking Umuaka to give up St. Saviours is like asking Onitsha to give up Denise Memorial Grammar School or Umuahia to give up Fisher High School or Orlu to give up BSC. He said that Imo State government before siting Imo State University Medical Campus in Orlu approached Nkwerre people to take St. Augustine’s for the campus. Nkwerre people refused to give up St. Augustine to Imo State Government rather allocated empty land to the government. He also said that academic credibility of those who graduated from St. Saviour’s Secondary School will be diminished, if the school is no longer in existence.
He said that St. Saviour’s has enough buildings to accommodate the university and the secondary school. Dr. Nwachukwu also raised the concern that most of the members of the so-called University Liaison Committee are not university graduate considering that Umuaka is community with diverse people. He questioned the selection method of the committee members and said that it seems the members were carefully selected, scheming out people who will ask questions.
Dr. Nwachukwu said building and running a university is not a child’s play. It requires enormous resources. He gave example of Catholic University of America in Washington, DC building a university recently in Younde, Cameroon. He said the university bought land in Younde and pumped in millions of dollars to develop the university and reserved millions of dollars for endowment.
Eze Ojinnaka responded that he has granted deed of conveyance to the university and signed memorandum of understanding. He said one the clauses in the deed of conveyance is that if the university fails to open or closes at any time the property of St. Saviour’s reverts back to the community. Eze Ojinnaka lamented that the principal of St. Saviours Secondary School, Chief E.I. Amadike and Old Boys Association are sabotaging the take-off of the university in Umuaka. He said Umuaka people should not allow them to sabotage the university.
He wanted to know what Old Boys Association has done for the school other than uncompleted library building. He said Umuaka community built St. Saviour’s Secondary School and not Old Boys Association. He said workers hired by the university to repaint the school were chased away by the principal and his cohorts. He said that the principal has expelled some students who are in favor of the university.
Old Boys Association is furious that Eze Ojinnaka granted deed of conveyance and signed memorandum of understanding with the university without proper consultation of Umuaka people.
Chief Nicholas Nnabue said you don’t have to be a university graduate to assess a university coming to Umuaka hence they are not members of the board of the regents of the university. He also said it’s not the duty of the University Liaison Committee to inquire whether the African University of Science and Technology is well funded or not.
He said that all the documents the committee has requested from the university non have been furnished. He also said that it’s not their duty to investigate whether African University of Technology is approved or not. He also said that he stands with the Old Boys Association that African University of Science Technology before moving to St. Saviour’s builds reasonable accommodation for the students. He also said that it’s financially impossible for Umuaka to build another secondary School.
Mr. Apollo Nnaji, Secretary University Liaison Committee said that there is no way, St. Saviour’s Secondary will be phased out to bring in a university. He said there is no where in the world an institution will phase out an existing school in order to spring up. He also said he stands by the decision of the Old Boys that the university builds a place to relocate the students. Mr. Nnnaji appealed to Old Boys to help the committee know more about African University of Technology. He said the university has main campus in Umuaka and other four campuses:
1. Isu Njaba High School;
2. Umudi Teachers Secondary School-abandoned;
3. Ezinihite High School; and
4. Ime Onicha Community Secondary School Mbaise.
He also said State Ministry of Education has inspected St. Saviour’s Secondary School for the take off of the university. Mr. Nnnaji also said that the committee recommended splitting St. Saviour’s into two. Classes 1-3 will relocate into Holy Rosary Primary School while classes 4-6 will remain in St. Saviour’s with the university because of the laboratory work of the upper class which will be impossible to be relocated. He also said one of the old boys is a sub committee secretary.
Chief O.J. Onumara said that there is no active participation of the Old Boys Association in St. Saviour’s until they heard that African University of Science and Technology is coming to take off there. He also stands by the decision that the university properly relocates the students before taking the school.
Chief Okwara and Chief John Oziwuru said they stand by the decision to relocate the students before the university moves into St. Saviour’s Secondary School. They also said the university should fund the relocation to Holy Rosary.
Chief Ijeomah, secretary general of Ugbele-Akah Development Union and former vice principal of St. Saviour’s Secondary School said that Old Boys Association is mainly people from out side Umuaka Ebe-iri. He said Umuaka people are not active in the association. He also said that the committee is not in a hurry that the university will be properly investigated.
The following resolutions were agreed at the meeting:
1. That African University of Science and Technology shall build houses for the relocation of students before moving into St. Saviour’s Secondary School;
2. If the university is unable to build a new location for the students of St. Saviour’s Secondary School, the university shall co-exist with the secondary school;
3. That Umuaka community shall send Professor Dike immediately to Nigeria University Commission in Abuja to verify the status of African University of Science and Technology. Professor Dike complained about the cost of the trip. Dr. Chris Chima Nwachukwu donated ten thousand naira to defray the cost; and
4. It is not feasible for Umuaka Community to build another secondary school for boys.
The meeting ended about 1.00 P.M.
DR CHRISTIAN CHIMA NWACHUKWU ESQ: