Amanze ChinonyeAfter months of uncertainty and administrative delays, Professor Simon Uchenna Ortuanya has been confirmed as the 16th substantive Vice‑Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). The official announcement was issued on Sunday, August 3, 2025, by UNN’s Acting Public Relations Officer, Inya Agha Egwu, following ratification by the Governing Council chaired by Engr. Kayode Ojo.
Professor Ortuanya was selected from a field of 28 candidates, following a transparent and merit-based process. He has extensive experience in academia and public service, including roles as Associate Dean of Law at UNN’s Enugu Campus and Professor of Law at Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), as well as a visiting scholar at Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelOrtuanya’s appointment is historic: he becomes the first Nsukka indigene to be appointed substantive Vice‑Chancellor of UNN since its establishment in 1960. Local advocacy groups including Kpokotenu Nsukka had long campaigned for representation from the Nsukka community, further intensifying expectations around the appointment.
In the weeks leading up to the announcement, the University’s position on the vacancy was ambiguous. On August 2 and 3, UNN publicly denied media and social media reports claiming Ortuanya had already been appointed, describing them as “misleading” and the handiwork of “mischief‑makers” while maintaining that the selection process was still ongoing.
The delay stemmed largely from a stalled inauguration of the newly appointed Governing Council. Although appointed months earlier by the federal government, the Council remained inactive for approximately four months, rendering it unable to formally open the VC vacancy.
Once the Council was inaugurated and empowered to act, the vacancy was advertised, attracting over 40 applicants. The pool was narrowed to 28 candidates, including Deputy Vice‑Chancellor (Academic) Professor Johnson Urama, widely viewed as a strong contender.
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Shortlisted applicants were evaluated on academic credentials, leadership experience, administrative capacity, and vision for the university. According to Council sources, the final decision was reached through a merit-based scoring system in line with federal university appointment guidelines.
Professor Ortuanya earned an LL.B (Hons) from UNN (Enugu Campus) in 1987, an LL.M from the University of Lagos in 1991, and a Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) from Loyola University Chicago in 2003. Between 2003 and 2005, he served as a visiting scholar at Loyola. He has held leadership roles including Associate Dean of the Faculty of Law at UNN, Dean of Law at ESUT, Commissioner for Education, Secretary to the State Government, and Director-General of the South-East Governors’ Forum.
In his acceptance address, Ortuanya pledged “inclusive leadership” and reaffirmed his commitment to repositioning UNN as a globally competitive institution, inviting collaboration from all stakeholders regardless of prior involvement in the process.
With the new academic session on the horizon, attention now turns to how his administration will address institutional expectations, manage internal reconciliation, and deliver transformational leadership in what has been one of UNN’s most scrutinized VC selection processes.
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