Ojukwu Varsity: 12 Students Killed in Road Accidents, VC Appeals for Urgent Support

In a heartbreaking revelation during the third Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Memorial Lecture, Acting Vice Chancellor of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Prof. Kate Azuka Omenugha, disclosed that 12 students have lost their lives in road accidents over the past 10 months. The tragedy has been attributed to inadequate on-campus accommodations and the absence of university-operated transport systems.

Speaking at the university’s ETF Auditorium on Friday, Prof. Omenugha expressed deep sorrow over the fatalities caused by tricycle (Keke) and motorcycle (Okada) accidents on inter-community roads surrounding the university. She highlighted the urgent need for hostels and school buses to address the situation and prevent further loss of life.

“I feel terrified as a mother about these incidents,” the acting VC said. “The loss of these brilliant students could have been avoided if we had hostels in the university. Around the campus, you’ll see numerous uncompleted buildings begging for attention.”

Prof. Omenugha called on affluent members of the Anambra community and other well-meaning Nigerians to support the institution, urging them to collaborate through the state’s Private Public Community Partnership (PPCP) initiative championed by Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo.

“We need hostels for our students, staff quarters for our personnel, and other facilities to improve our university. The state government is doing its best, but it cannot do it alone,” she pleaded.

The event, themed “Harnessing Education for National Development: Lessons from the Life and Vision of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu,” featured Chief Osita Chidoka as the guest lecturer. It attracted prominent figures including Deputy Governor Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim, former VC Prof. Greg Nwakoby, Commissioner for Education Prof. Ngozi Chima-Udeh, and others.

Prof. Omenugha concluded her address by emphasizing the importance of preserving the university as the state’s sole public higher institution. She appealed for urgent action to prevent further loss of the “future leaders of tomorrow.”