Educational Issues
Absurdities at Admiralty University and Matters Arising -By Wantion Julius
The least Admiralty University of Nigeria should do is to strive to live by its mantra, even as the Nigerian Navy should live by its motto: “Onward Together”. There can never be onward movement when laws and processes are broken without remorse.
On Saturday, July 1, 2023, a “rebuttal”, supposedly by the Nigerian Navy, was published in Vanguard newspaper in response to an article by Femi Odere in the Nation newspaper titled “Absurdities at Admiralty University”, which was published on Wednesday, 28th June 2023.
A “rebuttal” is supposed to put a lie on the intended object. Accordingly, it is necsessary to examine the claims in Mr. Odere’s article in reference that were “rebutted”:
First, instead, the “rebuttal” rather confirmed what Mr. Odere wrote concerning the history of licensing and ownership of Admiralty University, Ibusa: that the National Universities Commission (NUC) issued the University a provisional license in December, 2017; that the University was established as a private university under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) between a subsidiary company of the Nigerian Navy called the Navy Holdings Limited (NHL) and Hellenic Education Nigeria Limited (HENL); that the University started operations in January, 2019; that “by mutual consent, NHL and HENL dissolved the partnership on 21 March 2022 and in December 2022, the National Assembly passed a Bill to convert the University to a conventional public university. This Bill was assented to by former President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR on 8 February 2023 as the Admiralty University of Nigeria, Ibusa (Establishment) Act 2022.” This does not contradict what Femi Odere wrote in his article; therefore, nothing has been “rebutted”, but confirmed by the Nigerian Navy, or whosoever wrote and signed the “rebuttal” on behalf of the Nigerian Navy.
Secondly, the “rebuttal” claims: “The change of status of a university from private to public is not an event but a process involving key Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). In furtherance of this process, NHL has caused multiple high-level engagements between the NN and both the Federal Ministries of Education and Defence as well as the NUC.” It is relevant to note the affirmation in the “rebuttal” that “former President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR on 8 February 2023” gave assent to “the Admiralty University of Nigeria, Ibusa (Establishment) Act 2022.” Furthermore, the Management of Admiralty University, Ibusa, on June 7, 2023, in a letter referenced ADUN/R/UGC/CM/VOL.2/11, and addressed to the “Pro Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council, Admiralty University of Nigeria, Ibusa, Delta State”, and titled “FORWARDING A LEGAL OPINION/CLARIFICATION ON THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE ADMIRALTY UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA 2022 ACT BY THE UNIVERSITY LAWYERS”, conveyed the legal opinion on the status of the University. The legal practitioners, PINNACLE PRACTIONERS, in their response, referenced PP/03/02/ADUN/03, gave detailed legal advice, sprinkled with numerous citations, and concluded as follows:
“In the light of the above stated provisions of the Interpretation Act, and the decided case in Karumi V Federal Republic of Nigeria (supra), and in the absence of other no other provision being made as to the time when the particular enactment is to come into force, we humbly opine and submit that the commencement date of the Admiralty University of Nigeria 2022 Act comes into effect on the 8th day of February, 2023 which was the date it was given assent to by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
There is documented evidence that this legal opinion was presented to the “Transitional Governing Council” (TGC) on Monday, June 19, 2023, and there was no objection. Accordingly, the “rebuttal” on the “change of status” of a university is lame. Admiralty University, Ibusa, became a federal university effective February 8, 2023, just as the University lawyers advised, and the “Transitional Governing Council” accepted. Any attempt at revisionism by any staff of the University or the Nigerian Navy will only further prove the absurdities going on at the University. Moreover, can any personalities, institutions, or organizations in Nigeria violate an Act of the National Assembly without punitive consequences? Most certainly, Admiralty University of Nigeria, Ibusa Establishment Act (2022) is an extant law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which must not be observed in breach by the Nigerian Navy (a publicly funded creation of the law), Admiralty University of Nigeria, or any other persons and authorities.
