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By Haruna Akogwu
In today’s world, it is not difficult to differentiate true journalism from a hatched job, improperly cooked to make mountain out of molehill. Aljazirah, Nigeria, has in its publication of February 8, 2025, just shown that it has no respect for integrity, passing as a gossip mill. Its unverified and unsubstantiated claims in that publication exposes the deterioration in ethical standards and how not to practice journalism.
The spurious allegations by the publication are skewed to achieve one goal: To tarnish the hard earned reputation of Prof. Innocent Ujah, the immediate past (pioneer) Vice Chancelor, Federal University of Health Sciences Otukpo (FUHSO). But they are wrong. The sponsored script is fraught with disinformation and lack of knowledge of the workings of a university. And Aljazirah erred.
For instance, FUHSO, had at no time engaged the services of a Law Firm. It engaged the services of a Legal Practitioner, whose duty was to represent the university in legal matters. It is therefore, incorrect, to say that “Anene Chamba Legal Practitioners & Consultants,” whatever that is, wrote a letter raising questions as to financial improprieties and administrative violations. Our investigations reveal that the University has not engaged the services of such Law Firm and perhaps, the imagination of Aljazirah
By the way, the FUHSO Governing Council couldn’t have suspended Prof Ujah. And the purported appointment of Prof. Ediga Bede Agbo then, as the University’s Acting Vice – Chancellor was the illegality that the Federal Ministry of Education frowned at, directing Senate of the University to convene and select an Acting Vic-chancellor. Meetings of Senate of a University are not mere wishful thinking of Aljazirah or their sponsors. Senate meets for serious businesses including that on succession.
Mere allegations that have no substance are not worth any attention. But if Aljazirah had put in little energy and due diligence into working on its story, perhaps, they could have realized that TETFund projects are executed based on specific needs of a University. The University has a procurement Unit. Yet, there had been no time even while Prof Ujah was still the Vice Chancellor that the Unit complained that the functions of its office were usurped. Allegations of misuse of TETFund grant and payment for a “gift,” are therefore, unfounded and spurious. All these have records that are maintained by the University.
Aljazirah is not informed on matters of health as it relates to Federal institutions. And all those misinforming the Paper have failed to inform Aljazirah that FUHSO is a Medical University and not only her students, Staff of the university also take necessary policy in line with the requirements of the university. It must be noted that all fees payable to the University are approved by the University Council. Therefore, it is incorrect to blame regulatory and specific requirements by organisations on the Head, especially when such regulations and or requirements are not made by the Head of the organisation or Institution.
Nothing can be far from truth, on the allegation that Professor Ujah was “directly withdrawing” funds from the students’ school fees account. When did Professor Ujah become the, accountant or cashier? This is a baseless claim, bereft of reason. It is not enough to raise eyebrows, those doing so must arm themselves with facts and accurate knowledge of the things they are worried about.
In its false conclusion that not a single project at the university has “reached 40% completion,” Aljazirah has failed to show which data it relied on. No expert opinion is provided neither has it shown where it made attempt to speak with the contractors on the level of progress.
This medium should also note that a university only identifies it’s projects of need while TETFund funds them. These are matters of public knowledge and a medium that supposedly educates the public should not demonstrate ignorance on issues which information about them are in the public domain nor take the pains to visit the permanent site of the University for firsthand information.
Let it be known that Prof Ujah, was at no point in time suspended from his office. It is politically correct that when new administrations come on board, Heads of Boards and Agencies or Parastatals of government are dissolved. Could that be the suspension Aljazirah is referring to? And even if that is the case, is it not curious that same President Muhammadu Buhari (as he then was) appointed him as Vice Chancellor? Aljazirah can do better, by employing checks to authenticate the information at their disposal.
It must be stated that the claim that Prof Ujah employed his nephew and brother-in-law, to allegedly carry out his bidding is laughable. Apart from being professionals in their own right, these are pioneer staff of the University. For instance, the head of the Procurement in question is a Certified Procurement Officer who has been in Procurement Unit since 2012 with a degree in Accounting before joining the services of FUHSO. If they had competed among other candidates for the same positions and got them, was Prof Ujah the only official on the committee for recruitment of Staff of the University? He was not. He was employed like the other Staff.
Aljazirah can do better, improving on its presentation and investigative skills. Objectivity and fairness are the hallmarks of journalism. Aljazirah has thrown these to the wind. It does not tell well of the organisation. Not giving others opportunity to tell their own side of the story runs foul to the principle of fairness. The medium is not fair to Prof Ujah. On this too, Aljazirah has erred.
It must be emphasised that Prof Ujah came into office as the pioneer Vice Chancellor of the first Federal University of Health Sciences in Nigeria with the determination to nurture excellent training of healthcare professionals through innovative, cutting -edge research and development, in ensuring emergence of highly sought-after healthcare professionals. All that is required of organizations like Aljazirah and men of goodwill is to support and encourage the administration of Federal University of Health Sciences to remain focused in providing the needed conducive environment for training, research, clinical and community service as a model of the foremost Medical University in Nigeria
Haruna Akogwu is a Media Practitioner
and a Public Commentator based in Abuja
