Controversy over the ownership of Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe University, Ogboko, Imo State between former Governor Rochas Okorocha and the state government was laid to rest yesterday,
The operating certificate for the varsity was handed over to Imo State through Governor Hope Uzodimma by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
NUC Executive Secretary Prof Abubakar Rasheed presented the certificate to the governor at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
The NUC boss said the presentation will end the tussle between the former and the state government over who owns the institution.
He said: “By a copy of this letter, the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) are being notified of this development.”
The executive secretary congratulated Uzodimma and assured him of the commission’s readiness to assist the state in its educational strides.
Abubakar also commended the governor for his vision to expand access to university education in Imo and by extension, the Southeast region of the country.
In his remarks, Udodimma commended the commission for ensuring stability in the country’s university system.
The governor said that the resolve to establish a state university was informed by the level of youth restiveness in the Southeast.
Uzodimma said: “Imo is highly populated, we have a population of over five million and our youth population is very huge and it is also part of what has led to restiveness in the southeast.
“Today is a very special day for me; we have come here today to receive the recognition letter from NUC for our brand new university.
“This university that is fully owned by Imo State government has also provided us the opportunity to immortalise one of our foremost philanthropists, K.O. Mbadiwe of blessed memory.”
The ownership of the varsity had pitted the governor against his predecessor.
Okorocha, now a senator, established the varsity, christened it Eastern Palm University, when he held the fort as governor in the Southeast state.
But Uzodinma renamed the institution Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwa University.
