New Leadership and Big Dreams

The Department of Industrial Chemistry at Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) has welcomed Dr. Okechukwu Nsude as its new Head of Department. Dr. Nsude, who recently replaced Dr. Ozoemena Ike, has promised to reposition the department and enhance collaboration with its alumni network.

Speaking with the ESUT Monitor in his office, Dr. Nsude shared that his deep-rooted passion for the department stems from being an alumnus himself. “When I was appointed as the Acting Head, I had many dreams. With God’s guidance, I will ensure these dreams become reality moving forward,” he stated.

Immediate Administrative and Infrastructure Reforms
Reflecting on his first few weeks in office, the new HOD highlighted several visible changes aimed at creating a professional environment. The HOD office has been completely repainted, and old curtains have been upgraded to premium window blinds.

Beyond aesthetics, Dr. Nsude has launched a major administrative overhaul to manage student data more efficiently. “This is a major servicing department that handles chemistry courses for all first-year science, engineering, agriculture, and environmental science students—spanning over 40 departments,” Dr. Nsude explained. To fix the previous system where all results were piled together, the department is constructing a centralized records shelf with nearly 50 dedicated slots. This setup will allow staff to locate specific departmental results instantly.

Technological Innovation and Legacy Projects
Dr. Nsude wants his tenure to be defined by modernization and industrial relevance. A key part of his vision is equipping the laboratories with advanced, automated machinery. Specifically, he aims to acquire a Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR)—a vital piece of analytical hardware the department currently lacks.

“Right now, we have to send our samples outside the university to be tested and determined,” Dr. Nsude noted. “Leaving a legacy where the department owns its own automated testing machines would make me incredibly fulfilled.”

Addressing Student Retention and Medical Redeployment Challenges
A major hurdle facing the department is a high student attrition rate during the transition from first to second year. While 170 students were admitted into Industrial Chemistry last year, only 110 remained by their second year.

According to Dr. Nsude, roughly 40 to 60 students regularly exit the program to redeploy into newly expanded medical disciplines. With nine different medical fields now available at the university—including Nursing, Physiotherapy, Optometry, Radiography, and Medical Laboratory Science—many students treat Industrial Chemistry as a temporary stepping stone while waiting for medical openings.

Leveraging Alumni Collaboration for Facility Upgrades
To solve power and facility issues, the HOD revealed plans to install solar panel systems. This green energy alternative will ensure that students and staff have uninterrupted power to print documents and run basic operations.

However, deeper infrastructure issues persist. The laboratory roofing is deteriorated, causing water leaks during rainstorms, and much of the existing laboratory equipment has become obsolete. Recognizing that relying solely on university funding or government budgets might take too long, Dr. Nsude is aggressively reaching out to the department’s alumni network to crowdfund and fix these urgent structural issues.

Expanding Career Horizons: Upcoming Student Orientation
To combat the student flight to medical courses, the department is organizing a comprehensive student orientation workshop. The initiative aims to correct the misconception that chemistry graduates are limited to secondary school teaching roles.

Dr. Nsude emphasized that Industrial Chemistry is a highly lucrative, engineering-adjacent field. Graduates are fully equipped to work in high-paying sectors like oil and gas with giants like Shell and Mobil. They are also vital to the plastics, textiles, paint, and consumer goods industries.

“Students need to realize they can become successful entrepreneurs straight out of graduation,” Dr. Nsude concluded, pointing to successful alumni running local businesses. “I have friends owning foam production firms at 9th Mile, tissue production factories in Emene, and paint production plants in Udi. Our graduates have the exact technical knowledge needed to launch and own these types of manufacturing firms.”

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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.

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In a major boost to digital journalism education, the member representing Enugu North/Enugu South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Chimaobi Sam Atu, has donated state-of-the-art Information and Communication Technology (ICT) facilities and brand-new laptops to the Department of Mass Communication at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT).

The lawmaker also pledged a long-term commitment to deepen collaboration and support for the university to enhance the practical training of future media practitioners.

Hon Atu who spoke at the closing ceremony of a Digital Skills for Agricultural Development 2026 seminar on Friday organized as part of his constituency project to provide modern tools for agricultural extension activities, also called on media practitioners to promote agriculture and raise public awareness about the dangers of using harmful and unapproved chemicals to preserve food.

He said the empowerment was aimed at equipping journalists with the tools and skills required to perform their duties effectively and contribute to societal development.

Describing journalists as key image-makers of government, Atu said the media had a significant role in shaping public opinion and influencing how people think and behave.

He urged journalists to report government policies objectively while constructively criticising policies they considered inappropriate.

