BY IFEANYI UWAGWU
DELTA State Commissioner for Higher Education, Professor Nyerhovwo Tonukari, has received the prestigious Research Excellence Award for achieving the highest publication citations among lecturers at Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka. The award was presented by the outgoing Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Andy Egwunyenga, during the university’s congregation and senate meetings ceremony marking the end of his five-year tenure.
Professor Tonukari, a Professor of Biochemistry with a focus on Biotechnology, was among the top twenty lecturers recognised for their significant publication citations. His research has played a pivotal role in elevating DELSU’s status, contributing to its ranking as the best state university in the South-South and South-East regions.
The outgoing Vice-Chancellor used the occasion to express deep gratitude to the university community for their unwavering support throughout his administration. Speaking during his final Congregation and Senate meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, he highlighted the collaborative spirit of staff and students that enabled the uninterrupted academic calendar and the university’s numerous achievements during his tenure.
Addressing the Congregation, the outgoing Vice-Chancellor acknowledged the constructive engagements of workers’ and students’ unions, which he credited with helping to resolve issues efficiently. He noted that his administration prioritised staff and student welfare, implementing measures such as tuition rebates for staff studying at the university, prompt promotion resolutions, the expansion of the Students’ Welfare Insurance Scheme, and the introduction of initiatives like the Students’ Work-Study Scheme and the Indigent Students’ Scholarship Programme.
At the 207th Senate Meeting, Professor Egwunyenga lauded the Senate for its significant contributions to academic excellence. Among the achievements he highlighted were the introduction of over thirteen new academic programmes, the restructuring of Mass Communication in line with global standards, the expansion of admission quotas for Medicine and Nursing programmes, and the establishment of the Valedictory Lecture Series and Emeritus Professor appointments.
Prof Egwuyenga commended DELSU lecturers for their impactful research and publications, which played a pivotal role in the university’s improved rankings. Under his leadership, the university was recognised as the third-best state university in Nigeria and the 18th-best among the nation’s 284 universities and research institutes.
The Vice-Chancellor urged the university community to extend the same level of support to his successor, Professor Sam Asagba, emphasising the importance of continuity for the institution’s growth. “If you support me and do not support the new VC, then I would have failed,” he remarked.
Alongside Prof Tonukari, other notable awardees included Professor Maxwell Iwegbue, Director of the University Advanced Research Centre; Professor Hillary Ijeoma Owamah, Director of Academic Planning; and Dr Cynthia Ojianwuna, Head of the Department of Animal and Environmental Biology.