Thirdly, in the “rebuttal”, it is stated that, “The Federal Ministry of Education has commenced the process of conversion, but to date is yet to take the University on strength and the NUC is yet to change its status as a Federal public university.” This statement is difficult to comprehend. However, a citation of the minutes of the April 14, 2023 meeting of the “Transitional Governing Council”(TGC), which were presented at the meeting of the TGC on Monday, June 19, 2023, puts a lie to the claim: “It will be recalled that, the Chief of the Naval Staff, in line with the provisions in the Act assented to, by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari on 8th February, 2023, which transitioned ADUN to public University, performed the inauguration ceremony of the Transitional Governing Council on Thursday, 13th April, 2023.” If you observe closely, the Chief of the Naval Staff understood that the Admiralty University of Nigeria Establishment Act (2022) had kicked in, and therefore, “performed the inauguration ceremony of the Transitional Governing Council on Thursday, 13th April, 2023”. Furthermore, in the minutes in reference, the Transitional Governing Council noted the giving of assent by the “President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari on 8th February, 2023” to the Admiralty University of Nigeria (ADUN) Establishment Act (2022), “which transitioned ADUN to public University”; not “which shall transition ADUN to a public University after the Federal Ministry of Education has commenced the process of conversion.” Taking all of these together, it is obvious that both the Nigerian Navy and TGC of ADUN are aware that Admiralty University, Ibusa, has already transitioned to a public university officially under the new name “Admiralty University of Nigeria”. It is disingenuous for anyone in the know to claim otherwise, or to attempt to instigate a miasma of ambiguity, unless the attempt is to impose illegalities and spite the explicit directives of President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which the National Universities Commission (NUC) has already communicated to all Vice Chancellors of Federal Universities via a letter referenced NUC/ES/138/Vol.64/224.
Fourthly, it is stated in the “rebuttal” that, “In the meantime, and in deference to Section 38 of the ADUN Establishment Act 2022, the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) constituted the Transitional Governing Council (TGC) to govern the University ‘before the coming into force of the Act’.” It must be stated that this claim is a deliberate and an injurious alteration of the Admiralty University of Nigeria Establishment Act (2022). Nevertheless, by citing the Act to buttress the action in reference of the Chief of the Naval Staff, the “rebuttal” has inadvertently asserted that the conduct of officers and staff of the University must align with and be in “deference” to its provisions. A university should be a place of learning, validation of claims with sources, and not a place where apparent facts are turned on their head in order to achieve an egregious end.
To put it straight, Section 38 of the Admiralty University of Nigeria Establishment Act (2022) is the “Interpretation” section of the Act, which contains definitions of terms, words, and phrases contained in the Act, and no more. For instance, the section defines phrases and words such as “academic staff”, ‘academic year”, “Act”, “administrative staff”, “chairman”, “campus”, “Transitional Governing Council”, “undergraduate”, etc. This is how “Transitional Governing Council” is defined by Section 38 of the Act: “Transitional Governing Council means the provisional Council constituted for the University by the Chief of the Naval Staff, before coming into force of this Act.” Doesn’t the Nigerian Navy or Admiralty University, Ibusa have lawyers to guide their public releases that border on legal interpretations? I think that whoever wrote the “rebuttal” has done significant damage to the public perception of scholarship at the University. And to twist this simple definition of “Transitional Governing Council” to have the mandate “to govern the University ‘before the coming into force of the Act’” is a malicious assault on the Admiralty University of Nigeria Establishment Act (2022).
In September 2021, the Chief of the Naval Staff then (Vice Admiral A. Z. Gambo), who was the Visitor of the University at the time, constituted a Governing Council in accordance with the provisions of the 2017 Law. When Admiralty University of Nigeria Establishment Act (2022) came into force (when it was assented to by former President Muhammadu Buhari on February 8, 2023), this same Council became the “Transitional Governing Council”, as defined in Section 38 of the Act. It is an exhibition of ignorance or guile or both for the author of the “rebuttal” to twist this plain fact. It is noteworthy that there was no need for the Chief of the Naval Staff to “perform an inauguration ceremony” to “inaugurate” the “Transitional Governing Council” since it had already been inaugurated in September, 2021—only a change of name happened, and no more, awaiting constitution of a substantive Governing Council of Admiralty University of Nigeria by its new Visitor, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as provided in the Act, and advised by Femi Odere. The Nigerian Navy and Admiralty University of Nigeria seem to be challenging the powers of the President of Nigeria over the University, while at the same time they seek his approval of “take-off grant” for the University. But ignoring the directives of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to have governing boards/councils of federal agencies, institutions, and government-owned companies dissolved effective Friday, June 16, 2023, which were communicated to all Federal Universities by the National Universities Commission (NUC), is to be deliberately insubordinate and disrespectful. By the way, does the Nigerian Navy or Management of Admiralty University of Nigeria deny the superintending powers of the new Visitor over the University while at the same time claiming to be implementing sections of the new Act, which effectively removes the Chief of the Naval Staff as its Visitor? By the way, between the Chief of the Naval Staff and President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who has the pre-eminence over any institution owned by an agency of the federal government? Who appoints the Chief of the Naval Staff? Doesn’t the author of the “rebuttal” expect the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to dissolve the Transitional Governing Council (TGC) before constituting a governing council in accordance with Section 9 of the Admiralty University of Nigeria Establishment Act (2022)?
