While handing over to his successor in his office at the university headquarters in Jabi, Abuja, on Friday, October 27, 2023, the former Abakaliki centre director expressed his happiness as he was handing over to someone who is grounded in the university system. 'I am happy because my successor is someone to whom the Nigerian university system does not need any introduction. Mafiana is a blessing to NOUN and I believe that the university will leverage on his wealth of knowledge to improve the process in attaining our vision and mission.'
'Today, as my tenure ends, I will be proceeding to the Faculty of Arts, Department of Philosophy, where I was before attaining the position of DVC, and Prof. Mafiana will serve as the next DVC Academic,' said Uduma, who came to the office in 2019.
He added that 'I will reiterate what I said in the senate meeting a few days in my outgoing speech: I am grateful to all friends and folks in the university. Folks, keep you on your toes to make you better. Secondly, in the course of my duties, my person has not changed; I don’t have regrets for any backlash because I led them out of sincerity because the system must survive.'
'I am very grateful to God; I came, I saw and God conquered, because He gave me grace and good health throughout my tenure and I am leaving with awesome good health.' He further commended his staff for their tremendous and unreserved support towards taking the office of the DVC to an enviable height. In his response, the incoming DVC eulogised his predecessor for his relentless efforts in the discharge of his duties and piloting the affairs of the office.
Mafiana said 'Uduma is a friend, and at every point in time, he says good, kind things about me, and it’s always reminding me of what brought us together.' The immediate-past Dean of the School of Postgraduate Studies of the university also thanked the outgoing DVC and the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olufemi Peters, for the pressure of delivering his inaugural lecture.
'I am a man of interaction; I interact with everyone in the university, including the environmental staff, because I like to know what goes on in the mind of people.' 'I pray that God will give you a better place so that all you have learned will be put into place,' the new DVC stated.
