It took just days for a decision that expanded the Vice-Chancellor’s inner circle to unravel. What began as the appointment of 24 personal aides at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, has now ended in a swift reversal, following the intervention of the Federal Ministry of Education.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ikechukwu Dozie, has withdrawn the appointments after the ministry described them as irregular and summoned him to Abuja over the development.
A circular signed by the university’s Registrar, Chiedozie Uba, and dated June 24, informed members of the university community that the appointments had been withdrawn with immediate effect.
“Please refer to our memo Ref: FUT/REG/CR/CIR.4 dated June 22, 2026, on the above subject.
“I have been directed to notify the University Community that all the appointments previously conveyed through the above-quoted memo are hereby withdrawn with immediate effect,” the circular stated.
The reversal followed a directive from the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, who faulted the appointments for failing to comply with regulations governing Nigeria’s federal universities.
In a letter signed by the Acting Director of University Education, Dr Kareem Olalekan, on behalf of the minister, the Federal Ministry of Education described the appointments as inconsistent with due process and ordered their immediate withdrawal.
The ministry also requested documentary evidence confirming that the directive had been carried out.
Part of the letter read, “The attention of the Honourable Minister of Education has been drawn to your Memorandum Ref. No. FUT/REG/CR/CIR/4 dated 22 June 2026 concerning the appointment of twenty-four (24) aides in various capacities within the Office of the Vice-Chancellor.
“Upon careful consideration of the contents of the memorandum and the circumstances surrounding the appointments, the Honourable Minister is constrained to observe that the appointments, as presently constituted, are irregular and are at variance with the extant regulations, established procedures, and the principles of due process governing appointments within the Federal University System.”
It further directed that the appointments be withdrawn immediately and proof of compliance forwarded to the ministry without delay.
Meanwhile, Dozie has been invited to appear before officials of the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja on Monday, June 29, where he is expected to explain the circumstances surrounding the appointments.
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