I never imagined myself to be UNIZIK VC’s -Esimone.
In addition to teaching biopharmaceutics and pharmaceutical biotechnology, he is the first professor of pharmaceutical microbiology in Eastern Nigeria.
His appointment as Vice Chancellor, which started in 2019, has resulted in a paradigm shift across the board for the university, as embodied in the ACADA Vision and Project 200. This has allowed the university to literally leapfrog academics, even as it pursues its ultimate goal of ranking among the top 200 universities in the world. His father had given him that perseverance.
He provides an overview of his academic and leadership achievements in this interview.
How well-maintained is the university system in Nigeria?
It’s evident that this system is ill and has entered a state of unconsciousness. Numerous diagnoses have been made on the existing Nigerian system, which is ill and requires immediate attention. We are discussing a system in which employees and students lack the necessary resources to instruct or learn, due to severe underfunding. a system in which all money is placed into the Nigerian Central Bank’s Treasury Single Account (TSA) and locked there. The system is stagnant because of the TSA. Once more, the unique features of the university system were ignored by the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS). IPPIS was able to exhaust its resources without refilling them. Infrastructure is deteriorating, and some of these issues are currently looming large-scale wrongdoing and corruption. a system in which teachers’ welfare is not given the same priority as it should. Since the Nigerian university system is broken, we must redesign and profile the care provided at all levels. Examining the academic level is necessary. In a system where inadequate funds and materials are sacrificed for academic achievement, students who are expected to complete practicals—even in fields where health and life are crucial—turn to other forms of education instead of practicals. other of the necessary tools and equipment, as well as other devices, are not powered by electricity. Once more, there are more students enrolled in our system than the classrooms can accommodate, and we have a variety of social and academic deficiencies that are not typical of a university setting. Paper credentials are valued more highly than expertise and experience. The system is extremely ill and comatose as a result of this misguided prioritization, leaving people with phrases like “unemployable graduates.” If someone lacks ability, skill, or experience rather than a lack of job experience, there is an issue with the system that is producing them, and this is what the Nigerian university system is fostering. Certain rules shouldn’t be in the university system, which is one of the urgent approaches to fixing the system. There is a structure that directs the basic civil service. Understanding the university’s dynamic system is essential to our advancement. There are numerous ways to define the illness, but usually speaking, we speak from administrative, financial, and academic standpoints. The university system is ill and needs to be healed and treated. As I previously stated, other people have made the diagnosis; at this point, the diagnosis is unambiguous and all that is required is recovery.
One of the issues at public institutions has been ongoing strikes. In what way may this be resolved?
There are two main reasons academics or other staff members at Nigerian institutions go on strike. The first is the deterioration of infrastructure and inadequate funding. Their welfare is also impacted by the two of them combined. The workforce’s well-being is jeopardized when there is insufficient money for infrastructure, other required amenities, or human costs. This explains why strikes work. In light of these two factors, no one will go on strike if employee welfare is taken care of, infrastructure and learning environments are enhanced, the calibre of graduates is ensured, and service providers are happy. Today, the average monthly salary for a university lecturer is less than $300 or USD 400. Where on earth would one put it? How can someone who works in this climate be in a psychologically healthy state to impart knowledge? It’s not feasible, and it affects every level of employee. Electricity is nonexistent in the majority of university classrooms nowadays. Not even enough water exists to power the essential infrastructure. There are no chairs in the classroom and no instructional resources. These factors alone have the power to start a strike since no one can work in an environment where their well-being is not ensured and yet be content, and willing to do their job. Strikes will end if these issues are resolved. Therefore, the government must look at essential infrastructure and address finances.
I discovered that public colleges have difficulty covering their power costs. Do they not have the capacity to produce their electricity?
It is the best course of action; public colleges need to produce their power. How are you going to produce that? To achieve it, the university needs money. The engineering faculties at the majority of our institutions are strong and capable, so if you give them this task, they can do it, but they need funds. We are also happy that an upcoming project was just formed by the Federal Government, via the Minister of Education. The required requirements analysis has been completed by the government to enable universities to operate independently of distribution companies. We would like to express our gratitude to the President, the Minister, and the Executive Secretary of TETFUND for their support of our effort while it is still in progress. If this is successful, there would have been a solution to the core problem of energy in the Nigerian university system.
