Sammie Echi-Agbo
His Excellency, Dr Jim Nwobodo, means different things to different people for different reasons. For some, he is remembered for rural development projects encompassing healthcare, water supply, electricity and empowerment. For others, his legacy lies in industrialisation, sports development and philanthropy.
However, a common perception of Jim is that of a charismatic leader who saw tomorrow and responded to it through visionary policies that continue to shape generations.
Jim, Anyanwu na-awara Oha of Nkanu land, emerged at a time Ndigbo needed a shining star. He governed the old Anambra State between 1979 and 1983 with astuteness and administrative dexterity. To this day, his administration remains a reference point in discussions on governance and institutional development in the South-East.
This piece focuses on tertiary education, particularly how Jim’s vision in establishing the Anambra State University of Science and Technology (ASUTECH) became a foundation upon which higher education structures later developed across present-day Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi States, all carved from the old Anambra State which he governed for one tenure of four years.
According to Jim, ASUTECH was established to address educational disadvantage in parts of the old Anambra State, particularly those affected by the aftermath of the Nigerian Civil War and widespread economic hardship that limited access to university education.
In his words:
“It was the end of the Biafran war. It was the first civilian government after the war, and our people were down and cast. People felt defeated and humiliated, but I didn’t feel that way. I felt that I had the duty to show our people that nothing had been lost really.”
Guided by the belief, often echoed by Nelson Mandela, that education is a powerful tool for societal transformation, ASUTECH was established with multiple campuses in Awka, Abakaliki and Enugu, which served as a major academic centre.
The campuses were strategically distributed to reflect the administrative structure of the old Anambra State. ASUTECH operated a multi-campus system, with Enugu hosting engineering-related disciplines, Abakaliki focusing on agriculture, and Awka handling humanities and law.
ASUTECH is widely regarded as one of the earliest state-owned universities of science and technology in Nigeria. Established in 1980, barely a year after Jim assumed office as governor, the institution initially faced scepticism from observers who doubted the viability of such an ambitious project at the time.
However, over the years, those doubts gradually gave way to recognition as the institution became a major foundation for higher education development in the South-East.
Jim also introduced bursary schemes for students from the state studying in tertiary institutions across Nigeria, aimed at easing financial pressure and supporting academic continuity.
He recalled:
“Our students then were also sad at a time. They said they were sad because of the cost of schooling. I demanded to know how much it cost to pay their school fees, buy dresses and make them happy. They worked it out. It was less than N500. I then gave every Anambra student automatic bursary of that amount. All the students, when I was governor, had an automatic bursary. That returned their spirit.”
The bursary initiative later influenced similar policies in neighbouring states, including Imo State under Governor Sam Mbakwe, who introduced comparable support for students.
Following the creation of Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi States, ASUTECH was reorganised into different institutions. The Enugu campus later became the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT). The Abakaliki campus evolved into Ebonyi State University (EBSU). The Awka and Nnewi axis later contributed to the development of Nnamdi Azikiwe University.
It is important to note that ASUTECH provided an important institutional foundation during these transitions, and elements of its structure were absorbed into emerging federal and state universities in the region. The system was later decentralised following state creation and federal education restructuring.
Today, ESUT operates campuses in Enugu and Agbani, while EBSU has expanded across multiple academic faculties and campuses.
Jim’s educational vision also extended beyond universities. He invested in colleges of education and polytechnics, driven by the belief that national development requires balanced investment in science, technology, humanities and vocational training.
During his administration, the College of Education, Eha-Amufu, was upgraded from a teachers’ training institution into a full-fledged college of education. It was later taken over by the Federal Government in 1993 and has since expanded its academic offerings.
Similarly, Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe, received institutional strengthening during his tenure, which contributed to its later development into a degree-awarding institution affiliated with the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
The institution that later became Federal Polytechnic Oko also traces part of its early development to the educational expansion policies of that era. It began as the College of Arts, Science and Technology before evolving into a federal polytechnic with multiple campuses.
This is, therefore, a tertiary education memoir of His Excellency, Dr Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo, former governor of old Anambra State, former senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and former Minister of Sports.
It is the story of a leader who governed for only one term but left a lasting institutional legacy. It is also the story of a man widely regarded as visionary, who drew inspiration from leaders such as Nnamdi Azikiwe, Michael Okpara and Kenneth Dike in shaping his approach to education and governance.
There are lessons to be drawn from his leadership style. Though he served only one term, his administration is often cited for its clarity of vision and early definition of developmental priorities. He is credited with entering office with a structured policy direction rather than an experimental approach.
His administration has been described by many as development-focused, with particular attention to regional balance in the distribution of educational institutions and infrastructure.
Reflecting on his time in office, Jim once said:
“During our time as governors, we focused on the people. Our interest was that we made promises to them, and we tried to fulfil those promises. We didn’t make them for the fun of it. We meant what we said.”
The call for the naming of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) after Dr Jim Nwobodo is firmly rooted in his foundational role in the establishment of ASUTECH and his wider contributions to the growth of educational development across the region.
This would serve as a fitting acknowledgment of his enduring legacy in the education sector. Renaming ESUT in his honour would amount to a symbolic “thank you” for his pioneering efforts, while also further cementing his place in history and reinforcing the lasting impact of his contributions to educational development in the region.
If Governor Mbah approves this, it would be seen as a significant act of recognition of a key architect of the state’s educational foundation and a gesture that further reinforces a tradition of honouring visionary leadership in Enugu State.
The current Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, has also pursued a governance philosophy centred on long-term planning under the slogan, “Tomorrow is Here,” a phrase often referenced in comparative discussions on visionary leadership in the state.
Dr Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo remains a significant figure in the history of education and governance in the South-East, particularly in discussions on the origins and evolution of state-owned tertiary institutions.
In that historical context, he is often described as a man who saw tomorrow.