THIS week, we have the privilege to present to you, the Vice Chancellor of Southern Delta University, Ozoro, Prof Jacob Snapps Oboreh as our personality on The Platform. In this interview, he speaks on a number of issues as they concern the University, ranging from it’s take off, the initial challenges, growth in it’s infrastructure, academic programmes, the State Government support, it’s breakthroughs in scientific and engineering research, and many more. Excerpts.
Looking back, shall we consider an overview on the creation of University of Science and Technology, Ozoro, now Southern Delta University, Ozoro?
As you are aware, this is a new university established by the Delta State Government in February 2021. The Okowa-led administration considered it both necessary and strategic, given that the only university owned and run by the Delta State Government at the time was Delta State University, Abraka. Although there were private universities in the state and later Admiralty University came on board, the only state-funded University remained Delta State University, Abraka.
The administration recognised that this was grossly inadequate for a state like Delta, which places a high premium on education. When you examine the statistics of applicants seeking admission into Delta State University, Abraka, it becomes clear that the institution could not meet the demand. Each year, between 30,000 and 40,000 students applied, yet the carrying capacity at the time was only about 5,000 to 6,000. This meant that thousands of qualified applicants, both indigenes and other Nigerians, were left without placement.
In response, the government decided to establish more universities in Delta State. Three new universities were created in February 2021: Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba, University of Delta, Agbor, and Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro.
However, as of today, the name of this institution has been changed to Southern Delta University. There were clear reasons for this decision. As a University of Science and Technology, it was a specialised institution, which limited the range of programmes that could be offered. Programmes such as Sociology, Psychology, Economics, History, and particularly Law, were impossible to run under that structure. It was, therefore, considered more practical to change the name. In their wisdom, the Senate moved a motion to the Council, which was forwarded to the Governor, and an Executive Bill was sent to the House for amendment. Thus, today we have Southern Delta University, Ozoro.
What were the academic programmes that the University took off with?
At inception, the university commenced academic programmes in October 2021 with 45 programmes across six faculties: the Faculty of Administration and Management, Faculty of Agriculture, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Computing, and Faculty of Engineering.
Of course, nothing remains static. The beauty of progress lies in change. We began expanding the university, particularly with the creation of the Orerokpe campus, one of the most beautiful campuses one can imagine in this country. I have never seen a university campus as beautiful; as far as Nigeria is concerned, it is the best. I must commend His Excellency for this remarkable achievement.
At the Orerokpe campus, the university established the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Arts, and the Faculty of Social Sciences. As of today, 24 programmes run at the Orerokpe campus, with a student population of approximately 4,400. The campus functions almost as a standalone university, given its facilities and student numbers. There are many universities in this country that do not even have 2,000 students. Yet here, one campus accommodates over 4,300 students. This demonstrates the value Delta State places on education; education is taken seriously here, and every effort is made to encourage students to pursue it.
I, therefore, thank His Excellency for establishing this campus, which has created broader avenues for Deltans and other Nigerians to access higher education. It is a significant milestone.
And what is the situation like today in the University as it relates to expansion of academic programmes?
. As of today, the university offers 89 programmes. Out of these, 24 are at the Orerokpe campus, leaving 65 programmes at the main campus. The university continues to expand academically, in infrastructure, research and development, staff training, and in ensuring quality education for our students.
I will not cease to thank His Excellency for granting the university operational autonomy. Every month, the government releases subventions for salaries. We are not on a centralised payroll system, but we manage and pay our staff directly. This is contrary to what happens in some other states.
Furthermore, the university has full authority to recruit qualified academic staff. As a result, we have many professors and PhD holders drawn from across the country. Recruitment is strictly merit-based.
For instance, if there is a vacancy in Urban and Regional Planning and a qualified candidate, whether Yoruba, Igbo, or otherwise, is available, we appoint them. It would be counterproductive to wait for a Deltan who is unavailable. The same applies to Quantity Surveying, Estate Management, Architecture, and other fields. If an Igbo or Yoruba PhD in Architecture meets the criteria, we appoint them, irrespective of origin.
Delta State operates inclusively, and this is what distinguishes us from other states, where recruitment is often restricted by origin.
Because we recruit people from all parts of the country, it makes us a hybrid system where individuals from different backgrounds come together to work. In that process, civilisation from different societies and varying levels of exposure converge here, and the resulting improvement is immeasurable.
