Prof. Augustine Ikelegbe, the Vice-Chancellor of the Western Delta
University, Oghara, has said that WDU is a brand that is reaching for
the skies and is recreating the idea of a university in Nigeria.
Briefing the media ahead of the 11th -13th combined
convocation ceremony Friday at the main WDU main campus, Oghara,
Ethiope West LGA, Delta state, Ikelegbe said: “We are a proud player
in the private university system which is leading the trail in quality
education, the application of audio-visual learning facilities, the
application of ICT and digital technology in Nigeria today. With
smaller enrolments and better facilities, emphasis on discipline and
character, strict rules of student conduct and behaviour, and
stability of university calendar, private universities are attracting
more attention today in the quest for quality tertiary education in
Nigeria”.

Beating his chest, he announced with pride that lack of accreditation
woes, bedeviling many private universities, is alien to WDU. He said:
“We are up-to date in the accreditation of our academic programmes,
and we have full accreditation in all our programmes, with one
exception that is an interim-accreditation. We have been successful in
the new programmes that we have put up for verification by the
National Universities Commission (NUC) and have been granted approval
to mount them”.

Though less than 20 years old, he said that WDU has “significantly
expanded academic colleges from three to six, expanded degree
programmes and expanded enrolment. The University started Postgraduate
Programmes in the College of Social and Management Sciences in the
2021/ 2022 academic session and at this convocation, the first set of
Postgraduate graduands, four in postgraduate Diplomas and 14 in Master
of Science, will receive higher degrees. He said WDU will extend
Postgraduate programmes to the Colleges of Natural and Applied
Sciences, Computing and Law after the National Universities
Commission’s verification exercises in 2024.

426 students will receive first degrees at this convocation; with 18
earning First Class, 147 in the Second Class Upper, 218 in the second
Class Lower and 43 in the Third Class categories.

Thanking the WDU Visitor, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, for his
dependable support and provision of needed facilities, Prof Ikelegbe
said “The University has developed a Center for Learning Resources
comprising the Main Library and e-Library in the Main Campus, and
libraries for the College of Law at Ijomi Campus, the College of
Applied Health Sciences at the Take-Off Campus and the College of
Computing in the Main Campus. In 2022, we acquired a total of 1,605
volumes, in addition to downloading E-Books, and Journals. As at
August 2023, the University had a total of 18,885 volumes of books and
1,055 titles of Journals.

We are currently deploying the KOFA student Management System
application, which is deployed by many large Universities, for
academic record, result processing, accommodation and library access.
We have also upgraded our network infrastructure through bandwidth
enhancement and stronger network infrastructure. Leveraging on the
microwave technology, we have successfully linked the Ijomi Campus to
the network infrastructure in the Main Campus. In addition, the
university website has been extensively improved in terms of improved
site navigation, accessibility, user traffic and content, and online
relevance.

We have established more laboratories in the Colleges of Computing,
and Applied Health Sciences and we are equipping them. We have
introduced audio-visual teaching aids, and extended WiFi coverage. We
are progressively equipping academic and administrative units with
computers and office equipments.

We have made remarkable progress in infrastructure, facility and
social service development. At the 15th Founder’s Day on 29th April,
2023, we commissioned the university clinic, cafeteria, lawn tennis
court and central main signage. We have completed the College of
Computing, constructed the Back-Gate house, established the University
Clinic and Guest House, re-modelled the main library, undertaken
extensive rehabilitations, installed billboards, upgraded most all our
facilities and undertaken an extensive landscaping and beautification
programme in the Main Campus. The main Campus is now well lit through
the installation of 228 units of solar street light. Most of all, he
said every WDU student resides on campus in fully fitted official
university hostels.

He explained that WDU has already started building international
collaborations that will set it apart from other Nigerian
universities: “We are building collaborations and partnerships in
order to enhance our internationalization and integration into the
global tertiary education sector, in order to create international
opportunities for staff, institutional networks in research and
exchange programmes, as well as partnerships in research and
conferences. We are in collaboration with Noida International
University in India while we are still processing the memorandum of
understanding with Girne American University in Cyprus. Western Delta
University is quietly but firmly blazing the trail. We are building a
unique university through effective branding, epitomized by a
university dress code, student mentorship programme, effective
guidance and counseling, post-graduation competence training, strong
quality assurance system and effective orientation for character,
discipline, moral and mental strength, human dignity and principles.
We have established new Directorates to drive academic governance and
growth. Academic Institutes are now being established to drive
research, conduct of non-degree programmes and greater academic and
technical services and relevance to our region”.

On staff welfare, he said “Our lecturers have been excelling in the
achievement of doctoral degrees, and fellowships, as well as
attendance at conferences. Our staff are being paid their salaries
promptly and we are achieving regularity in promotion exercises. Our
staff has been patient, hardworking, resilient, committed and
courageous”.

He said: “We have made remarkable progress in infrastructure, facility
and social service development. We commissioned the university clinic,
cafeteria, lawn -tennis court and central main signage, completed the
College of Computing, established the University Clinic and Guest
House, re-modelled the main library, undertaken extensive
rehabilitations, upgraded almost all of our facilities and undertaken
an extensive landscaping and beautification programme in the Main
Campus, now well-lit through the installation of 228 units of solar
street light”.

“For the first time, after 15 years of operations and service, WDU
will confer honorary degrees on deserving personalities; the Emir of
Zazzau, Amb. Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, CFR, Amb. Kim Young Chae, Republic of
Korea’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. (Mrs.) Ajoritsedere Awosika, MFR
mni; a retired Permanent Secretary and uncommon entrepreneurs, Mr.
Oritsedere Otubu, Chairman of Eko Disco and Mr. Igho Okotete; Chairman
of Pioneer Global Resource and Integrated Energy Limited”.

In commencing the award of honorary doctorate degrees, we are building
a new layer and network of friendship, stakeholder-ship, partnership
and mutual support, which would strengthen our resolve and strides for
greater development and contributions, Prof Ikelegbe explained.