In his inaugural address, Professor Simon Uchenna Ortuanya, the new Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, issued a resonant and strategic call to action. He masterfully drew upon the ancient, powerful charge of Nehemiah, who rallied the Israelites to restore their ruined homeland with the words, “Arise, let us rebuild” (Nehemiah 2:18). This was not merely a rhetorical flourish; it was a deliberate framing of the urgent mission ahead—a battle cry for the salvation and renewal of a premier institution.
Placing Professor Ortuanya’s mandate within this biblical framework reveals a profound understanding of the crisis at hand. The clarion call of “Arise, let us rebuild” is not an invitation; it is a summons to duty, imbued with the utmost urgency and a non-negotiable moral imperative for collective action.
Prof. Ortuanya,
The 16th and current Vice Chancellor,
University of Nigeria
Nehemiah’s urgency was borne from the tangible ruins of Jerusalem’s shattered walls and burnt gates that represented a crisis of security, identity, and function. Similarly, Professor Ortuanya confronts a modern-day ruination, where the University of Nigeria stands on a precarious threshold. The decay is comprehensive and demands our unwavering attention.
We cannot in all honesty deny that the institution has witnessed a palpable erosion of academic rigour, outdated curricula, and a decline in pioneering research output. This foundational decay compromises the very essence of the university’s mission. This does not fit into the thrust of Ortuanya’s administration.
The University of Nigeria environment we used to know is in a sorry state. The physical environment tells a story of neglect, dilapidated road networks and lecture halls, obsolete laboratories, inadequate utilities, and an overall aesthetic that betrays the dignity of a citadel of learning. This calls to question our place in taking ownership and calling past leaders to accountability. But this must stop.
More insidious than the physical decay is the corrosion of core values. Issues of ethical compromise, indiscipline, and a loss of institutional integrity have taken root, demanding immediate and decisive moral leadership.
This confluence of challenges has severely tarnished the university’s hard-earned reputation. The urgency in the Vice-Chancellor’s tone is therefore both justified and necessary as it recognizes that we are at a critical juncture, where further decline is not an option. His call is a strategic intervention to pull the institution back from the brink.
The genius of Nehemiah’s blueprint which the Vice Chancellor has tapped into in his clarion call lies in its inclusive mobilization. Nehemiah did not command, “I will rebuild” rather he declared, “Let us rebuild.” Professor Ortuanya has issued the same strategic charge, correctly identifying that the burden of renewal cannot fall on leadership alone. It is a covenant shared among all stakeholders.
To say the least, the charge calls the staff to arise from complacency and champion this rebirth through pedagogical excellence, innovative research, and unassailable integrity, just as the students, who are the primary beneficiaries, must ascend from a passive role, embracing their part through diligent scholarship, ethical conduct, and constructive engagement.
The critical stakeholders, vis -a-vis, the Alumni, donors, and government are summoned to move beyond indifferent critique to active partnership, providing vital resources, advocacy, and sustained support.
The imperative is in the word “Now.” The problems are present and accelerating; the response must be immediate, unified, and resolute.
“Arise” is a command to awaken from inaction. It signals that the time for diagnosis and lamentation has passed; the era of determined construction is upon us. We must be clear-eyed that rebuilding is a labourious endeavour, requiring sacrifice, perseverance, and a shared commitment to the greater good.
For the University of Nigeria, with its foundational motto, “To Restore the Dignity of Man,” this mission is profoundly moral. It is about more than physical structures; it is a crusade to reclaim the soul of the institution and restore its legacy of excellence.
Professor Ortuanya’s charge, therefore, transcends a mere speech. It is a defining mandate for a new era. Crucially, like Nehemiah, he arrives not only with a rallying cry but with a tangible plan of action, evidenced by strategic partnerships and a clear-eyed vision for the work required.
The path forward is unequivocal. We must unite behind this crusade, because the alternative which is to stand aloof as a great institution slides into ruin is an abdication of our collective responsibility.
For the naysayers who have armed themselves to malign, denigrate, spread falsehood and stand against the transformation going on in the citadel under Prof Otuanya, we say, “lay down your arms, sheathe your swords” Let us answer the call. Let us embrace this labour of legacy. Let us arise and rebuild.
“Arise, Let us Rebuild.” Now.
©Echo Dei Media Consult