What drives UNIZIK?
The renowned late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, often known as Zik of Africa, is honored with the name Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), honoring his unique greatness on a local, national, and worldwide scale. He is a superb pan-Africanist, nevertheless. Our desire for innovation and perfection is what drives us. We have been able to expand throughout the years even in the absence of significant government assistance. Since the university’s founding as a federal institution in 1992, the majority of its infrastructure has come from donations or other forms of funding. This indicates that the university aspires to be the best. We don’t gripe about things not being done for us or made available to us. Here, creativity is essential. Every department and faculty member plans thinks creatively and looks for financial assistance. We are renowned as a fiercely competitive and influential industry in education. In running our institution, we approach things with an entrepreneurial and business-man mindset. One of the things that sets UNIZIK apart from other universities is our ability to take initiative and solve problems on our own, rather than waiting for the government.
When you became the new vice chancellor, what type of university did you take over?
The university I inherited was summarily rated 4,937 in the world in 2019; nevertheless, we are currently below I,500. Because individuals were striving for other things at the university I inherited, the academic culture was not heavily stressed at the time. Regular inauguration talks, scholarly conferences, and grant applications were absent, in contrast to other civilizations. We have increased the overall number of inaugural speeches since the program’s founding since I took head in 2019. Back then, we were at the university’s 41st inaugural lecture; today, we are at 98. Thus, it is evident that academic culture has grown dramatically. International conferences are often organized by the departments and faculties. Unlike in the past, grantsmanship is no longer limited to the biological sciences. The arts and social sciences are now all receiving funds. We’re doing well in both teaching and learning. Both academically and administratively, the university I was introduced to at the time was subpar. It has undergone an administrative change. We have made great strides in social impact and infrastructure, including sports. The state does not have a working stadium with a complete tartan track or a golf course, but the university has, and it also has social influence. We have a working zoo, which is, incidentally, the first in Anambra State. In terms of sports, we hosted the inaugural South-East University Games and implemented measures that will promote social cohesion and sports among our young people. In terms of academics, community service, administration, discipline, advancement, and welfare, I am happy with what we have accomplished thus far. I came up with a vision called ACADA, which stands for Academic Excellence, Community Service, Administrative Reforms, Discipline, and Advancement in every other area that my predecessors had worked in, so with all of this, I can go to sleep with both eyes closed. We captured the essence of what I refer to as Project 200, which is the goal of elevating Nnamdi Azikiwe University to the top 10 institutions in Africa, the top 200 universities worldwide, and the top university in Nigeria. Thus, based on these five ACADA pillars, I believe that we have achieved progress thus far and that our rankings have improved. With a university that is less than 50 years old, we are ranked below 1,500 globally, number 31 in sub-Saharan Africa, and between 8 and 9th in Nigeria. We have relocated quite a bit in the previous two years. The staff and children have very clearly understood the need for discipline. Any university that aspires to be the best prioritizes discipline. When it comes to staff or kids acting erratically, we have no tolerance. To fulfill our words, we also adhere to due procedure. Many items that were mixed have been decentralized and administrative changes implemented. We had our matriculation yesterday, which I decentralized. The faculties are now the location of matriculation, as opposed to the central location. At the time, my concept was for students to have a deeper interaction with their instructors and lecturers. Thus, matriculation will provide students with the chance to engage in more intimate interactions with their faculty lecturers. They may now enjoy the connection, communication, delight, and enjoyment that matriculation brings from the outset thanks to that decentralization. This is only an illustration to make sure our organization is progressing.
Was being vice-chancellor always your goal, or did you decide to alter it as you matured?
I never imagined myself as vice chancellor. By trade, I’m a pharmacist. Originally, I wanted to manufacture, test, produce, and market medications. However, my mentor thought that since I had graduated with honors, I ought to pursue studies, which I did. I completed an internship first, then a postgraduate program, and finally a PhD. In addition, I do research. I just left the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) due to the necessity of establishing a pharmacy school at UNIZIK. I was asked to carry that out. I arrived, got the program going, held the position of Dean for five years, and in the process, I turned the school into one of Nigeria’s top pharmacy schools. Others began to see such talent in me and suggested that I join the Governing Council, where I likewise contributed and performed admirably, in their opinion. After I received the award, VC extended an opportunity to take on the role of Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics). There was a lot of change as usual, and they gave their approval for me to be the VC. That’s how I applied, and in God’s favor, I was accepted as the VC for 2019. Being VC was never my intention. I was merely a busy researcher working with several foreign universities and receiving funding. I brought in visiting academics from the diaspora to mentor young people and pursue postgraduate studies in those locations while I served as dean of the pharmacy school. Building capacity, hiring academics, obtaining funding, helping PhD students start programs, and all of that was what I was doing. I give God the honor.