The Nigerian Navy ought to be commended for its vision to establish, nurture, and grow a University such as Admiralty University of Nigeria since it commenced academic activities in January 2019. The vision of former CNS Ezeoba, who built its Ibusa campus originally to house a model navy secondary school, the initiative of former CNS Jubrin to convert the campus to a university, the doggedness of former CNS Ibas, who presided over its take-off, and the generosity of the immediate former CNS Gambo, who oversaw the convocation of the first class of 2022, must not be allowed a single dent by acts of indiscretion and indecency by certain officers of the Nigerian Navy and the University, whose tenures are ephemeral, and shall pass away while the University remains.
Finally, let me draw attention to a deliberate lie or dissimulation in the “rebuttal” to cover the fact that an “extension” of “6 months” was given to Prof. Omaji (which is not supported by the Admiralty University of Nigeria Establishment Act (2022), even if the TGC wasn’t dissolved earlier) AFTER the presidential directive to dissolve all governing boards/councils of federal agencies, institutions, and government-owned companies. The “rebuttal” claims as follows: “However, the TGC in its wisdom was unwilling to leave a leadership vacuum in the University. It therefore, in the overall interest of the University, approved a 6-month extension of contract during which time the NHL is to intensify efforts to effect the change of status of the University so that necessary actions and due processes can be taken to appoint a substantive Vice Chancellor. This approval was endorsed by the CNS who is the de- facto Proprietor on 9 June 2023 and re-affirmed by the TGC on 14 June 2023.” First, the TGC never met either virtually or otherwise on June 14, 2023. Claiming that any decision or action was “re-affirmed by the TGC on 14 June 2023” is a lie, unless its members met in the spirit world. It is obvious that this false date was chosen by the author of the “rebuttal” to hide the fact that this “re-affirmation” was offered AFTER the dissolution of all governing boards/councils of federal agencies, institutions, and government-owned companies on Friday, June 16, 2023. The TGC met on Monday, June 19, 2023 AFTER the dissolution. We challenge the author of the “rebuttal” to deny, and documents signed by the Secretary of the TGC shall be published to prove our assertion.
Femi Odere’s article was intended to correct illegalities in this new federal university. Rather than take actions to correct them, the Nigerian Navy or certain persons at Admiralty University decided it was noble to feed the public with lies. Again, The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) should take appropriate actions to have President Tinubu appoint a Vice Chancellor and principal officers for Admiralty University of Nigeria. We advise against the president authorizing release of “take-off grants” to Admiralty University of Nigeria without first appointing officers for the University and a governing council according to Section 9 of Admiralty University of Nigeria Establishment Act (2022), whom the federal government shall hold accountable. The Nigerian Navy and Management of Admiralty University of Nigeria should not be allowed to so disrespectfully treat presidential directives with disdain. The new Chief of the Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Ogalla must take note. By the way, it is public knowledge that at Admiralty University of Nigeria is this oft quoted mantra: “Doing the RIGHT thing in the right WAY, at the right TIME, and for the right REASONS. The “extension” of the appointment of Prof. Paul O. Omaji was the WRONG thing (There is no provision in the University Law to support it), done in the wrong WAY (There is no provision in the University Law to support how it came about), at the wrong TIME (June 19, 2023, when it was supposedly “re-affirmed” by TGC, which had ceased to exist on June 16, 2023 before that day), and for the wrong REASONS (There is a conventional leadership succession path in universities; therefore, there can never be “leadership vacuum” as claimed in the “rebuttal”). The least Admiralty University of Nigeria should do is to strive to live by its mantra, even as the Nigerian Navy should live by its motto: “Onward Together”. There can never be onward movement when laws and processes are broken without remorse.