“The masses believe in the media and I know that you will reshape the reasoning of our people in a good direction and help to announce the government policies that are right. The ones that are not right, you can criticise with respect,” he said.

Atu urged the participants to use digital platforms to encourage young people to embrace agriculture, stressing that the sector extended beyond farming to processing, preservation, marketing and technology.

Presenting the equipment to the department, Hon. Atu emphasized that modern journalism relies heavily on digital literacy and tech-driven tools. He noted that the gesture is part of his wider initiative to empower media creators and students with the necessary competencies to excel in a rapidly transforming global information landscape.

“The media play a crucial role in forming public opinion and shaping society. To produce globally competitive graduates, our institutions must have the right infrastructure. This donation is intended to bridge the digital gap and ensure that Mass Communication students at ESUT undergo hands-on, experiential learning rather than just theoretical training.” Atu stated during the presentation. “

Speaking while receiving the items on behalf the department, the Head of the Department, Dr Maxwell Ngene expressed immense gratitude to the lawmaker stressing that the donation of the facilities was timely as it aligns with ESUT Management’s new policy on experiential learning driven by Artificial Intelligence.

Dr Ngene further expressed the department’s readiness to strengthen the collaboration with a view to helping the students understand the profession better.

“This donation couldn’t have come at a better time than now. Last week, the management of our University through the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Aloysius-Michaels Okolie organized a three-day training on experiential learning and application of AI in enhancing education. These ICT Facilities are in the right direction.

“Let me also reiterate our resolve to consolidate on the existing collaboration and deepen it further with a view to having more impact in our students. These facilities will go a long way in not only enhancing experiential learning but it will equip our students with the needed skills to become problem-solvers,” the HOD said.

The department head highlighted that having direct access to modern laptops and ICT infrastructure will streamline training in digital content creation, investigative reporting, and multimedia journalism.

The recent donation aligns with a series of human capital developments spearheaded by Hon. Atu in his constituency. The lawmaker has continuously targeted educational reform, previously equipping local schools with mobile smart laboratories and training youth in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and basic soft skills.

It could be recalled that Hon. Atu in 2025 renovated and equipped the Chemistry Laboratory at the Department of Industrial Chemistry at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), where he is an alumnus.

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When the Vice Chancellor of Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT, appointed him to take over as the Head of the Department of Mass Communication, ESUT, in 2023, everywhere was quiet for those who love academic cut corners and full of excitement for those who want total reformation from the old system to the new one.

It wasn’t easy at all for Dr. Ezinwa because the department, despite being one of the best in ESUT in terms of academic discipline, had some age long niggling unresolved issues that affected cordial staff relationships, which made gossip full of lies trend and thrive.

As someone who has been in the department for almost 13 years, I can beat my chest and say that Dr. Ezinwa, as usual, improved tremendously on what was achieved by his predecessors within his three years in office. His first year was a total mess up and clean up period, as he spent his time, resources and energy resolving an issue that the department had with one of the security agencies after a petition was written. That period was hell for the former departmental board secretary because he is someone who isn’t always around to understand the maneuverings and met a system where everyone was almost leaving and fearing another.

The Nachi born political communication and Media law expert started by nipping issues in the bud. First, he appointed an exam officer to ensure that issues that had to do with exam coordination, monitoring, result preparation and execution were settled. This was after he personally met with all the professors in the department to seek their advice on the way forward because he was afraid to fail. He proceeded with redocumenting the departmental album to ensure that exams were written sequentially without any iota of impersonation or disorganisation.

One of the things that always put fear in Dr. Ezinwa was the fear of failure. The young man does not want to fail at all. So, he began the reformation of the PG programme to ensure that all outstanding issues were resolved, and till today, our PG programme is one of the best, as it has continued graduating students on record time. Dr. Ezinwa became the first HOD to graduate PG students in record time in the department in almost two decades after reviewing and updating the curriculum. Consequently, the programme has witnessed a significant increase in students enrollment in the last two academic sessions.

He then organised a staff training programme for newly employed staff. The school employed over nine staff between 2020 and 2021, which I am part of, into the department without any staff orientation and training, and it made us not know our left from our right. The training brought together all the staff in the department, as well as others from various departments, to educate the newly employed staff on the workings of a university system. This staff orientation and training helped in making sure that everyone understood his or her job and also the limitations, and that was where he started advancing in progress as the HOD in sprint race form.

Dr. Ezinwa then began the work of improving the infrastructure that aided practicals for the students, and with the help of the Vice Chancellor and ESUT alumni, ESUT Radio came back to life, same with ESUT TV. Let me say the ugly truth: the current radio station would have been dead without the commitment and support of his administration. On getting involved, he facilitated the construction of the transmitter room, installed an air conditioner, among other rearrangements that ensured the sustenance of the station. I personally stayed away from getting involved in the radio station because I don’t want to be spending my resources to do the work effectively as a perfectionist and also be getting bad names or being used as a gossip topic by many staff who see the institution as their all and all.

