After the death of Herbert Wigwe, the citadel of learning he founded, Wigwe University, has been plagued by allegations of mass staff dismissals, intimidation and administrative high-handedness. Daniel Ayantoye writes that while former employees paint a troubling picture of life at the institution, the university strongly disputes the allegations and offers a sharply contrasting account of events
A dream under scrutiny
On August 1, 2025, Dr Nonyelum Okechukwu arrived at Wigwe University in Rivers State expecting the usual ordinary day at the institution, where she had served as university librarian since joining in November 2023.
The woman in her late 50s was instead handed a letter stating that her appointment would be terminated.
“I came to work on August 1, 2025, and they served me a letter saying they were giving me notice to stop working and that my appointment would be terminated on October 30, 2025,” she told our correspondent.
For the university librarian, the decision came as a shock. Okechukwu claimed she was neither invited to appear before a disciplinary panel nor given an opportunity to respond to any allegation against her before being handed the termination letter.
“That is why I believe they couldn’t set up a panel. If I had done anything wrong, they would have constituted a panel. No panel was set up. I simply received the letter.
According to Okechukwu, she subsequently contacted the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, who asked her to give the university one week to respond to her complaint.
She said the promised feedback, however, never came.
Okechukwu recalled, “The letter simply said, ‘Thank you for the job,’ and that from this day we no longer require your services.
She added that the development had also created uncertainty about her professional future.
“This means I may not be able to pursue another job because prospective employers will ask why I was sacked,” the librarian lamented.
Dream bigger than a university
Before founding Wigwe University in Isiokpo, Rivers State, the late Herbert Wigwe had built a reputation as one of Nigeria’s foremost bankers and business leaders.
