By joshua 
PAAU APPLAUDS PROFESSOR MARIETU OHUNENE TENUCHE AS SHE BOWS OUT OF OFFICE
Professor Tenuche’s tenure stands tall as a holistic, integral, and people-centred transformation, anchored on three strategic pillars: security, staff and student welfare, and uncompromising work ethics. These guiding principles did not remain slogans; they translated into measurable growth, institutional stability, and renewed confidence in PAAU as a University of first choice.
Under her visionary leadership, PAAU witnessed unprecedented investments in human capital development. Staff were continuously trained and retrained; more than 160 staff members bagged PhD
under her tenure. From computer literacy programmes to hands-on laboratory capacity building in the Central Research Laboratory. The University also hosted high-level academic workshops, including the landmark three-day Capacity-Building Workshop on Research Methodology for Female Political Scientists, organised in collaboration with the National Political Science Association (NPSA). Hosted at the NITDA Centre, the workshop attracted renowned scholars nationwide and empowered female academics with advanced research skills.
Her tenure also recorded more inaugural lectures than all previous vice-chancellorships combined, reinforcing PAAU’s intellectual vibrancy and scholarly confidence.
PAAU scholars flourished remarkably under Professor Tenuche’s watch, earning global recognition and prestigious international awards. From multimillion-dollar EU-funded malaria research grants to FAO/UN global health prizes, BRICS youth recognitions, and top international humanities awards, PAAU scholars etched the University’s name on the global research map. These feats stand as enduring indicators to a leadership that nurtured excellence, encouraged ambition, and rewarded diligence.
Academically, her administration delivered what many thought impossible: full accreditation of all academic programmes, including professional accreditations by the Council of Legal Education and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN). The long-suspended MBBS programme was successfully reactivated, with massive investments in medical infrastructure and renewed government support, marking a historic turnaround after thirteen years. Under her watch, the new faculties and disciplines of learning were established.
The University calendar stabilised, admissions surged, and PAAU became increasingly attractive to prospective students nationwide.
Students thrived in national and international competitions. Five PAAU Law graduates earned First Class honours at the Nigerian Law School, while two 500-level Law students emerged winners of the Justice Nikki Tobi Moot and Mock Trial Competition, another affirmation of the culture of excellence deliberately cultivated.
Beyond academics, PAAU emerged as a national sports hub, hosting Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Federation Cup matches and the opening fixtures of the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) on its FIFA-standard pitch, the only one of its kind in Kogi State. This bold positioning placed the University firmly on Nigeria’s sporting map.
Infrastructure blossomed under her leadership: new roads, rehabilitated networks, academic buildings, classrooms, hostels, and the iconic Senate Building reshaped the campus landscape into one befitting a modern university.
Unsurprisingly, Professor Tenuche’s exceptional service attracted widespread recognition. She received multiple chieftaincy titles across communities: Iye-Achenyo Ogoyi-Onu Anyigba (Ojaali), Onyi-Oyiye of Ihima Land, Zege-Iwasen I Tyoshin, among others, each reflecting visible impact, compassion, and leadership beyond campus walls.
Campus groups echoed this appreciation. The Students’ Union Government, NAKOSS, and several associations conferred awards of excellence, with NAKOSS inducting her into its Hall of Fame, a rare honour reserved for transformational leaders.
Perhaps most striking is the human legacy: over 160 lecturers earned their PhDs during her tenure, supported through TETFund and University sponsorships, an investment whose dividends will shape PAAU for decades. Under her watch, staff members were promoted as and when due, no wonder her tenure raised more than 60 lecturers to the rank of professors.
As she bows out, Professor Marietu Ohunene Tenuche leaves behind more than infrastructure and policies; she leaves a culture of excellence, integrity, inclusion, and confidence.
Prince Abubakar Audu University Anyigba does not merely celebrate an outgoing Vice-Chancellor. It celebrates a builder of systems, a nurturer of people, and a leader whose impact, true to her salutation “Ojaali” is glaringly visible.