When word leaked out that you were the new Vice Chancellor, where were you?
When it was announced, I was at home. I hurried to the office building, thanked the staff, and got my letter. It was a worthwhile one.
Most students nowadays reside off campus. What are your thoughts about that?
Indeed, having students on campus is the best course of action. Living off campus is not recommended. To prepare their minds for future integration, it is crucial to note that students who live off campus do not experience the same social growth as those who reside on campus. However, it is costly to rent dorms on campus, and colleges are unable to pay for the building of on-campus housing. Funding has thus always been a challenge to establish dorms on campus. We suggest that numerous investors enter the market through public-private partnerships to build hostels inside the campuses so that we may have a large number of hostels, as neither the government nor the schools can do that. That’s what I did when I first joined the team, and a number of these hostels are about to open, but sadly, no one has finished as of yet. The COVID-19 halted several of them, and when they returned, the cost of materials had gone up and they had to revisit the MoU, which turned off most investors. Given the availability of the Governing Council, the institutions ought to be capable of managing it. We had a forum like this, so I’m sure it’s the same for many of my colleagues, and for this investor, the experience is the same everywhere.
What important ways did your parents shape you into who you are today?
Despite never attending school, my late father was a successful businessman who amassed millions of dollars. He owned a fleet of transport vehicles and traded in motor components. I genuinely feel as though I was born with a golden spoon. My father resided in Cameroon, where I was born. My education was completed in Cameroon, where I was raised. My mother was an excellent instructor. I am the first of eight children, with an uneducated father who was deeply committed to education and a literate mother. All except one of my siblings passed away during infancy. One of the most important lessons I took from my entrepreneurial father was that he never thought anything was impossible. That idea has had a significant influence on me. My father used to relate the tale of how he began his thriving firm from nothing, grew to become a multimillionaire and successful businessman, and founded large corporations there. And this was a man who, in contrast to today’s grads who might not be able to, could read, write, and understand large government contracts despite never having attended school. My father, an Igbo guy, always wanted us to attend school rather than take over his business operations. I am his first son. His fellow Igbos would urge their kids to visit the store and office over the holidays; my father would cover the cost of our tuition so that we would attend school and avoid the business. He urged us to concentrate on our coursework. My father used to send me to America for the holidays when I was a high school student. I truly appreciate how much importance he placed on education, which is how we got to where we are now. We are a nice family, and my other siblings have diverse jobs as well. My mom is still living. Being born-again Christians, my parents forced me to accept Christ at a young age. They provided me with a fantastic foundation, and because of their excellent performance in their duty, I am now a successful person. My father contacted me early in the morning when I decided to pursue academia after completing my studies in pharmacy, and he inquired as to why I wanted to become a teacher. After I gave him an explanation, he gave me the go-ahead and asked me to go. I recall that my father continued to provide for me as a young scholar by covering my rent. My father gave me every automobile I drove from my college years till the end of my life. He paid and provided the help. We give thanks to God for everything. He passed away in the year 2000.
Could you give us a snapshot of Professor Esimone?
By training, Prof. Charles Okechukwu Esimone is a pharmacist. My hometown is Uru-Olu, a hamlet located in Akwaeze, Anambra State’s Anaocha Local Government Area. I am joyfully wed to Associate Professor of Music Dr. (Mrs.) Celestina Chinyere Esimone. Blessed are we with five kids. Interestingly, our quadruplets—two boys and two girls—are doing quite well. We also have a son. I am a member of the Deeper Life Ministry and a born-again Christian. I enjoy preaching, sharing the gospel, engaging with young people, and mentoring them. I also think that sports are a great way to bring our young people together. I can write and speak both French and English.
Credits:Allschoolabs, ALLSCHOOL
