The Nsukka Staff Association (NSA) of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), has felicitated with Prof. Simon Uchenna Ortuanya on his appointment as the 16th Vice Chancellor of the institution.
Prof. Ortuanya, who was elected on August 03, 2025, and assumed office three days later, becomes the first Nsukka indigene and only the second alumnus of the University to occupy the top position since the school was founded in 1960.
Prof. Ortuanya, Vice Chancellor, University of Nigeria
In a goodwill message boldly displayed at entry points across all campuses of the University, the Association expressed pride in his landmark elevation. The congratulatory message, signed by the Acting Chairman of NSA, Dr. Iyke Ogbonne, read in part:
“We are proud of your remarkable achievements and pray that your tenure brings greater heights to our prestigious University.”
NSA is made up of all the staff of UNN and UNEC both senior and Junior, academics and non-academics from Nsukka cultural zone composed of the seven Local Governments Areas of the zone: Udenu, Nsukka, Igbo Etiti, Igbo Eze South, Igbo Eze North, Uzo-Uwani and Isi-Uzo.
The Association, described his appointment as historic, noting that it represents the fulfillment of a long-held aspiration of the host community.
Meanwhile, Prof. Ortuanya has wasted no time in setting the tone for his administration, with a flurry of activities already reshaping the University landscape. Among his early initiatives are:
Infrastructure Development: Commencement of the construction of a 4.5-kilometre road at the Nsukka campus.
Sports Excellence: Successful attraction of a Centre of Excellence in Sports, with plans to upgrade sports facilities through the support of the Federal Government and the South-East Development Commission.
Policy Direction: Establishment of strategic committees to draft policies on ICT, housing and accommodation, public communication, and social media.
Improved Welfare: Creation of the Directorate of Housing and Accommodation to enhance living conditions for staff and students.
Student Accommodation: Launch of hostel renovation and development projects, including scooping exercises across existing hostels. Three new hostels are to be built at Ituku Ozalla for students of Medicine, Health Sciences, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, while Franco and Isa Kaita hostels are billed for renovation.
Digital Presence: Ongoing rebuilding of the University’s website to meet global best practices and enhance user experience.
Project Resuscitation: Engagement with contractors of abandoned projects to secure commitments for their return to site.
Stakeholder Engagement: Interactive meetings with staff, Senate members, and revenue-generating units across Nsukka, UNEC, and Ituku Ozalla campuses to foster inclusiveness.
Partnerships: Renewed engagements with donors, including a commitment from Innoson to complete the tractor plant project at the Nsukka campus.
Stakeholders within and beyond the University have commended Prof. Ortuanya’s hands-on leadership style, describing it as a clear indication of his resolve to reposition UNN as a global centre of learning and innovation.
With these early strides, expectations remain high that his tenure will usher in a new era of academic excellence, infrastructural renewal, and expanded opportunities for staff and students of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
© Echo Dei Media Consult.
