*Photo: Prof Charles Esimone*
By Fatai Ibrahim
- “If you want to be successful in life, find someone who has achieved the results, copy what he does and you will surely achieved same lofty feats” -Tony Robins.
The above quote by Tony Robins succinctly captures the effervescent leadership prowess and intellectual acuity of Professor Charles Okechuwku Esimone, the current Vice Chancellor Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Akwa. Since his coming on board four years ago as head of the prestigious institution, he has brought to bear radical and revolutionary initiatives for the good of the majority in the citadel of learning and beyond.
“When you show the people the way, they would follow”, that was the immortal words of the Great Zik of Africa, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, a foremost Pan Africanist and intellectual per Excellence. The truism in Zik’s word is that Professor Esimone has not been found wanting in his position as he is providing purposeful and exemplary leadership at NAU worthy of emulation by those committed to academic excellence and nation building.
Because education is the greatest weapon which we can use to change the world so said the legendary Dr. Nelson Rohilala Mandela, the Nnamdi Azikiwe University under the guidance of Professor Esimone could be said to be the first amongst equals in rankings among universities in the country. Recently, Times Higher Education, a foremost global ranking body, released the maiden Universities ranking for Sub-saharan Africa and to the glory of God was ranked no. 4 position in Nigeria and 31 in the entire Sub-saharan Africa. This was achieved primarily through Professor Esimone’s visionary and dynamic leadership geared towards the revitalization and repositioning of the University to greater heights for global competitiveness through his core Vision on Projects 200 in the institution. The Project 200 has touched every facets in the institution, including research, teaching and administration resulting in greater co-efficiency in the comity of Universities doing well globally.
In the same vein, in the World Rankings of Universities in 2023 by Times Higher Education.
The ranking of World Universities by discipline, Nnamdi Azikiwe University’s Chemical Sciences was ranked 801+. This is indeed a great manifestation of Professor Esimone’s clear cut vision in repositioning NAU for global competitiveness and relevance. Relatedly, Stanford University, USA in 2002 included two staff lecturers of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Engineer (Dr)Christopher Igwe Idumah of the Department of Polymer Engineering and Joshua Ighalo of the Department of Chemical Engineering amongst its top World Scientists. Also, Scopus in its December 2022 up-dated Report (Top 500 African Authors) listed Prof Charles Okechukwu Esimone and 5 others scholars amongst the top five 500 authors of journal publications in Nigeria. The serene environment provided by Professor Esimone’s leadership at the Nnamdi Azikwe University no doubt paved way for these unprecedented giant strides in academic excellence at the institution.
Interestingly, “Working together is success” So said Henry Ford, in the area of collaboration, Nnamdi Azikwe University has achieved many giant strides. The School of Business Administration has recorded many unprecedented feats having a robust partnership with the Onitsha Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mines and Power as well as Agriculture on short term project geared towards wealth creation and other positives initiatives.
Also, Professor Esimone took the bull by the horns by introducing French and Chinese Languages, Afrihub-UNIZIK Partnership with Foreign Universities on undergraduate, post- graduate and short terms programmes as well as going into collaboration with the Centre for Regional and International Development (CRID), an international institute based in Canada and the United Kingdom. The unique leadership of Professor Esimone also attracted from Chief Obiora Okonkwo, Founder and Chairman of Pro-Value Humanity Foundation, a N15 million naira research grant for the project tagged “Invigorating Entrepreneurial Behaviour through Enhanced Apprenticeship
Scheme in Onitsha Market. It is also expected that the project will attract the Higher Education Partnership in Sub- Saharan Africa grant of 100,000 British pounds sterling.
In the area of infrastructural development, the Nnamdi Azikiwe University has completed various TETfund projects. The construction of Multipurpose Hall and offices for Faculty of Agriculture, Ifite Ogwari, Special Intervention for College of Health Sciences Nnewi through the establishment of Molecular Diagnostic and Research Laboratory, Okofia Nnewi Campus, the modification and innovation works, supply and installation of laboratory equipment, construction of male and female conveniences at Awka, Nnewi and Agulu are some of the many initiated projects by Professor Charles Okechukwu Esimone.
Theodore Roosevelt must have had Professor Esimone in mind when he said, “The most successful leader is he who does what the people are thinking most often, in the loudest voice”. Due to Professor Esimone’s foresightedness and forthrightness, the areas of entrepreneurship intervention, procurement, installation, testing and commissioning of equipment for fashion design and knitting have been achieved across board in the institution. There was the construction and furnishing of the Faculty Building for Social Sciences, Awka Campus, the construction and furnishing of Psychology Building, Awka, construction and furnishing of Faculty of Education Building, Awka Campus, construction and furnishing of Departmental Office Block for the Faculty of Education (Vocational Studies) Awka Campus.
In concluding this piece and looking at the various monumental giants strides put in place by the sterling leadership qualities of Professor Charles Okechukwu Esimone as the Vice- Chancellor Nnamdi Azikwe University, Awka, there is no doubt that given the opportunity to serve at the highest level of governance in the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, this erudite scholar cum intellectual colossus will surely bring his wealth of immeasurable experience to bear and replicate same feats in the Nigerian Project for the common good of all Nigerians.
Urging all of us who are nation builders to have solace in the words of Wayner Dney who posited, “Successful people brings success to what they do.”
*Ibrahim can be reached through fataiib5@gmail.com