By Ijasan John
On behalf of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma Staff Stakeholders
On July 20, 2025, Hon. Jimoh Ijegbai, former Commissioner for Education in Edo State, publicly posted a message on the Facebook page of Professor Ignatius Onimawo, former Vice Chancellor of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma. The message read:
“Happy birthday our dear VC who greatly transformed AAU. Enjoy your new age and may lines continue to fall in pleasant places for you. Congratulations.”
While the message appears, on the surface, to be a benign birthday greeting, it is imperative to address the glaring misrepresentation and historical distortion embedded within. As concerned stakeholders in the affairs of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, we deem it necessary to correct this false narrative and expose the facts for the sake of institutional integrity and historical truth.
A Legacy of Regression, Not Transformation
Contrary to the assertion made by Mr. Ijegbai, the tenure of Prof. Ignatius Onimawo was marked not by transformation, but by systemic decay, administrative impunity, and academic regression.
Prof. Onimawo operated the University for nearly two years without a legally constituted Governing Council, a clear violation of established statutes and administrative protocol. This absence of governance oversight allowed for the infiltration of external political interests into the internal affairs of the university, with decisions often dictated by political actors, including Mr. Ijegbai himself and other officials in the then Obaseki-led administration.
Maladministration and Institutional Breakdown
During Prof. Onimawo’s tenure:
TETFUND Projects: Building contracts funded by TETFUND were awarded to close associates of the administration. Several of these projects have since been declared structurally defective.
Loss of Accreditation: The College of Medicine lost its accreditation for more than three years, largely due to over-enrollment and gross academic mismanagement.
Collapse of Standards: The University’s moral, academic, and infrastructural standards deteriorated significantly, plunging the institution into a state of disrepute.
Audit Reports and Evidence of Financial Misconduct
Findings from both the Visitation Panel chaired by Prof. Omonruyi and the Council-commissioned Forensic Audit uncovered grave financial malpractices during Prof. Onimawo’s administration. As detailed in Chapter Twenty (“Brazen Corruption in the Ivory Tower”) of the book “Powered by Poverty” by former Council Chairman Chief Lawson Omokhodion, at least 14 formal petitions were submitted to the Governor and University Council.
These petitions prompted the establishment of a five-member investigative committee, which revealed that millions of Naira were fraudulently transferred from university accounts between October 6, 2016, and December 2018 into personal accounts belonging to Mr. Christopher Omo-Iribhogbe and Mr. Eugene Erikhuemen — both known associates of Prof. Onimawo — who have since fled the country.
Further forensic analysis of financial records from January 1, 2017, to May 10, 2021, showed that personal assistants to the Vice Chancellor were used as conduits for suspicious financial transactions. These findings, though alarming, were allegedly suppressed by Mr. Ijegbai and certain elements within the Ministry of Education.
Illegal Appointments and Governance Breaches
Particularly egregious is the documented manipulation by Prof. Onimawo of the appointment process for the University’s Auditor, Mr. Imawagbele Peter, and the Bursar, Dr. Akor, under the now-discredited Orih-led Governing Council. In clear contravention of university and NUC regulations, both individuals were irregularly appointed and subsequently seconded — with the unilateral approval of the Council Chairman and Acting Vice Chancellor Prof. Samuel Olowu — as lecturers within the same institution.
These actions were not only unlawful but also set a dangerous precedent that undermines the credibility of academic and administrative appointments in the university.
Moreover, it is on record that the tenure of the current Acting Vice Chancellor has expired, yet there appears to be a deliberate attempt to prolong his stay through administrative inertia and political patronage.
A Call to Action
We commend the current administration of Senator Monday Okpebholo, particularly the efforts of the Ministry of Education in facilitating the re-accreditation of affected programs. These efforts represent early but commendable attempts to reverse the institutional damage caused by previous leadership.
We therefore urge the Governor to revisit and act upon the Forensic Audit Report and the findings of the Omonruyi Visitation Panel as part of a wider agenda for reform, justice, and institutional renewal at AAU.
Conclusion :
We reject all attempts to revise history through sentimental and misleading tributes. The legacy of the Onimawo-Ijegbai era is one of systemic failure, compromised governance, and administrative malpractice.
The wounds inflicted on Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, are profound and cannot be healed through denial or evasion. The path to restoration lies in confronting the truth, enforcing accountability, and rebuilding the institution on the pillars of transparency, meritocracy, and lawful governance.
Let the truth be told. Let justice prevail.
