**The Alleged sale of President Tinubu 700 bags of rice to Glajosh Hotel Ltd. and Hotels Union Association, Umuahia by Prof. Iwe: A case of when the Devil lies, he speaks his native language…* John 8: 44**
The attention of the Public Relations Unit of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Abia State, has been drawn to recent posts/statements/comments on Facebook and other Social Media Platforms made by one Queen Nwanju, against the Office and Person of our Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, CFS, FNISFT, FIAFoST.
Ordinarily, there would not have been any need to dignify the idiocy and lack of knowledge expressed by the author in the comments on Facebook and other social media platforms, with a response because they are spurious, unfounded, baseless and nonsensical.
We would, however, like to state the facts we know about the FG Subsidized 50kg bags of Rice, which are also available to the public, as follows:
1. The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) not the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) as ignorantly cited by the author, informed the University that it is coordinating the sale of 50kg bags of rice to Federal Government workers at a subsidized rate of 40,000 naira only. The University was requested to inform her members of staff and to provide a conducive environment for the Exercise, which entailed verifying the National Identity Numbers (NIN) of interested members of staff and debiting their accounts accordingly.
2. The Vice-Chancelllor approved the request and invited the Team from the ONSA, comprising Security and Anti-graft Agencies, to the University to commence the Exercise. The Team arrived Umudike and commenced the capturing of Staff on January 9, 2025 and continued on 13th, 15th, 16th, 17th and other dates in January, 2025.
3. The Vice-Chancelllor, apart from approving the sale of rice as requested by FG and inviting the Team that managed the Exercise, was never involved in the entire process in any way. In fact, he has been so engaged with serious University matters that he did not see nor can he tell what the rice looks like.
4. All information regarding the total number of MOUAU Staff captured on each day during the Exercise are best known to the Officials of the ONSA, who are the sole custodians of the records.
5. On February 4, 2025, the University was invited by Managers of the Exercise to plan to take delivery of 1,936 bags of rice for distribution to her staff.
6. Lists comprising names of MOUAU staff who were verified and paid for the rice were handed over to the University by Managers.
7. On close examination, our University Officials observed that the list bearing the names of staff (across all categories and not junior staff only, as alleged), who were captured on the 13th of January, 2025 was not handed over to the University. The same applied to the lists bearing some names of staff who were captured on 15th, 16th and 17th January, 2025.
8. The attention of the Managers of the Exercise was drawn to this by Officials of the University and they promised to search their records and revert. Our Staff were duly informed. Luckily, the Managers found the lists on 7th February, 2025 and promised to make them available to the University on 8th February, 2025. And our staff were duly informed.
9. So far, only 500 bags of rice have been delivered and distributed to Staff of the University. The distribution continues as more bags of rice are delivered
10. The University has worked harmoniously with Officials of the ONSA and those of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to ensure that the Federal Government’s subsidized bags of rice meant for its workers in MOUAU get to them.
11. Alleging that a Vice-Chancelllor in the Class and Pedigree of Prof. Iwe, could meddle with the process and divert 700 bags of rice meant for junior staff and sell the same to hotels in Umuahia is wicked, malicious and a calculated attempt to malign the University.
The facts above are well-known to staff of the University, who are regularly and timeously communicated through various social media platforms of our Staff.
It is therefore a clear case of exhibition of high sense of irresponsibility and a display of preposterousness on the part of the so-called Queen Nwanju, to allege that a Vice-Chancelllor Prof. Iwe, diverted and sold rice to hotels in Umuahia. What an insult!
Well, Prof. Iwe is unmoved and cannot be unsettled nor distracted by the cheap blackmail of an attention-seeker like Queen Nwanju. If that was her objective, it failed.
The general public is therefore advised to ignore the comments of Queen Nwanju and see them for what they are: blatant lies, fabrications of an ignoramus, cooked-up stories and a case of when the Devil lies, he speaks his native language.
Those who know Prof. Iwe, an internationally certified food scientist, former President of Scripture Union, Nigeria, and award-winning leader of intellectual and spiritual organizations, with proven track-record of integrity and excellece, already knows that the entire write-up was a complete balderdash, meant only for the trash bin.
We assure the public that Prof. Iwe will not be distracted in his efforts to reset and rebuild Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike and make it a hub for innovations in agriculture, sciences, engineering technology and entrepreneurship, and a reputable institution where integrity, due process and respect for constituted authorities are upheld as values and norms.
As for Queen Nwanju, appropriate steps will be taken to unmask the masquerade and bring him/her to book, in the interest of the public.
Thank you.
Ubadire Agua, Ph.D
Head of Public Relations
MOUAU.