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……The petition that nailed her
It is no longer news that Prof. Stella Ngozi Lemchi has been removed from her position as the Vice-Chancellor of Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education (AIFUE). What may not be known is the damning petition from a group of concerned professors that led to her sack. The petition, which raised serious questions about the legitimacy of her appointment, ultimately proved instrumental in her sack.
On January 23, 2025, Professors Kingsley O. Ikebudu and Joshua E. Umeifekwem submitted a formal petition to the Minister of Education, calling for the nullification of Lemchi’s appointment. The petition detailed several allegations, including claims that Lemchi lacked the necessary qualifications to assume either the acting or substantive Vice-Chancellor roles. Specifically, the professors contended that her professorship from Imo State University (IMSU) was illegitimate, as she had never been a faculty member there, having only served as a Chief Lecturer at Alvan Ikoku.
The professors’ concerns intensified with revelations that both of Lemchi’s professorships—one from IMSU and the other from AIFUE—were obtained in the same year, 2024. This unprecedented rapid ascent in her academic career raised significant suspicions among her peers, who questioned the substantive basis for her promotions.
Further compounding the issue, the petition asserted that the Governing Council, led by Senator Joy Emodi, created an uneven playing field by allowing Lemchi who Emodi had already appointed acting Vice-Chancellor to compete for the substantive Vice-Chancellor position against other candidates. This decision, according to the petitioners, conferred undue advantages that undermined the entire selection process.
In their call for action, the professors had urged an investigation into these matters, voicing their disbelief at how Lemchi had seemingly outperformed seasoned professors with years of experience during the interview process. They likened the situation to previous controversies seen at other universities like the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), illustrating a troubling pattern of unqualified appointments.
As a result of the petition and growing pressure from the academic community, the Federal Ministry of Education took swift action. Prof. Stella Ngozi Lemchi now officially sacked from her role as Vice-Chancellor, a decision viewed by many as a necessary step towards restoring integrity in the university’s leadership.
It will be recalled that Crimefacts investigations unearthed the details of the controversial IMSU professorship.
Pascal Arogorn Ibe