Crisis rocks Federal College of Agriculture in Ebonyi over provost appointment

…Academic staff, non-academic staff protest, lock College gates

A leadership crisis has erupted at the Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu, Ebonyi State following the emergence of two academics, namely, Jonah Nwawuisi, PhD and Agwu Ekwe, Professor, laying claims to the position of the College Provost.

While Nwawuisi has been serving as Acting Provost since last year, Ekwe was recently announced as the substantive Provost on April 10, 2026, sparking outrage among staff unions.

In response, Joint Union Action (JUA) of the College and Academic Staff Union of Colleges of Agriculture (ASUCA) on Monday, staged a protest, locking the institution’s main gate and the Provost’s office. The action disrupted academic activities and heightened tension across the campus.

ThankGod Nwaneri, Chairman of JUA, described the situation as confusing and unacceptable, noting that conflicting directives from both provosts forced him to disregard instructions altogether.

He faulted the appointment of Ekwe, alleging that it did not follow due process. According to him, several qualified candidates, who applied for the position since it was advertised in June 2025 had neither been shortlisted nor invited for interviews.

Nwaneri insisted that the Union is not opposed to any individual, but is demanding transparency and adherence to laid-down procedures. He warned that bypassing due process undermines fairness and could discourage career progression within colleges of agriculture.

He further linked the current unrest to earlier grievances, including what he described as arbitrary transfers of key officials such as the Registrar and Procurement Officer by the Executive Secretary of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria raising concerns about administrative fairness.

Kadurumba Chukwuemeka, National President of ASUCA condemned the appointment of a University Professor as Provost of a College of Agriculture, calling it a violation of established norms and administrative guidelines.

He demanded the immediate reversal of the appointment and called for a transparent selection process across all affected institutions. The Union also issued a 14-day ultimatum for the resolution of the matter, warning that failure to comply could trigger a nationwide strike.

The Unions, however, appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene urgently to restore order and ensure that due process is followed in appointing leadership within the institution.