REPORTER: OBY ARINZE
The Anambra State House of Assembly has commended Governor Chukwuma Soludo for his bold and visionary step in repositioning higher education in the state.
In a statement in Awka, the Speaker of the House, Mr Somtochukwu Udeze, hailed the appointment of Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Reverend Matthew Hassan Kukah, as Chancellor of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, describing it as a decision that reflects both depth and foresight in leadership.
Mr Udeze noted that the appointment speaks for itself, emphasizing that Bishop Kukah’s reputation for integrity, intellect, and national service makes him well-suited for the role.
Similarly, the Speaker also applauded Governor Soludo for appointing Professor Peter Onwualu as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the university.
He described the move as a complementary masterstroke, stating that the Governor has strategically strengthened both the ceremonial and administrative leadership of the institution in one decisive action.
According to him, Professor Onwualu’s wealth of experience in academic leadership and governance will further reinforce the university’s institutional framework, adding that the combined appointments signal a deliberate effort by the administration to invest not just in educational infrastructure, but in the very essence and future of learning in Anambra State.
The Assembly had in 2014 passed the bill renaming the institution in honour of the late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, thereby embedding it in the cultural and historical consciousness of the Igbo people.
He further highlighted the establishment of the university’s teaching hospital in Awka as a landmark legislative achievement that expanded its impact into healthcare delivery and training.
Under the current 8th Assembly, the Speaker noted that commitment to education has grown significantly, citing the 2025 state budget, which allocates twenty-two billion naira for institutional development and eleven billion naira for smart schools, within a broader education sector increase of over one hundred percent , the highest among all sectors.
He also pointed to an impressive eighty percent implementation rate of the outgoing budget as evidence of effective collaboration between the legislature and the executive.
Speaker Udeze concluded by extending warm congratulations to Bishop Kukah and Professor Onwualu, expressing the full confidence of the Anambra State House of Assembly in their ability to provide exemplary leadership for the university.
