* Edeoga
By Charity NNOCHIRI, Umuahia

Only the self-absorbed would dismiss the alleged intellectual prowess of former Vice Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, MOUAU,  Professor Hilary Odo Edeoga. A professor of Taxonomy and Cytogenetics, he seems  accomplished by every definition of the word. Outside the academia, he has held several cerebrally demanding  appointments at the  State and Federal level. At only 56, Edeoga has gotten to the peak of his career.

 But it's puzzling what such  a man would be doing with a cretin who goes by the name  Emmanuel John. It remindss one of the saying, show me your friend and I will tell you who you are. Little wonder tongues are wagging,  his colleagues and friends getting  worried that  the alleged erudite academic and administrator is  dancing  naked in the market place. 

 Could it be that all along the Prof's much vaunted claims to intellectual prowess has been propped up on a false foundation, and now time which exposes all falsehood is about to expose him. 

 Another worrisome consideration is why the Prof could challenge not just one community, but eight to prepare a meal for him. Could it be  an extreme case of greed? The manifestation of a Scrooge-like nature forcing him to throw caution to the wind and dare eight communities.?

 After his tenure ended, Edeoga  who has stayed for over 16 years in these communities in Ikwuano Local Government Area, and Umuahia South Local Government Area, LGA  decided to stay put. A  year after his exit, Edeoga now wants to become the next  Executive Director of National Roots Crops Research Institute, NRCRI.  But the eight communities on which both MOUAU and NRCRI are sited are vehemently  opposed to his ambition

 After several meetings the  royal fathers reminded Edeoga that his was  terror-infested and corruption ridden administration.
and he should be the least person to be considered for the sensitive office.

 ''The activities of the aforestated Professor Hilary O. Hilary and his crimes remain inexhaustible. The corrupt practices were so horrible and monumental that he ought to be in prison by now if the needful was fully done'', the traditional rulers argued in a petition to the Executive Secretary, Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria.The traditional rulers   who met with other stakeholders, and youth groups to articulate the petition argued that 'We, the traditional rulers feel quite pained that a man who left a legacy of woe by  awarding contracts,  and employment, knowing same to be illegal and further shrouded in illegality cannot by any means be considered in any manner whatsoever', for the position  of Executive Director, NRCRI .

 '''NRCRI cannot survive the violent corrupt practices of Prof Hilary O. Edeoga whose greed and avarice need not be overemphasized''.

 Signatories to the petition include his HRM Eze C U Ejirika, Ugwu Oha 1 of Awom Na Ebo Autonomous Community, Oboro - Ikwuano, he is also the chairman, Ikwuano Traditional Rulers Council.

  Others who signed the petition copied to the Secretary to Government of the   Federation; the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation; the Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources,  include HRM King Larry O Agwu, Onyeoru 1 of Ajatanaigu, Ajatanaigu Autonomous Community in Ikwuano LGA.  Agwu is chairman, Oboro Traditional Rulers Council.

 The petition was also  signed by HRM Eze G C Onwuka, Towe 1 of Umutowe Autonomous Community, Olokoro, in Umuahia South LGA. He is also the chairman, Umuahia South Tradional Rulers Council.Additionally, Eze S N Ubani, Eze Ukeu 1 of Umuoparaozara, Olokoro, Umuahia South LGA; Eze C E Ironsi, Awom II of Awom Oboro Autonomous  Community, Ikwuano LGA; And  Eze Ben Oriaku, Dike 1 of Umudike-Ukwu Autonomous Community, Oboro, Ikwuano LGA; Eze (Prof) Innocent Ezeala of Ibe-Uzo Autonomous Community, Oboro, Ikwuano, all signed the petition.

 Like a man made mad by too much learning, our  Prof unleashed his attack dog, Emmanuel John on the royal fathers. The fellow,  Emmanuel John parading as a journalist, in a social media post not only exhibited his pea-brained limitations, but ended up ridiculing himself. Well, the knob-head's story is one for another day. But it is interesting  to know that such plonker are the types Edeoga surrounds himself with. It is therefore little wonder that after 16 years in a place, he, Edeoga has made himself completely obnoxious, yet, he  still wants to remain there as an unwelcome guest.  It equally called to question Edeoga's character.

