ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has applauded the appointment of human rights activist, Aloysius Emeka Attah, as the new Director of Information and Public Relations at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, while also rejecting several decisions taken at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu University (COOU), Igbariam.
The group, in a strongly worded statement signed by the Founder and Board Chairman of the Intersociety, Emeka Umeagbalasi, described Attah’s appointment ratified by the UNIZIK Governing Council on April 17, 2026 as a “well-deserved recognition” of his long-standing activism and contributions to grassroots human rights advocacy.
Intersociety also commended Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State for approving automatic employment for 37 first-class graduates of COOU, describing the gesture as encouraging, but urged that the appointments be made permanent under civil service rules to avoid political discontinuity.
However, the organisation raised strong objections to the reported nomination of Sokoto Catholic Bishop, Hassan Kukah, as Chancellor of COOU, describing it as unacceptable, while also condemning what it called the renaming of the university’s Uli Campus after former Governor Chinweoke Mbadinuju.
According to Intersociety, COOU already named after the late Igbo leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu should retain its existing identity across all campuses, insisting that further renaming efforts are “unnecessary and invalid.”
The group further argued that the era of Governor Mbadinuju remains controversial in Anambra’s political history, alleging it was marked by poor governance and insecurity, and therefore should not be used for institutional honour.
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On the appointment of Bishop Kukah, Intersociety said while it had no personal objection to him, it questioned the decision based on what it described as his insufficient advocacy for persecuted Christian communities, adding that the role of chancellor should reflect strong moral and institutional neutrality.
The organisation also used the opportunity to highlight the background of Comrade Attah, tracing his rise from grassroots trading in Onitsha to becoming a journalist, activist, and academic, with degrees from UNIZIK and COOU.
It recalled that Attah, alongside Intersociety founder Emeka Umeagbalasi, emerged from the Onitsha traders’ community and became involved in human rights activism in the late 1990s through organisations such as Amnesty International and the Civil Liberties Organization.
Intersociety argued that the achievements of Attah and similar activists challenge what it described as “false stereotypes” about the intellectual capacity of the business community, insisting that grassroots activism has produced highly educated professionals across law, journalism, and academia.
The group also defended the relevance of activist scholarship, noting that some of its members have attained advanced academic qualifications and recognition in human rights research and journalism.
It concluded by urging Attah to uphold the values of the Anambra human rights movement in his new role at UNIZIK, while expressing optimism that he would rise further in academic and professional ranks.
Intersociety reaffirmed its commitment to civil liberties advocacy, institutional accountability, and what it called the defence of democracy and human rights in Nigeria.