By Ijeoma Ugwu

The Coordinator of the Postgraduate Programmes in the Department of English and Literary Studies, ESUT, Dr Justus Chidi Ugwu in this exclusive interview with ESUT Monitor highlights the academic excellence and moral standards the programme has attained in just 24 months.

Dr Ugwu also pointed out how lecturers with diverse background and institutional probity have ensure the growth of the department thereby expanding its frontiers to the global community.

Profile

My name is Dr. Justus Chidi Ugwu, the Postgraduate Coordinator for the Department of English and Literary Studies at Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT).

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Origins and Timeline of PG Programme

The postgraduate programme began during the 2024/2025 academic session. So far, we have admitted two cohorts: the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 sets of postgraduate students. The postgraduate programme is still very young, much like the department itself, but we have been making significant progress.

​Academic Programmes Offered

We offer Postgraduate Diploma (PGD), Master’s, and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) programmes. Coordination has been top-notch. Our guiding principle in the department is that we do not simply aim to award postgraduate degrees; we ensure our graduates can stand anywhere across the globe and confidently defend their qualifications.

Furthermore, we strive to ensure that no student is unnecessarily delayed. Once you enroll in our postgraduate programme and are ready to work, we are fully committed to working with you to ensure you graduate on schedule.

​Enrollment Figures and Growth

For the first intake, we had about five postgraduate students—primarily Master’s candidates—as we were just starting out. However, during the second enrollment, there was a noticeable increase in applications. We admitted five Ph.D students, nine Master’s students, and three Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) students. This reflects a significant increase in our enrollment percentage, and given our current trajectory, we expect future intakes to be even higher.

​Departmental Legacy and Academic Strength

The Department of English and Literary Studies at ESUT is a department that people naturally wish to identify with. Our pioneer Head of Department was Rev. Prof. J. I. Obasikene, who established a very solid foundation built on both morality and academic excellence. Combining high moral standards with academic rigor forms the bedrock upon which our department is built.

Additionally, our department comprises an impressive assembly of scholars drawn from prestigious institutions across Nigeria, including Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), the University of Ibadan (UI), and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).

Academic Diversity and Student Impact

We have faculty members who joined us from Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) and the University of Jos. This assemblage of diverse academic backgrounds directly benefits our students. As a result, the department is achieving significant progress and success, including increased student enrollment.

The high standards of education students would expect from anywehere in the world is offered here, as our lecturers bring the direct experience and academic orientation of those institutions. Consequently, our department holds a distinct advantage, and our students are much better off for it.

​A Solemn Tribute to Associate Professor Oby Nnamani

May her gentle soul find eternal peace in the bosom of the Lord. Her passing was deeply sobering and represents a monumental loss to our department, the university community, and the state as a whole.

As a lecturer and former Head of Department, she carried out her duties with profound dedication, reverence for God, and an unwavering commitment to serving humanity. She was truly selfless. To genuinely understand the caliber of person she was, one had to have a personal encounter with her. She was someone who refrained from ever causing harm to anyone. In terms of faith, she was a practical, Christ-like Christian whose actions were constantly guided by her deep faith. She was an immense blessing to the department, particularly to the students.

Her death serves as a poignant reminder of how thin, shadowy, and vague the line between life and death truly is—making it difficult to pinpoint where life ends and death begins. It reminds us that, as mortals, we are merely passengers in an ill-fated vehicle that could crash at any moment, while the journey of the world continues unchanged. No single individual’s death brings the world to a halt. Coming from Opi, I personally felt that everything ought to have paused—perhaps for two native market weeks—so nature itself would mark the passing of such a great person to the other side of existence. Yet, life moved on as usual.

We take solace in the firm conviction that she lived a good and meaningful life, and that she is now with her Maker, resting at the right hand of God Almighty. May her gentle soul rest in peace.

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