By Ali Hope and Okenwa Chisom

The Department of Surveying and Geoinformatics at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) has undergone a major leadership transition following the exit of its former Head of Department, Surveyor Benjamin Ezeah.

Stepping into the leadership role is Surveyor Nwabueze Okwudiri, a veteran academic who is returning to the position for what he describes as a “second missionary journey,” having previously steered the department’s affairs from 2021 to 2024.

The leadership change comes at a critical time for the department. Handing over the mantle, the outgoing HOD, Surveyor Ezeah—who took office on August 24, 2024 —reflected on a tenure marked by extreme resourcefulness and reforms

Surveyor Ezeah’s administration achieved remarkable milestones. Under his watch, the department produced the faculty’s overall best-graduating student last session with a stellar 4.45 CGPA. During the departmental accreditation, Sur. Ezeah successfully partnered with the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS) to secure vital training assets and facilities for the accreditation.

“To the glory of God, we have consolidated on what was handed over to us in last two years. Now our Department can boast of a projector, a functional Laptop among other reforms aimed at improving work ethics and pedagogy.

“The academic activities were not found wanting throughout my watch but rather continued to improve despite the challenging short-staffing. As a testament to this, in the last convocation, our dear department produced best student in the Faculty of Environmental Sciences. This year may not be different either. The mark of our collective dedication in academics and service must be reflecting on our graduands. I wish to encourage us that this peak position must be maintained and even extended to university level via thorough teaching, research and mentorship,” he said.

Corroborating his predecessor’s account, the newly reappointed Head Surveyor Nwabueze described his return to office as a “second missionary journey,” having previously served as HOD from 2021 to 2024 and emphasized that running a five-year undergraduate BSc programme alongside postgraduate studies up to the Master’s level with only five personnel places an unsustainable burden on the team.

“There are expectations from all ramifications: the school management, the faculty management, the department, the students, even your family,” Surveyor Okwudiri said during an exclusive interview with ESUT Monitor Newspaper. “They all expect you to be up and doing. The only challenge, as stated by my predecessor, is staff strength.”

He announced plans to immediately launch a formal advocacy campaign with senior administrative layers on the need to improve on the existing systems and retain the high standards the department has attained.

He expressed confidence that the university management and the Enugu State Government, led by Governor Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, will intervene swiftly to rectify the manpower deficit and protect the technical integrity of the discipline.