I took up the role of Provost/CEO of Federal Cooperative College Oji River (FCCO) Enugu State, Nigeria in September 2024. It is deeply humbling and a profound privilege to join this remarkable College at such an exciting time in its history. I am grateful for the warm welcome that you – staff, students, alumni, supporters and friends of the College have shown me since my arrival. I intend to do all I can to build on the extraordinary legacy that dates back 1976. Many of you have asked me about my vision for the College. From the outset, we need to construct together, reflecting on our shared values and also on our ambitions for the future. In my inaugural meeting with the College management team, we agreed to work together to tackle our immediate challenges including increase in student enrolment, academic skills development, academic programme expansion, curriculum refinement, improved campus infrastructure while prioritizing staff and student’s welfare. I am excited with the opportunity to build on all that I have learned from staff and students through the meetings and numerous interactions.
As Provost, I am responsible for ensuring that you get the best possible education that leads to a rewarding career after you graduate. It is my responsibility to entrench a commitment to the well-being of the communities we serve; an aspiration for excellence in teaching and research; and a distinctive sense of social responsibility in all that we do. I will be a tireless ambassador for you and all the people in our community and across Nigeria who want the same chance as I had to transform their lives through education.
We live in interesting times with higher educational sector and economy under stress. A world facing ever greater challenges including deepening climate crisis, persistent inequalities, and societal and technological changes which all demand innovative responses from College like ours. What does these circumstances mean to our College? How should we write the next chapter of the College remarkable history? How do we ensure we are making choices that will lead to a better society? We will have a chance to address some of these questions together over the next five years. Your opinions matter to me and I will be making every effort to meet with as many of you as I can to make sure you have the chance to share your ideas.
Thank you all for everything you do to make the FCCO such a special place.
Best of wishes
Jude Ejikeme Obidiegwu (PhD)
Provost/CEO
Provost’s Brief
