By Chiekezie Emmanuel

Agbani – The Department of English and Literary Studies (ELS) Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) has received approval from the University’s Senate to run four postgraduate programmes: A postgraduate diploma (PGD), Master of Arts (M.A), Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D)

Currently, Admission is open to interested and qualified candidates.

The Emeritus Head of Department and first Head of Department of ELS, Ven. Prof. John Ikechukwu Obasikene, revealed this in an interview with ESUT Monitor.

He praised the University Management, led by Professors. Cyprian Onyeji, OON, Prof. Luke Anike Charles Eze and currently, Prof. Aloysius-Michaels Okolie, for their efforts in actualizing the Department’s vision and commended the students for their enviable comportment.

Prof. Obasikene stated that the ESUT Senate has been supportive, granting the initial approval for mounting the English and Literary Studies Program and for giving the recent approval to run Postgraduate programs in the Department.

He expressed his joy, saying that if he were to retire and leave the University, he would do so happily, praising God.

Prof. Obasikene recalled that when he first muted the idea of mounting the English and Literary Studies program in ESUT, some people in the system opposed it, saying that such a Department was an anomaly in a university of science and technology. He convinced them by showing examples of Arts-oriented programs in universities of science and technology across the globe.

He explained that English and Literary Studies program draws most of its analytical tools and critical resources from the social sciences, especially the employment of sociological thoughts, psychoanalysis, political and economic ideas, and Marxist ideology in literary criticism. Therefore, the Department first and conveniently best situated in the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Prof. Obasikene expressed his happiness when the Department was established, saying “Today, the Department boasts of having at least 150 undergraduate students admitted into it annually, and the Senate has approved its PG programmes”.

The Department has produced notable personalities in the state and at national levels.