University of Nigeria

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The University of Nigeria is a federal university located in Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria. Founded in October 1960, the University of Nigeria has three campuses - Nsukka, Enugu and Ituku-Ozalla - all located in Enugu State, Nigeria.

It was the first indigenous university in Nigeria, an idea and vision for a new approach to colleges and education in Nigeria introduced by the First President of Nigeria, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe. The institution's motto is To Restore the Dignity of Man, and the current Vice Chancellor is Professor B. Okolo.

Noted author Chinua Achebe has held research and teaching appointments at the university since the early 1970s. Renowned Astrophysicist Samuel Ejikeme Okoye founded the Space Research Center in 1972: the SRC remains one of the few institutions in Africa that researches and offers courses in astronomy at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

A law to establish a University in the Eastern Region of Nigeria was passed in 1955. While that date marks the formal beginning of the history of the University of Nigeria, the enactment of this legislation by several Nigerian leaders, and inspired particularly by the then Premier of the Eastern Region, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe.[2]

One of the first steps taken by the Eastern Nigeria Government towards the implementation of its commitment was an invitation to both the United States of America and the United Kingdom to send advisers to help in the planning of physical and educational aspects of the proposed university.

Under the joint auspices of the Inter-University Council for Higher Education and Overseas and the International Co-operation Administration (now the United States Agency for International Development), J.W. Cook, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Exeter, Dr John A. Hannah, President of Michigan State University and Dr Glen L. Taggart, Dean of International Programmes at the same university, came to Nigeria in 1958. The team surveyed the site at Nsukka, and extensively investigated a great variety of factors pertinent to the establishment of a new university.

The results of their efforts were contained in a white paper issued by the Eastern Nigeria Government on 30 November 1958. They had recommended "that the development of the University of Nigeria based upon the concept of service to problems and needs of Nigeria, is a desirable project and one that should receive support from any source which could help to make it a sound endeavour".

They further recommended that a provisional council be established to "draw upon the technical and consultative resources available throughout the world for help in planning the institution".

The provisional council, authorized by the Eastern Nigeria Legislature, was appointed by the Governor in Council in April 1959, and given necessary financial and administrative powers to build a sound university. It reflected the spirit of international cooperation which has given birth to the institution. It consisted of Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chairman, Dr T. Olawale Elias and Dr Okechukwu Ikejiani from the Federation of Nigeria, J.S. Fulton from the United Kingdom, Dr Margueritue Cartwright and Dr Eldon Lee Johnson from the United States of America.

The University was formally opened on 7 October 1960, as the climax to the Nigerian independence celebrations in the Eastern Region. Her Royal Highness, Princess Alexandra of Kent, representing Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at the Nigerian independence celebrations, performed the opening ceremonies and laid the foundation stone of one of the University's early buildings.

Classes began on 17 October 1960 with an enrollment of 220 students and 13 members of the academic staff. The opening convocation addresses were delivered by the Chairman of the Provisional Council, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, the first President of the Federation of Nigeria, and by Dr John A. Hannah, President of Michigan State University, USA.

[edit] Campus
The University has three campuses - Nsukka (University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN), Enugu (University of Nigeria Enugu campus, UNEC) and Ituku-Ozalla (University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, UNTH).

The main campus of the University if located on 871 hectares of hilly savannah in the town of Nsukka, about eighty kilometres north of Enugu, and enjoys a very pleasant and healthy climate. Additionally 209 hectares of arable land are available for an experimental agricultural farm and 207 hectares for staff housing development. There is regular road transport between Nsukka and Enugu, and Nsukka is also quite easily accessible from all parts of Nigeria. There are modern shopping facilities and a large market in Nsukka town. The Nsukka campus houses the Faculties of Agriculture, Arts, Biological Sciences, Education, Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Physical Sciences, Social Sciences, and Veterinary Medicine.

The former Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology, Enugu, was incorporated into the University in 1961, and its buildings now form the Enugu Campus (200 hectares) of the University located in the heart of Enugu, the administrative capital of Enugu State of Nigeria. Enugu is a modern city, accessible by air, rail and road. The College of Medicine and the Faculties of Business Administration, Environmental Studies, and Law are located at the Enugu Campus.

The teaching hosptial (UNTH) attached to the University is presently sited at Ituku-Ozalla (25 kilometres south of Enugu) on a 500 hectare site.

A former campus was opened in October 1973 in Calabar, Cross River State. The campus at Calabar became a full-fledged University of Calabar in October 1977.

[edit] Academics
The medical school, in Enugu, has most of it activities in the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), where doctors and other health workers are trained with high standards and have proven over the years that they can effect a significant positive change in Africa and the entire worlds' healthcare system. Doctors and nurses trained in the institution have contributed to the advancement of medicine.

The first open heart surgical operation in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa was undertaken in 1974 at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Enugu. The team was led by visiting Professor Yaccoub from the UK and others in the team included Professors Udekwu and Anyanwu. The College of Medicine has since evolved into the center for cardiothoracic excellence for the West Africa region with the siting of the National Cardiothoracic Centre at UNTH Enugu. A lot of medical research is also being carried out in the college. Most of the projects are nearing completion, but it is pertinent to note that some too, have fallen short of completion due to lack of finances and the Government's reluctance to fund private research.

Of recent a lot of work has emanated from the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics where a new agent against HIV was derived from a local plant source. Named "irab" the new agent is thought to be a fusion inhibitor and studies in initial clinical trials have shown astouding results. Noteworthy also is finding a novel application for an otherwise old drug. Piperazine citrate which is a cheap and safe anthelmintic agent that has almost gone into disrepute was shown to have antiarryhthmic properties by studies in the department. The investigators have also established that piperazine can protect the heart against sudden cardiac death from ventricular fibrillation.

The Law Faculty of the University is the oldest in Nigeria, having been established in 1960. It has contributed immensely in legal education in Nigeria.