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.

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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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