BATTLE OVER MADONNA UNIVERSITY GETS MESSY- DVC FORGES PAPERS MAKING HIMSELF A DIRECTOR, AS EFCC PROBES HIS TAKEOVER OF BANK SHARES ALSO OWNED BY AILING FR. EDEH

 

Deputy Vice Chancellor of Madonna University, Anambra State, Prof. Martin Anagboso, has been implicated in the alteration of the university’s records with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

Documents obtained from CAC show that Prof. Anagboso, who has allegedly been exploiting the current age-related illness of the founder of the institution, Rev. Fr. Prof. Emmanuel Edeh, is attempting to take control of all his organisations.

SaharaReporters had previously reported how Prof. Anagboso was questioned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the alleged theft of shares of MayFresh Mortgage Bank Limited and alterations of bank documents with the CAC.

In a recent development, Anagboso has been implicated in the alleged fraudulent transfer of ownership of Madonna University to the Edeh Onovo Foundation, where he serves as chairman.

A check on the status of Madonna University at the CAC shows that Prof. Anagboso has been listed as a director.

 

Sources also revealed that Anagboso hired a lawyer to remove the name of the company secretary, Dangana Saleh, from the CAC records and subsequently appointed Festus Ukpe Esq. as the company secretary.

Meanwhile, the Congregation of Fathers of Jesus the Saviour Nigeria has written to the Registrar General of the CAC, complaining about the fraudulent practices by Anagboso. However, the CAC has not taken any action to punish him despite receiving the letter of complaint.

The source called on the National Security Adviser to authorise the EFCC to extend its investigation to the authorities in CAC, insisting that the actions of the commission’s staff constitute an act of economic sabotage against the nation.

“It is surprising that Anagboso who was brandishing a letter that he was fighting for the interest of the church and that Mayfresh Mortgage Bank belongs to the church could go and change the ownership of Madonna University and transferred the ownership from the Congregation of Reverend Fathers to Edeh Onovo Foundation of Edeh Onovo family because he is in charge of the Foundation and would be able to use the Foundation to take absolute control of Madonna University,” a source told SaharaReporters, adding that Anagboso has consistently manipulated the founder, Fr Edeh, taking advantage of the age-related ailment he suffers from.

“The Corporate Affairs Commission up till now did not take any action to punish him despite receiving the letter of complaint from the Reverend Fathers that they never authoriseed the transfer of ownership of Madonna University to any other body,” the source said.

“This gos to show that there is a powerful syndicate at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) helping him to compromise the system and continue to perpetuate this criminal activities against the Nigerian state,” the source added.

Another source told SaharaReporters that “when the Church got information sometime in September 2024, that Martin Anagboso had made himself a Guarantor at the Madonna University Limited by Guarantee, they complained to Rev. Father Edeh, and Anagboso’s name was removed as a Guarantor of the University at the Corporate Affairs Commission on September 18, 2024.

“But while the Reverend Fathers and the Church were in Christmas mood and holidays, Anagboso got a lawyer to remove the name of the Company Secretary Dangana Saleh from the CAC records on December 20, 2024, and Festus Ukpe Esq. thereafter was made the Company Secretary.

“On the eve of Christmas, precisely December 24, 2024, Martin Osita Anagboso was named in the CAC record as a Director of Madonna University.

“When the Reverend Fathers of the ‘Fathers of Jesus the Saviour’ got information that Anagboso had tampered with the University records at the Corporate Affairs Commission, they wrote a letter to the Registrar General of the Corporate Affairs Commission and copied same letter to the National Universities Commission (NUC), insisting that the Fathers of Jesus the Saviour still retains the proprietorship of Madonna University and that all documents filed without their consent are thereby revoked.

“Unfortunately, to date, the Corporate Affairs Commission has never acted upon the letter of the Church, as the Company Status Report obtained from the Corporate Affairs Commission as of Monday, August 25, 2025, still retains the alterations made by Martin Anagboso on the 20th and 24th December 2024, to the records of the Madonna University against the will of the Church.”

The letter from the Congregation of the Fathers of Jesus the Saviour (Saviourites) to the Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission, dated January 18, 2025, was jointly signed by the Superior General/Director, Very Rev. Fr. Jude Okenyi FJS, and the Secretary, Fr. Cyriacus Emedolu FJS.

Titled: “Resolution Of The Board Of Directors (Council) Concerning The Proposed Transfer Of Ownership Of Madonna University Nigeria To Edeh Onovo Foundation,” the congregation vehemently opposed and rejected any form of transfer of ownership of the University to any other group.

It partly read: “At the Extra-Ordinary Board meeting of the above-named Religious Association held at the Novitiate House, Ugwuoba, KM 47 Enugu-Onitsha Express Way, Oji River Local Government Area, Enugu State, on the 18th day of January 2025, the following resolutions were proposed and passed as follows:

“That the Corporate Affairs Commission should be informed to suspend, disregard, and discountenance any documents requesting the Commission to transfer the proprietorship of Madonna University Nigeria from Fathers of Jesus the Saviour to Edeh Onovo Foundation.

“That Madonna University Nigeria has been established as patrimony of the Fathers of Jesus the Saviour to the Holy See and any alteration will compromise the process of canonical erection which is currently ongoing.

“That Fathers of Jesus the Saviour retains the proprietorship right of Madonna University Nigeria and any document filed with the Corporate Affairs Commission or any other regulatory body that seeks to transfer this proprietary (ownership) right is hereby revoked in its entirety and should be treated as void.

“That the Corporate Affairs Commission, National Universities Commission, and other Regulatory Agencies are by this Board Resolution put on notice.”