 For the records, it is not only the traditional rulers that have been calling for a holistic probe of the tenure of the former Vice Chancellor

 In a recent petition, the Parents Association of MOUAU have asked the newly inaugurated Governing Council to investigate Edeoga between March 2011 and March 2016, to ascertain the process that led to the promotion of some professors, extortion of money from students and award of contractsn the petition to the Council signed by the Chairman of the association, Obinna Nwankwo, the aggrieved parents decried what they described as the total rape of MOUAU by Edeoga, which made it impossible for the new administration to fully discharge its financial obligations to workers since 2016.

 They insisted that only a thorough probe of the entire tenure will expose the rot perpetrated by the Edeoga-led leadership.

 Throwing light on the sack of 700 workers of the university which the current administration is blaming Edeoga for, the association noted that most of the staff who were employed illegally were recruited between 2011 and 2015 while the few which the Council ordered their disengagement only got employed in 2016.

 According to them, those the Council asked to go are merely junior workers of Abia State extraction who were employed illegally on Edeoga’s last day in office, while the bulk of the illegal employees who constitute 60%of the senior staff are Edeoga’s cronies anchored on nepotismHon. Chairman Sir, this man arrested us unjustly because we opposed his evil deeds. We took him to court and we defeated him. We also wrote a petition to the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria detailing his atrocities. He should not be allowed to go scot-free,”  they wrote

 “Never in the history of academics has a man descended so low to destroy the values of an Institution. It will take decades to clear the mess left by Prof Edeoga” the association insisted.

 “The bloated workforce dominated by Edeoga’s relations, the deliberate lowering of academic standard to favour cronies, the extortion of students under various guises, the manipulation of promotion exercises and general maladministration instituted by the former VC must be dismantled for MOUAU to breathe again”, they submitted.

 Among some of his inadequacies, the royal father had also accused Edeoga of academic fraud, and manipulation of the system to favour his wife, Mrs Georgina Edeoga. They maintained that as MOUAU VC, he failed to provide academic leadership, as under him 50% of the university's accredited programmes lost full accreditation, while one was denied accreditation, attracting ban on new admission of students.

 For the sake of the argument, lets concede to the wild  imaginations of that dim wit, Emmanuel John that the landowners were becoming a nuisance to Edeoga, but why does his colleagues, the Academic State Union of Universities, ASUU, Owerri zone also wants him probedSometime in 2015, at a  press briefing in Awka, Anambra State, the executive members of the Owerri zone that comprises Abia, Anambra and Imo, led by the Zonal Coordinator, Professor Ike Odimegwu, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to set up a Special Visitation Panel into the university to investigate the acts of impunity by Edeoga and  redress them.

 Edeoga, among many allegations, was accused of academic fraud, financial embezzlement and administrative impunity.

 The lecturers also decried what they called the outrageous school charges imposed on students compulsorily.

The students were said to have been compelled to pay  N4,000 each for intra-campus shuttle bus service irrespective of whether they use it or not.

 Aside the issues concerning students’ welfare, the former  Vice Chancellor was further  accused of indiscriminate recruitment of lecturers and appointment of professors. others. Succintly, Edeoga breached laid down due process as captured in the Universities of Agriculture (Act) No. 48 of 1982 in the employment and promotion of staff during his tenure.

 ''It is expedient to state further that employment for the highest bidder became the order of the day as money or gratifications/bribery were glamorised'', the traditional rulers had alleged in their petition.

 These are issues even a simpleton would have reacted to by responding to the issues raised,  but Edeoga, riding on the back of the clownish Emmanuel John resorted to abuses and insults as if they could make the issues go away.  Like the pig, having wallowed so long in filth, excess grub and impunity of the past, Prof. Edeoga has refused to acknowledge that a new era of accountability and transparency is here.

 For the records, theledgerng.com sought the reactions of the two traditional rulers who were specifically attacked in the facebook post.

 Eze C U Ejirika, was reluctant to join issues with what he described as a cowardly, and irresponsible write-up, nonetheless he explained that as an international businessman for over 40 years, it is utterly wicked for anyone to insinuate he had an unregistered company. ''More, importantly, I have never done any contract with MOUAU'', he stressed.

 In his own reaction, HRM King Larry Agwu  has challenged Edeoga to drag him to the anti-crime agencies or report him to the police if he has given him any contract which was not executed, or if he King Larry is owing the University. ''I know Edeoga to be opportunistic, a blackmailer, and now that his fraudulent ways are catching up with him, he should address the issues rather than descend so low to abuses.

 ''I am not acting in my individual capacity, but representing my community, therefore using irresponsible journalist like Emmanuel John to make frivolous and unsubstantiated allegations will not distract the community from ensuring he does not bring his evil ways to  NRCRI'', he told theledgerng.com