Who is Simon Uchenna Ortuanya? Meet UNN’s new VC

Professor Simon Uchenna Ortuanya has been formally appointed as the Vice‑Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), bringing a blend of academic scholarship, public-sector leadership, and reform-minded vision to the helm of one of Nigeria’s premier universities.

A respected Professor of Law with over 25 years of experience, Ortuanya began his academic journey at UNN (Enugu Campus) as Associate Dean in the Faculty of Law. He later transitioned to Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), where he served as Head of Private Law before his elevation to Dean, Faculty of Law, in July 2023—an appointment that saw him transform the faculty’s infrastructure, emphasis on research rigor, and learning environment.

Ortuanya holds an LL.B degree from the University of Nigeria and an LL.M from the University of Lagos. He earned his doctoral degree (J.S.D./Ph.D.) from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and has been a visiting scholar at the same institution, reflecting a robust academic pedigree with international exposure.

His scholarly contributions are substantial: Law of Evidence in Nigeria: Practice and Procedure, a 540-page authoritative text, is widely referenced by legal professionals and scholars for its detailed interpretation of Nigeria’s Evidence Act (2011). His work has received endorsements from the judiciary and academic circles alike. Another publication, HIV and AIDS Law & Policy in Nigeria, reflects his engagement with public health law, offering in-depth legal insight into communicable disease governance with relevance beyond Nigeria.

Beyond academia, Ortuanya has held key public service roles in Enugu State. He served as Secretary to the Enugu State Government (SSG) and Director-General of the South‑East Governors’ Forum, as well as Commissioner for Education. These roles allowed him to shape education policy and regional coordination from a governance standpoint.

Within ESUT’s Faculty of Law, colleagues and students credit him with substantial reforms. He upgraded classrooms with projectors, enhanced law clinic operations, landscaped the faculty’s surroundings, and raised academic expectations in postgraduate programs. Staff testimonials cite improvements in discipline and teaching culture under his leadership.

However, his rise was not without criticism. An open letter to President Bola Tinubu by civic groups questioned the transparency of his professorial promotion, pointing to his absence from the National Universities Commission’s list of full professors as of 2021. They called for urgent scrutiny into the legitimacy of his academic rank and credentials. As the process unfolds, these concerns underscore the importance of balancing merit, transparency, and institutional integrity in leadership appointments.

As UNN’s incoming Vice‑Chancellor, Ortuanya faces heightened expectations. His appointment follows a rigorous selection process involving more than 40 candidates—including notable figures such as Professors Malachy Okwueze and Romanus Ezeokonkwo—where the selection board reportedly narrowed the field to 26 before final decisions were made by the Governing Council.

What His Appointment Means for UNN

His academic and administrative background positions him to lead both scholarly innovation and institutional reform. Key expectations include:

• Enforcing academic standards to restore UNN’s standing in research excellence

• Building transparent governance structures to prevent politicisation

• Enhancing infrastructure and intellectual programming across faculties

  
  
  

• Drawing on public-sector experience to strengthen university-state collaboration

Still, the academic community and civil society will watch closely for how he addresses concerns surrounding his credentials and conducts his leadership. As dissenting voices have suggested, the credibility of his appointment rests on both performance and perception.

Professor Simon Uchenna Ortuanya brings a diverse and influential profile as he steps into the role of Vice‑Chancellor at UNN: legal scholar, institutional reformer, and former state official. His appointment represents both potential renewal and the continuing challenge of ensuring academic integrity in Nigeria’s higher education system.