The Registrar of the proposed Blacksmith University, Ghami Town, Kaduna, near Abuja, Chief Jeef Obuorah has faulted the National University Commission (NUC), over the blacklisting of the institution for allegedly operating illegally, describing it as hasty.
Obuorah, who made the rejection in an interview with newsmen in Awka, Anambra State, accused the NUC of merely acting on seeming misconception and faulty ground that the school had commenced academic programmes and hasty inclusion in SCOPU (NUC’s Department).
The Guardian gathered that, in 2009, the then executive secretary of NUC, ordered the closure of the university on the ground that it was illegal and operating as an approved degree-awarding institution without obtaining operational license from the NUC.
But in a counter-move to the allegation, Obuorah said contrary to the claim by NUC that the institution had commenced operations,the proposed institution was yet to commence any operation anywhere in the country or elsewhere in the world.
He further regretted that, prior to the sanction, the university, promoted by the Netherlands Schools has, since 2008, pumped in not less than N10 million in provision of critical infrastructure necessary for approval.
Obuorah noted that securing approval to run a tertiary education is a process for which he has registered with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), as well as carried out necessary infrastructural designs ahead of securing approval.
According to him, the institution has about 110 hectares of land mapped out for no fewer than 75 departments under the six faculties in the institution, adding that it had met the payments for and secured Evaluation Forms, Physical Master Plan, Academic Plan, Academic Brief and University Law.
The registrar pointed out that the Academic Pattern of Phase One of the institution’s programmes cover faculties of administration, education, social sciences, while Phase Two considers Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Environmental Sciences and Agriculture.
He explained that the institution was named Blacksmith University because of the need to grow local technology, claiming that the British colonialists surreptitiously transferred Awka technological originality to Britain through British Exhibition some decades ago.
Obuorah said the town’s blacksmith crafts produced implements for farming and guns for hunting and later security with the advent of the British who came into the community in the heat of Amikwo – Agulu war and discovered the advanced weaponry technology used by the natives.