He also created a staff parents interactive WhatsApp platform, where parents enquire about the academic performance of their offspring, lay complaints and get the issues resolved. This helped tremendously in changing the attitude to studies of many students in the department. It is on record that during the 2026 matriculation ceremony of the school in our faculty, which I was the official MC, a parent took the microphone and said that he flew from Lagos to Enugu to appreciate the Mass Communication Department and ESUT for such an initiative and also recommended that others follow suit.

He also galvanized the ex students and created a platform where they interact and discuss issues that will positively impact the students. This yielded the 1991 set planning to visit the school during their reunion to embark on some projects that will enhance academic growth after inviting him during their annual general meeting in 2024.

He brought in Eastern Nigeria International Film Festival (ENIFF), where the students engage with professional movie makers and practitioners to get first hand information about the profession. During one of the ENIFF programmes, a sum of $500 was promised as a grant, which is being processed.

MacArthur Foundation also came to train our students on news writing and reporting, where the best were issued certificates and introduced to so many employment platforms.

The Nachi born scholar enhanced partnership with West Africa Broadcast & Media Academy (WABMA), which now also supports the training of our students in so many areas in the broadcasting field. He went further to facilitate another partnership with Choice Flame Newspaper and Afia TV on internships, training and production for both staff and students. Aside from this, he also created a departmental website, email address and revitalised the online journal.

His administration also attracted socialites like Okwulora and Naniboy, who always visit from time to time to motivate the students and empower them with financial support.

He also attracted ESUT Cinema, where students visit on weekends to cool off the stress of the week and also enhance their social life, after restoring power supply in a department that was in darkness for four years.

Under Dr. Chidiebere Ezinwa, indecent dressing to classes became a crime. You must wear proper departmental uniform with other apparels and hairstyles approved by the department. Lecturers who wished began a full implementation of 75% class attendance during exams, which increased academic participation and development among the students. Course registration became a must, as he ensured that students attended carryover lectures before writing the exams. To him, writing a carryover is not an automatic pass, and so, a student must participate in all the class activities, be qualified to rewrite the exam, register his courses, write well in the exam to enable him or her to scale through, or come back to try again. All these were also part of the strategies that he used to reduce issues of non ICT results, where students forge results without the consent of the lecturers. In fact, to submit a Non ICT result under him, the student must provide evidence of participating in the exam, as well as a letter from the course lecturer who issued the said results.

What about academic advisory? Dr. Ezinwa streamlined academic advisory in a way that level advisers advise from year one till the graduation of a particular set, an act that leads to better knowledge and understanding of each student, leading to better advisory. In ESUT Mass Communication Department under him, level advisers are not allowed to sign files for students outside their designated class.

Dr. Chidiebere Ezinwa’s leadership made the Mass Communication Department become a reference point for examination conduct in the school. As an ex faculty and school Examination Marshal, I will beat my chest and tell you that the Department of Mass Communication gives you a clear idea of what examination looks like, even ahead of Medical Sciences and Law in ESUT, courtesy of him. It is on record that the department has zero tolerance for examination misconduct and malpractice.

A no nonsense man that he is, Dr. Ezinwa’s administration has no single case of result scandal. He eradicated every avenue that could bring result manipulation, as always seen in Nigerian institutions, and ensured that any Second Class, First Class or Third Class is a deserved one and not what was erroneously given or bought, as we do hear in other institutions, including ESUT.

He crafted a system whereby students now see their results status on a semester basis, including parents for those that care. This means that any results or grades cannot be manipulated at the final collation centre, and if it does happen, it can be traced.

Dr. Ezinwa stopped the character of “please give me mark, I want to upgrade my GP from 2.2 to 2.1, you don’t need to write carryover, just pay one of the non academic staff or the person computing the results or someone in Exams and Record, and it will be wiped out, you can go to service without graduation” and other slangs used by some university cabals to scuttle academic excellence.

He revitalised ESUT Monitor newspaper, which has expanded to become a reference point for those who teach rural communication and community press in various institutions. The newspaper has so far produced more than seven editions and has been active online, especially on social media platforms. Many who don’t know about it do think that it is the University’s newspaper, all because of Dr. Ezinwa’s impact.

Under his leadership, the department, for the first time in almost two decades, started embarking on industrial training (IT) to bridge the gap between classroom and field experience. This has brought so many good experiences for the students, as they had the opportunity of interacting with industry professionals to learn more and gather experience.

