On Monday, 25th August 2025, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Anambra State, took yet another giant step towards global relevance as its Vice Chancellor, Prof. Kate Azuka Omenugha, fnipr, led a delegation to Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), for the formal signing of a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Accompanying the Vice Chancellor were the Director of Collaboration and Linkages COOU; Prof. Ngozi Joe-Ikechebelu, alongside Prof. Kingsley Nwozor and Prof. Sylvia Okonkwo. They were warmly received by the Nassarawa State University Keffi's Vice Chancellor; Prof. Sa’adatu Hassan Lima, the Registrar; Dr. Bala Isyaka Ahmed II, the Deputy Vice Chancellor Research, Innovation, and Linkages; Dr. K’tso Nghargbu, and other principal officers of the University.
Welcoming the COOU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Sa’adatu Hassan Lima, who also marked her first year in office, congratulated Prof. Omenugha on her confirmation as the substantive Vice Chancellor of COOU. She highlighted the uniqueness of their leadership journeys, noting that both are trailblazing female Vice Chancellors and the 5th leaders of their respective institutions. Prof. Lima emphasized their shared responsibility not only as administrators but also as mothers of their institutions, coaching and inspiring others to lead.
Speaking further, she described NSUK as a truly cosmopolitan hub of ideas and cultures, stressing that the partnership with COOU was timely and strategic. She lauded the MoU as a powerful platform for staff and student exchange, joint research, and collaborative innovations, affirming that both universities were setting a new standard for intra-university partnerships in Nigeria.
In her response, Prof. Omenugha commended her counterpart for her visionary leadership and congratulated her on her 1 year anniversary in office. She described Prof. Lima as a mover and reaffirmed COOU’s commitment to international collaborations. She emphasized that the MoU seeks to strengthen mutual interests in education, joint research programmes, and the exchange of knowledge and expertise. The agreement, she noted, is not just about academic cooperation but about building bridges of understanding and fostering long-term development between the two institutions.
The highlight of the occasion was the formal signing of the MoU by both Vice Chancellors, sealing a new chapter of cooperation between the universities.
This partnership with NSUK adds to the growing list of global and national linkages championed by Prof. Omenugha for COOU, including the recent MoU with Kentucky State University, USA. With these strategic collaborations, COOU continues to stake its place as the Now University and of the Future.
Congratulations to COOU-NSUK as the future of higher education collaboration remains bright.
