Shanahan University VC Obielosi Meets Teaching Hospital Management to Strengthen Synergy

By Polycarp Ifeanyi

The management of Shanahan University, Onitsha, Anambra State, led by its new Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dominic Obielosi, has held a strategic meeting with the management of St. Charles Borromeo Shanahan University Teaching Hospital, the College of Medicine and the College of Nursing Sciences to strengthen collaboration and chart a course for the institution’s continued growth and development.

The meeting, which took place at St. Charles Borromeo Shanahan University Teaching Hospital, Onitsha, brought together principal officers of the university, the College of Medicine, the College of Nursing Sciences and the teaching hospital to discuss areas of cooperation, institutional development and the need for greater synergy among the establishments.

The Shanahan University delegation comprised the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dominic Obielosi; the Provost of the College of Medicine, Prof. Evaristus Afiadigwe; the Registrar, Rev. Fr. Dr. Emmanuel Emenu; and deans of various faculties.

Also present were key officers of the College of Nursing Sciences, including its Administrator, Rev. Fr. Fidelis Nwanze, and Provost, Lady Theresa Odinukwe.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of St. Charles Borromeo Shanahan University Teaching Hospital, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Izunna Okonkwo, led the hospital’s management team, which included the Chief Medical Director (CMD), Dr. Ben Ezemenahi; the Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC), Dr. Osita Izunwa; the Director of Administration, Lady Uche Okeke; and the Deputy CEO, Rev. Fr. Kingsley Okaro.

Both institutions are owned by the Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha under the proprietorship of His Grace, Most Rev. Valerian Maduka Okeke, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Onitsha Ecclesiastical Province.

Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Prof. Obielosi said the visit provided him with an opportunity to interact with the principal officers of the teaching hospital, the College of Medicine and the College of Nursing Sciences to foster closer collaboration and ensure the smooth running of the university.

He described the meeting as a fruitful discussion among brothers, noting that it was highly successful and had provided an opportunity for the various institutions to strengthen their working relationships.

“I assumed office as the new Vice-Chancellor on September 1, 2026. The university is growing every day. This year, we are expected to reach the 300 level, and we need to be adequately prepared in all aspects for further accreditation and the overall growth of the institution,”
“We already have our accreditation, but, as you know, accreditation is a continuous exercise. Our priority is to actualise the vision and mission of His Grace, Most Rev. Valerian Okeke, who founded this university.
“We will ensure that accreditation is not only maintained but that we surpass the required standards. That is precisely why we held this meeting. We are determined to give the world the best graduates, who will not only be productive but also serve as agents of change,” Prof. Obielosi said.

The Vice-Chancellor commended his predecessor, Rev. Fr. Prof. Obi Oguejiofor, for what he described as his remarkable achievements during his two years in office, noting that his administration had laid a strong foundation for the institution’s growth.

“My predecessor, Rev. Fr. Prof. Obi Oguejiofor, performed creditably within his two years in office. He transformed the university into a giant institution. We are now advancing to the international level.
“We are already in discussions with universities in the United States of America, China and other countries on possible collaborations. We intend to give our students the opportunity to begin their studies at Shanahan University and complete their degree programmes at foreign universities. This will equip them with both local and international standards,” he said.

Prof. Obielosi also disclosed that the university had recorded encouraging interest from prospective students in its ongoing admission exercise, with more than 1,000 candidates having applied and over 700 already offered admission.

“Currently, over 1,000 candidates have applied to Shanahan University in the ongoing admission exercise, and we have already offered admission to over 700 candidates. Many more are switching from the universities they initially applied to Shanahan University.
“This shows that the university is gaining serious acceptance within a short period of its existence,” he disclosed.

Speaking on the university’s student population and moral formation, the Vice-Chancellor described the enrolment figures as encouraging and pledged to ensure that students received adequate moral guidance alongside their academic training.

He said he would draw on his 17 years of experience as Rector of Holy Family Youth Village, Amansea, to strengthen moral formation and discipline among students of Shanahan University.

Also speaking, the CEO of St. Charles Borromeo Shanahan University Teaching Hospital, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Izunna Okonkwo, described the meeting with the new Vice-Chancellor and his team as successful, saying it provided an opportunity to review the progress made since the establishment of Shanahan University and discuss ways to improve collaboration among the institutions.

He said there was no misunderstanding between the parties, describing the interaction as a constructive dialogue among brothers and sisters.

On plans to upgrade the hospital’s facilities to better accommodate medical students and support their clinical training, Fr. Okonkwo assured that the institution would continue to expand its infrastructure and improve its services.

“We will keep improving and progressing. Becoming a university teaching hospital is not an easy task, so we are not going to rest on our oars. We have erected more than seven gigantic structures within seven years in this hospital,” he disclosed.

He further revealed that the hospital had eight independent operating theatres, describing the facility as a major addition to its capacity to support medical training and clinical practice.

“We have eight independent theatres, which are not commonly found in any private hospital in Nigeria, and this is in addition to the facilities we had before starting the project. It will help our medical students during their clinical training.
“We are also planning to erect a new four-storey building specifically for the College of Medicine,” he added.
Fr. Okonkwo expressed optimism about the university’s growing reputation, noting that its establishment had generated considerable interest within and outside Nigeria.
“The name Shanahan University is currently reverberating across the world, and its take-off was awesome. Within its first year, the university attracted over 1,000 students.
“We thank the former Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Obi Oguejiofor. He laid a solid foundation and put things in place,” he said.

In his remarks, the University Registrar, Rev. Fr. Dr. Emmanuel Emenu, explained that the meeting was convened to formally introduce the new Vice-Chancellor to the management of the College of Medicine and strengthen cooperation among the institutions.

“We discussed the basis for cooperation and synergy. Shanahan University is aiming to produce graduates who will serve as agents of change,” he said.

Similarly, the Provost of the College of Medicine, Prof. Evaristus Afiadigwe, said the meeting was designed to familiarise the new Vice-Chancellor with the management of the college, promote mutual understanding and establish a harmonious working relationship among the institutions.

Meanwhile, the Chief Medical Director of the teaching hospital, Dr. Ben Ezemenahi, and the Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee, Dr. Osita Izunwa, expressed confidence that the interaction with the Vice-Chancellor would further strengthen cooperation among the institutions and improve working relationships among their staff.