The Head, Department of Chemical Engineering, ESUT, Associate Professor Ebere Ejikeme in this exclusive interview with ESUT Monitor in her office recently, shared with us her experiences in piloting the affairs of the Department, her emergence as First Female Head of Department of Chemical Engineering (HOD), Plans and challenges.

Dr Ejikeme while declaring her plan to transform the Department also enumerated other projects she desired to execute within her term inoffice.

Excerpts  

Profile

My name is Dr Ebere Ejikeme. I’m an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering and the current HOD of Chemical Engineering Department, ESUT.

I assumed office on 3rd of April 2025, consequent upon the resignation of  the former HOD.

In the beginning

It wasn’t easy, but I knew with God by my side the challenges would definitely fizzle out and expectations would be met. I first of all studied the responsibilities of HOD, the peculiar needs of the Department. I also took a tour of the facilities under my Department and as well interacted with the staff of the Department. This helped me to get first-hand information about the challenges and needs of my Department.

Staff support

They are very supportive. When I assumed office, I held a meeting with the core agenda to have a united family. The turnout for the meeting was quite impressive and the outcome was profoundly impactful. There were promises of loyalty, prayers and unalloyed support. Since that day, they have never flinched in their support for my administration and I have been having their maximum support in all issues .As the first female HOD one of my targets was to have a united family anchored on  equity, fairness and egalitarianism. With this,  one can achieve a lot. There is a saying that where there is unity, there is rich hope for progress. During the meeting, I also passionately requested for their untainted support for the development and growth of the Department. They have been giving me their maximum backing and I am eternally grateful to them.

First Female HOD

I am the first female HOD since Chemical Engineering was established 45 years ago in ESUT. If you look at the frames of past HODs on the wall here (her office), you would not see a female among them. Do you see any female there? So I’m the first person coming up as female HOD. This is one honour ,too many and calls for extraordinary commitments from me.

A challenge or motivation?

For me, it’s a challenge and a motivation at the same time. It’s a challenge because I told myself I must do something to make a significant difference as a female head. It is a motivation because when I look at the portraits of my predecessors, I got inspired to work harder because many of them were my teachers and I knew the legacies they left behind. I promised myself that the table has to change, new ideas must be injected into the system for sustainable results.

Intimidated as first female HOD?

We are all engineers, I’m not, and we are all equal. Once you are an engineer, everybody is equal. In the real sense of it, there is no gender inclination in our profession. I’m not intimidated, although I know that I consider myself being lucky to be one of them. By the way, have you forgotten the saying that ‘what a man can do, a woman can also  do and  even better?’ (laughs)

Fortunately, all of them taught me. I passed through them here. They all shaped the person I am today, my philosophy and disposition. They taught me during my undergraduate years and now I’m their HOD. They are rather my mentors and even as their HOD, I still look up to them. Every leader is a learner and that is why I consult them often. We hold Departmental Board meetings regularly, so they give me much support and I am grateful

Mentorship in academics

Actually, I can’t really tell you that I have somebody that specifically mentored me when I was undergraduate here. But there were a lot of them that directly and indirectly impacted my growth. Mentorship is critical in a place of higher learning because the older ones need to mould the young ones to become better than them.  But right now, our Vice Chancellor is my role model in leadership. I look at those people that are doing well, I take them as my role model. They’ll be mentoring me without them knowing it. I’ll just be following their footsteps.

Plans for the Department

By God’s grace I have plans for Chemical Engineering Department, some of which I have started implementing. My major plan is to transform the Department. To bring unity and smiles on the faces of my staff. I believe that when your staff are happy they perform optimally, they will give their best. I will always like to give them that conducive environment to work.

I also want to establish Chemical Engineering Ventures. During the first meeting, I constituted a committee for it. Because we need to start an economic venture for the benefit of the Department. We constituted a committee that is currently working on the registration and feasibility or otherwise of the project.

Welfare of staff:

I have also decided that the Department will be having annual get-together every year as long as I remain the HOD. This is a way to appreciate the staff after working for a whole year. We held a Christmas get-together party for the Chemical Engineering staff last year. It’s interesting to let you know that it’s a median edition and the first of its kind since the inception of our Department. I want to be doing Christmas party for them every year and share gifts no matter how small. I started it in 2025, and by God’s grace, it will keep on getting better every year.

Achievements

When I assumed office, I inherited an ugly situation where the whole office gets flooded any time it rains. That  very first day I assumed duty , it rained and all the files on the floor were soaked with water. My staff worked till evening that day to save the files. I immediately resolved that it will never happen again. The next day, I  engaged the staff of Works Department and created an avenue for proper channelling of the flood. As I speak now the problem has been solved.

Secondly, I restructured the office to have an administrative convenience by creating an entrance door that links HOD’s office with the reception.

Thirdly I brought electricity supply to our office because there was no light in the building when I assumed the office.

Fourthly Christmas gift to my staff. I started the Christmas party during December 2025. And to the glory of God, 50kg bags of rice were distributed to all the staff. They all went home with a bag of rice each. All the 30 staff we have in the department, both teaching and non-teaching, collected 50k of rice.

That gesture was courtesy of an alumnus of the Department, Engr. Moses Chukwu of 1998 set. He expressed willingness to gift the Department and I am eternally grateful to him. His love for our Department  and readiness to give back to the institution that shaped him, is elegant  and graceful.

Furthermore, I organized a befitting send-forth party for the two retiring staff of the Department, Prof Mbah and Dr Aniokete

 Departmental shirt for students.

I also initiated the project. The shirt is for easy identification and to make the students dress neatly and decently. It also reduces unnecessary fashion competition among them.

They look impeccable in it and I was happy when the Dean singled them out during the faculty orientation for being different. 

Other HODs including the faculty are now emulating us. If you see Chemical Engineering students, they look unique and decent.

Relationship with VC

My relationship with VC is cordial and wonderful. The VC is one of  the best things that happened to ESUT at this point. I really want to thank him for giving me the opportunity not just to contribute to the development of the Department in particular but ESUT in generally. For him to call me and said “I want you to be the HOD,” it’s a privilege, I will not take for granted. As HOD, this is the time for me to contribute whatever I can to the progress of the Department and the University at large.

To younger ones

My advice to younger one is that they should work hard and be patient. Hard work pays , patience rewards. When it is your turn, God will make a straight way for you.