Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) in Anambra State marked its silver jubilee on Wednesday, May 21, with a 25-cannon salute to honour recipients of the Ojukwu Legacy Award.
The recipients included the late former Anambra State Governor, Dr Chinwoke Mbadinuju, former Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Barth Onugbolu, the university’s first Vice-Chancellor, Emeritus Prof. Cornelius Ezekwe, and entrepreneur Chief Emma Bishop Okonkwo.
The celebration, marking 25 years since the university’s founding in 2000, drew notable figures, including Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Amb. Bianca Ojukwu, Prof. Uche Azikiwe, wife of Nigeria’s first President, and Gov. Chukwuma Soludo, represented by Obi Ukpabi Asika, alongside legislators and industry leaders.
Amb. Bianca Ojukwu described the milestone as a celebration of triumphs, visions, perseverance, and the indomitable Igbo spirit embodied by the university. She said, “This university bears the name of a man whose life was defined by courage, conviction and an unwavering commitment to justice—Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu. He was not only a soldier and a statesman but also an intellectual who believed deeply in the transformative power of education and knowledge. That this institution bears his name is a fitting tribute to his legacies of service, sacrifice and unshakeable pride in the heritage and potential of the Igbo people.”
She noted that her late husband, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, believed the future of any nation rests on the educated, envisioning empowered youth as architects of their own destiny. She expressed delight that COOU reflects this vision. She also praised Gov. Soludo for supporting the university and his broader achievements in Anambra, which drew President Tinubu to commission projects.
As a member of the university’s governing council, Bianca Ojukwu commended Acting Vice-Chancellor Prof. Kate Azuka Omenugha for transformative developments over the past 16 months. She said, “I thank our hard-working Vice Chancellor (Prof. Omenugha). I call her the Vice Chancellor, not the Acting VC, because she has done much more (applause) than any vice chancellor within this short space of time. With the infrastructure and her vision agenda—visibility, viability and values—she is tireless in ensuring that this university is very well positioned within the university rankings in the country.” She highlighted Omenugha’s partnerships with global institutions and her advocacy for COOU’s potential.
Prof. Omenugha noted that the university, established in 2000 by Dr Chinwoke Mbadinuju, has grown significantly. She described the silver jubilee as a celebration of legacy, valour, excellence, unity, and heritage. She also highlighted COOU’s diversity, with students from 24 Nigerian states and other African countries, and its 17 faculties and 73 programmes spanning arts, sciences, technology, law, medicine, pharmacy, engineering, and humanities.
Chief Emma Bishop Okonkwo, after receiving the Ojukwu Legacy Award, expressed gratitude for being recognised alongside figures like Ojukwu, whom he knew personally. He pledged N50 million for a hostel water supply project to support COOU’s staff and students.
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