One of the many good things about him is that, once he gives you work, he does not interfere, and he knows where someone would work better and puts the person with constant monitoring and review. He also has a high interest in hearing from all parties when issues or complaints come up, which gives whoever is working with him a sense of trust, security and safety.

Dr. Ezinwa’s Mass Communication Department, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility and community engagement , embarked on media literacy campaigns across communities, towns and even the university environment to educate the public on how to identify misinformation, verify information, recognise credible sources, understand media messages and make informed decisions in an increasingly digital society. During the said outings, issues concerning children’s rights, child protection, responsible parenting, gender equality, online safety, protection of children from abuse and exploitation, and the need to provide a safe and supportive environment for children were communicated directly to the people. The campaigns also used the opportunity to sensitise the people on the importance of protecting the dignity, welfare and future of children and encouraging them to speak up whenever children’s rights are violated. This is because As a child rights activist, he believes that a university should give back to society,which was what prompted the Media literacy campaigns in secondary schools to protect our children from the impact of phone and AI in the digital age. This campaign was effectively led by Dr Okwudiri Ekwe, a staff of the department on leave of absence who had made numerous sacrifices for progress of the department.

The pinnacle of his achievements was securing full NUC accreditation for the department, which ensures that the programme is sustained for the next four academic years.

From a personal point of view, Dr. Ezinwa’s major regret is his inability to unbundle the department to create more room for further academic excellence, despite his numerous efforts and sleepless nights. Anybody who wants to change an existing culture in any environment would always cherish working with him, but those coming to cut corners will be frustrated to the brim.

His administration has also shown that leadership in an academic environment is not only about making policies but also about creating systems that can outlive the person in charge. The structures he introduced have given the department a stronger sense of order, responsibility and accountability. He gave many young lecturers the opportunity to contribute, learn and take responsibility while allowing experienced members of staff to share their knowledge. His willingness to listen before taking decisions also made many people feel valued. For students, the changes have created a clearer understanding of what is expected of them academically and morally. For staff, the reforms have provided a more organised working environment. These are the kinds of changes that may not always be fully appreciated while they are happening, but their value becomes clearer with time.

I am happy to be part of your success, and I am very glad that you are one of the few who so much believe in me and what I stand for. As you bow out of office, I wish you all the best and a sabbatical where you can rest and rejig your tank because it was three years of restlessness. I also wish your successor the best, with a strong belief that he will perform better than you.

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Students of Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT have been urged to buckle up and face challenges ahead of them in the university.

The Head, Department of Mechatronics Engineering, Dr Chineze Okeke handed the advice to both new and old students of the department during a combined orientation programme held at the Faculty of Engineering Laboratories Building on Tuesday.

While congratulating the students on gaining admission into the university to study Mechatronics Engineering, a course she said was not meant for the lazy ones, Dr Okeke sounded a note of warning to the students that the profession they have chosen to study is a demanding one.

“On behalf of the entire department, I warmly congratulate you on securing admission into this prestigious programme. You are not here by accident, you earned your place.

“Mechatronics Engineering is not just a course of study, it is a discipline that integrates mechanical engineering, electronics, computer engineering, control systems, and intelligent systems into one powerful field. It is the backbone of modern automation, robotics, smart manufacturing, and intelligent technologies shaping today’s world.

“When you see industrial robots in factories, automated production lines, smart vehicles, drones, or even advanced medical devices — that is Mechatronics at work. But let me say this clearly: Mechatronics is demanding. It requires discipline, curiosity, consistency, and resilience. You will study mathematics, physics, learn programming, design systems; You will fail. And you will rise again.

“This department is committed to equipping you not just with theoretical knowledge, but with practical competence. We will challenge you. We will stretch you. We will expect excellence from you” she said.

Delivering a lecture on the topic: Academics Regulations, Examinations Ethics and Professional Conduct”, the Director, TETFUN ESUT, Associate Professor Engr Onyekachi Egwuatu advised the students to abide by the university rules to avoid either being suspended or expelled.

“The university has rules which guide the conduct of everyone here. Because there are rules, there is sanity in the university. Some of the rules you must avoid at all cost include, smoking in classrooms, joining cult groups, indulging in examination malpractice, reckless driving within the university premises, bullying and fighting, among others. These rules have consequences ranging from suspension to expulsion and I urge you to abide by them,” he advised.

On his part, the pioneer Head of the Department and Director, ESUT Municipal Services, Engr. Dr Thomas Okechukwu Onah, took the students through the overview of the department, taking them down to when the department was established in 2023 with just 8 pioneer students, courses offered as well as the importance of the field to humanity.  

