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By Etim Etim

Some 250 days after the tragic death of its founder, Wigwe University formally opened its doors to its first set of students on Thursday, October 17, 2024, marking the fulfilment of late Herbert Wigwe’s dream to build a world-class citadel of learning in his community in the rain forest of southern Nigeria.

In a brief opening ceremony at the new campus located in Isiokpo, near Port Harcourt, the university’s Pro Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council, Prof Julius Okojie, cut the ribbon at the gate, formally signaling its inauguration. The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Marwan Al-Akaidi, other members of Council and Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Ovy Chinedum Chukwuma, applauded excitedly in the balmy early autumn weather.

A matriculation ceremony has been scheduled for Saturday, November 9 to formally admit over 200 new students into the institution. Soon after the ribbon-cutting, the dignitaries moved to the Family Hall where traditional chiefs from Isiokpo community in Ikwere LGA; parents and students as well as other dignitaries were already seated, waiting for the second part of the ceremony which consisted of speeches and traditional dances performed by the women of the community.

Prof. Marwan Al-Akaidi described the day as ‘’the threshold of history’’, a poignantly fitting characterization. Dr. Wigwe had meant to spend the second phase of life as the Pro Chancellor after retirement from Access Bank end next year. Construction work started in earnest in 2022 and NUC issued the license in June 2023. Herbert worked day and night and committed huge resources to get the university ready for inauguration in September 2024. He travelled the world, spoke glowingly of his vision and made all arrangements. But his sudden death in California in the night of February 9 (early February 10 Nigerian time) threatened to derail the project. Funds dried up; emotions went raw and frustrations set in. During Herbert’s funeral service in Lagos in March, Chairman of its board of trustees, Prof. Fabian Ajogwu, easily one of Nigeria’s most respected senior lawyers, told the grieving audience that the ‘’dream of Wigwe University would not be aborted’’. Many were not convinced, even after Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Herbert’s business partner and close friend, repeated the same pledge in his eulogy at the funeral. We are used to seeing dreams die with the dreamers.

Not long after the funeral, I began to hear of rumours of a quarrel between Aig-Imoukhuede and Herbert’s family over his Will and the manner his children were being taken care of. I did not think much of it for I have absolute confidence in Aig-Imoukhuede’s capacity to do good to the memory of his departed ally. Rather, I was more concerned about the fate of the university. Herbert spoke so much about it and his dream of making it one of the best in the world. After his burial, I talked to the VC, Prof Al-Akaidi and Mrs Yvonne Olomu-Victor, the CEO of HOW Foundation, the owners of the university, quite often, trying to gauge the progress of work and the school’s readiness to receive the first set of students in September, which was Herbert’s target. I was relieved to learn in August that the university was already receiving many applications for admission. My plans to visit the campus did not quite succeed, but my interest never waned. You can therefore imagine my relief when I received a note from the VC early in the week, advising of the opening ceremony. It was such a big reprieve, coming in the midst of the raging controversy over Herbert’s Will.

It has taken the unmitigated resilience, grueling hard work and absolute determination of the seven-member Board of Trustees and nine-member Governing Council, together with the goodwill of Herbert’s friends to bring this very noble dream into fruition. ‘’This is not just the beginning of an institution; it is the realization of a profound vision, a dream from the belief that education is the key to unlocking Africa’s vast potential’’, Prof. Al-Akaidi told the audience at the opening event. He stated that the university is founded by the principles set forth by the late Herbert Wigwe ‘’whose legacy inspires us to ignite Africa’s potential for prosperity, to nurture thoughtful and fearless leaders, and to create an institution that will one day be the leading institution in Africa’’.

The chairman of the governing council, Prof Julius Okojie, who is also Nigeria’s foremost university administrator, put it more succinctly in his speech: ‘’I was the Executive Secretary of NUC for ten years, and during this time, I licensed 80 private universities. None of them started off so well as Wigwe University. In fact, while many of them commenced temporarily on the premises of secondary schools, Wigwe University is starting off on a world-class purpose-built site’’. Okojie traced the history of university education to pre-medieval era and emphasized its importance in national development. ‘’Today, I can hear the voice of Herbert Wigwe ringing through and I believe that his dream has come alive’’, he said, urging the community to protect the facilities at the campus. He received a standing ovation. By admitting over 200 students in its first year, WU has recorded unprecedented achievements, he emphasized ‘’Many new private universities I licensed commenced with less than 50 students, including Obasanjo’s Bells University’’, he told me in a post-event interview. Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Ovy Chinedum Chukwuma, who stood in for Gov. Fubara said the state government has supported the institution in many ways, chief among which is the 100 scholarships offered to 70 Rivers States indigenes and 30 non indigenes who live in Rivers States.

Many parents, students and would-be students attended the brief event. I met with Mrs. Isi Omiunu, a parent from Edo State who came with daughter Onohie, a student of Fine & Applied Arts. I asked her why WU? She went off as if she had anticipated my question all week, and asked: ‘’Do you know that this is the only private university in Nigeria that offers Fine & Applied Arts? My daughter is very passionate about the arts, and I believe in seeking high quality education for my children, wherever it is found’’. I look forward to the matriculation ceremony.