When the Saturday independent of August 16, 2025, ran the feature article, “Lion in Silhouette: UNN’s Silent Struggle with Infrastructure Decay”, the report painted a vivid picture of a university rich in history but weighed down by infrastructural rot, overcrowded hostels, poor sanitation, and inconsistent utilities. The piece highlighted the paradox of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN): a citadel of intellectual excellence battling the reality of crumbling facilities and declining welfare.
But in what appears to be a swift and deliberate response, the university has now signaled that the era of silence is over. With the assumption of office by the newly-elected Vice Chancellor, Professor Simon Uchenna Ortuanya, the lion seems to be stirring from its slumber, determined to reclaim its roar.
Prof. Ortuanya wasted no time in setting a reformist tone. On his first day, he declared his administration’s resolve to abandon piecemeal interventions and instead focus on structured policies, systems, and global best practices. This pronouncement was not mere rhetoric. Within his first month, tangible steps were taken to reverse the narrative of neglect that had attracted national attention.
Among the initiatives already underway is the construction of a 4.5-kilometre road at the Nsukka campus, designed to ease mobility and improve the learning environment. Recognizing the dire state of hostel facilities, one of the most scathing revelations in the August 16 report. Ortuanya has commenced the scooping of existing hostels for renovation needs while also initiating the construction of three new hostels at Ituku Ozalla Campus to serve students in Medicine, Health Sciences, and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
The Vice Chancellor also moved to strengthen institutional frameworks by constituting strategic committees on ICT, social media, housing, and accommodation. Franco and Isa Kaita hostels have already been marked for renovation, signaling that student welfare is firmly on his agenda.
In line with the global push for digital transformation, the university’s website is being rebuilt to be more robust, user-friendly, and competitive on the international stage. Ortuanya has also re-engaged contractors of abandoned projects, securing commitments for their return to site. Notably, he has revived discussions with Innoson Motors, which has recommitted to completing the long-abandoned tractor plant at Nsukka campus, a project with strong research and industrial potential.
Beyond infrastructure, Ortuanya has opened the channels of communication, holding interactive sessions with staff across Nsukka, Enugu, and Ozalla campuses, as well as the university Senate and directors of revenue-generating units. This inclusive approach suggests a break from the ad hoc governance culture of the past.
The August 16 exposé raised the question of whether UNN could truly live up to its motto, “To Restore the Dignity of Man.” The latest developments suggest that the leadership has taken the challenge personally. From roads to hostels, from digital presence to industrial partnerships, Ortuanya’s administration is already laying markers that the institution’s dignity can indeed be restored through concrete action.
By CELESTINE AMOKE @TheIndependent