Overview

The creation of the Mechatronics Engineering programme in Faculty of Engineering at Enugu State University of Science and Technology was approved by ESUT University Senate in 2023 under the auspicious administration of the Vice-Chancellor Prof. Aloysius-Michaels Okolie. The curriculum was prepared by Engr. Dr. Thomas Onah (Assocaite Professor), the then Head, Department of Mechanical and Production Engineering under the Deanship of Prof Gordian Onyebuchukwu Mbah.

The programme aims to produce graduates with sufficient academic background and adequate practical experience to solve engineering problems. The achievement process involves among other things, lectures, tutorials, laboratories, Engineering/Technology workshop practices, design works and industrial attachments.At present, the Department is at her 300 level with 8 Students in year three, over one hundred and fifty students in year two and same in year one.

Staff of the department comprises: Engr Dr. Chineze Glory Okeke (Senior Lecturer) HOD, Engr. Dr Thomas Onah (Associate Professor founder, coordinator and pioneer HOD of the Department), Engr Dr. Onyekachi Egwuagu, co-founder  (Associate Professor),  Engr Dr. Iyidobi Chijindu (Associate Professor),  Engr Dr. Chikezie Aka (Lecturer 11), Engr. Dimeze Innocent (Lecturer 11), Chukwuemeka Odo (Technologist II), Bar. Nwaneka Mba (Chief Typist and Secretary) and (Rosline Ugwu (Admin Assistance).

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The Head, Department of Chemical Engineering, ESUT, Associate Professor Ebere Ejikeme has received award for her inspiring administration and as the first Female Head of the department.  

The “Award of Recognition” was given to her by the ESUT Chemical Engineering Graduates Association (ECEGA) 2005 set at her office.

Presenting the award, President of ECEGA 2005, Engr Henry Tortor said the award is in recognition of her achievements as well as being the first female Head of the Department since its establishment in 1980, stressing that it’s also part of activities to mark their 20^th anniversary of graduation of the university.

He commended the HOD for her administrative ingenuity in repositioning the department and affirmed the ECEGA 2025 Set’s continued support to the department.

Responding, a visibly elated Dr Ejikeme expressed gratitude to God for given her the opportunity to serve the department and thanked the ECEGA 2005 Set profusely for the gesture. She described the award as a catalyst that would propel her to do more and dedicated it to God.

“I am deeply honoured to receive this award as the first female Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering ESUT since its inception in 1980. I dedicate this recognition entirely to Almighty God, who, by His grace, gave me the privilege and strength to serve.

“This achievement is a reminder that with God, barriers are broken and new paths are opened. I am truly grateful. May this milestone encourage more women to step boldly into leadership and I am eternally grateful to 2005 set,” She said

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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.

The post “My Plan is to Transform Department of Chemical Engineering ESUT into a National Model” – Dr Ejikeme, HOD appeared first on ESUT Monitor.

This collaboration which is hinged on the need to use homegrown solutions to guarantee sustainable development in our country, would deepen indigenous capacity in addressing myriads of issues hampering conducive living standards of Nigerians.

While addressing ESUT Management led by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Aloysius-Michaels Okolie at Agbani, Enugu State on Wednesday, the Director General of NASRDA, Dr. Mathew Adepoju, stated that the MoU would take care of funding cutting edge research for ESUT staff and students.

The Director General equally stated that the Agency would build Advance Cosmic Ray Laboratory in the University which would be equipped with data software and instruments to aid research and innovation amongst staff and students of the institution.

He further stated that the MoU would strengthen academia and industry collaboration in order to guarantee sustainable national development, adding that there would equally be exchange programmes between the University and the Agency.

In his response, the Vice Chancellor of ESUT, Professor Okolie, who described the MoU as a welcome development, stated that it would help to guarantee the experiential learning model of Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State.

He further stated that ESUT had already inaugurated its Innovation and ICT Hub to guarantee certification programmes for staff and students of the University.

He also bemoaned the rote learning method of Nigerian education system, regretting that it has failed to address the problems of the society. He further stated that the MoU would be mutually-beneficial for both parties, urging the Agency to build and turn the Cosmic Ray Laboratory into a certification and training centre to address the gap in our education system.

He assured that ESUT would provide the needed support and security which would help to realize the goals of the Agency in the University.

The signing of the MoU equally coincided with the 15th Annual National Conference and General Meeting of the Astronomical Society of Nigeria themed: Astronomy and Space Science for National Development: The Role of Artificial Intelligence.

The conference was organized by the Department of Industrial Physics under the headship of Dr. Chima Iheanyichukwu Abraham.

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