Ogona Anita
Post Graduate students of the Faculty of Law in Rivers State University, said there was no form mis-dealing or sharp practice at the faculty linked with the Dean, Prof Chris C. Wigwe as claimed by a session of the media.
Findings by This Publication indicate that the situation may have been blown out of proportion, as several lecturers and postgraduate students have described the Dean as a firm and principled administrator who insists on academic due process.
A senior lecturer in the faculty, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the allegations were the handiwork of a few disgruntled students who were unhappy with the Dean’s insistence on standards.
According to him, Prof. Wigwe has been working to restore discipline and efficiency in the postgraduate programme.
“Some students mistake firmness for hostility,” the lecturer said. “The Dean will not clear anyone for internal or external defence unless the candidate has met all requirements. That is standard academic procedure. It is not extortion as being alleged.”
Another academic staff member who also declined to be named told This Publication that most of the issues raised in the reports were routine postgraduate processes which some students might have misunderstood. He added that the Dean has never demanded or collected money from students personally, stressing that official charges are clearly stated by the university.
A Ph.D. candidate in the faculty also dismissed the figures circulating on social media, describing them as false and misleading. The student said candidates only bear normal administrative costs such as thesis binding, examiner logistics and documentation, which have always been part of postgraduate procedures.
“Nobody pays the Dean directly,” the student said. “Those spreading rumours are people who failed to meet deadlines or didn’t follow instructions. The Dean is only ensuring that things are done properly.”
Some students equally confirmed that the Dean’s temporary use of his residence for certain administrative tasks was due to renovation works at the Faculty of Law building. One lecturer explained that the arrangement was purely temporary and meant to ensure that academic activities were not disrupted.
“He still conducts his official duties at the faculty,” the lecturer noted. “It is unfair to suggest that he turned his residence into an office for personal gain.”
Colleagues who spoke with This Publication put Prof. Wigwe as a distinguished scholar and Senior Advocate of Nigeria whose record in both the legal profession and academia has remained unblemished. They expressed confidence that he would never engage in acts capable of tarnishing his reputation.
They also appealed to members of the public to allow the university management to handle the matter through appropriate channels, stressing that unverified claims could damage the image of both the institution and the individuals involved.
“The Dean has maintained integrity throughout his career,” one staff member said. “The university has procedures for addressing grievances, and those channels should be followed instead of resorting to social media.”
When contacted, sources within the university administration confirmed that the management was aware of the reports and had already initiated internal checks to ascertain the facts. They assured that due process would be followed in resolving the matter.
They however, expressed regrets that some journalists have abandoned balance report but now major on what they described as ‘paid journalism or stomach infrastructure’.
As at the time of filing this report, academic activities in the Faculty are going on smoothly, with postgraduate candidates preparing for their scheduled defences