However, once you localise a university to a particular tribe, it ceases to be a university. We must not forget the meaning of “university”. The word is derived from “universal”; it is a place where people from different cultures must coexist.
As I speak to you, I believe the Dean of Engineering is a Yoruba Professor, Professor Tunde Adepoju. The Dean of the Faculty of Computing is from the East, from Imo State. So, we are spread across the country. We do not discriminate against anyone. Universities are for all of us.
Realizing that a University is supposed to be a research centre, what has Southern Delta University done in this area?
We have made significant progress in research. We have conducted groundbreaking research here. As a university, we have also made several deliberate efforts to structure our physical development and environment to reflect what a proper university should be.
And how much has the University benefitted from TETFund in this area?
From inception, the university took it upon itself as a responsibility, regardless of whether we were beneficiaries of TETFund or not. You all know that TETFund is a major government agency that intervenes in infrastructural development in tertiary institutions. However, we are not part of TETFund. For the past five years, TETFund has not given us even five naira.
I will explain that in due course. Even though we are not beneficiaries, we took it as a challenge. You know, it is often in the face of difficulty that people find ways to overcome challenges.
Despite not being part of TETFund, what we have achieved in this university surpasses even what some institutions benefiting from TETFund have been able to accomplish. What we have done in this university over the past five years is far more than what many institutions across the country have achieved, even those funded through TETFund. I am not speaking based on figures alone, but on visible results.
Using our internal mechanisms, limited Internally Generated Revenue, and support from external donors, not TETFund, and not the Federal Government, because they have not given us anything, we have delivered results that speak for themselves.
Shall we consider the infrastructural development of the University since inception?
In terms of faculty construction, we built three major faculties, in fact, four. The Faculty of Science Laboratory Complex alone houses eight fully equipped laboratories; it is simply remarkable.
The Faculty of Computing has two large lecture halls and 126 staff offices. There is another building of the same size further down, identical in scale. That one houses the Faculty of Science. Both buildings were constructed simultaneously.
We also built principal officers’ quarters, seven duplexes. Then there are the internal roads; we have covered approximately four kilometres.
The Engineering Complex comprises 10 workshops. The Faculty of Environmental Sciences has 12 workshops and studios.
Then there is our large auditorium, a 1,200-seat capacity facility. That project was initiated during the administration of Governor James Ibori but was abandoned. You can see a similar abandoned project in Ogwashi-Uku, which has not even been roofed.
What did we do? I wrote to our immediate past governor, Sen (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, informing him that government funds were being wasted. I requested that the contractor’s job be terminated so we could complete the project using our limited internal resources. Approval was granted, the contract was terminated, and we gradually completed the auditorium. Today, it is fully furnished and serving its intended purpose.
There was also an abandoned NDDC ICT Centre project, about six halls, which had been left incomplete. I traced the contractor, found him, and made an appeal to him, urging him to consider this as his personal contribution. He responded that he had already been paid. The project started in 2012 at this university and was subsequently abandoned. I would not even call it a proper technique; the man worked from 2012 to early 2013 and then left the site. We could not simply allow such projects to litter the campus. We paid him off and completed the work ourselves. The facility has since been equipped with 750 computers and its own standalone power plant, functioning fully as an ICT centre.
When it comes to physical development and infrastructure, I honestly believe no university in the country can boast of doing more within such a short period of five years. Even those institutions that pride themselves on being federal universities cannot match this achievement. So the question arises: if others cannot do it, how have we managed? What is our model? That model is unique to us; it is not a public blueprint.
All our programmes, all 89 of them, are approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and fully accredited, except for the 18 recently introduced programmes. These 18 will undergo accreditation in October–November this year, and I have no doubt they will successfully meet the required standards.
The university has been well established; there is no question about it. We have worked earnestly, believing that we are laying a foundation for the young generations. The infrastructure we establish today will be inherited by future students.
I consider the university my inheritance, as the children of my friends, my brothers, and sisters will come here to study. Even when I am gone, they will benefit from the legacy we leave behind. My grandchildren, too, will attend and inherit what has been built. This mindset is essential for national development.
In Nigeria, many act only in self-interest, focusing solely on personal gain. In contrast, we must think of the next generation. In the UK, London, and the United States, for example, the creators of underground rail systems are long gone, yet their work benefits countless generations. We must similarly create facilities for young people to inherit, prioritising the unborn over immediate self-interest.
You’ve served as head of academic institutions under three governors in Delta State. What does that portend to you?
No one can truly appraise himself; appraisal must come from others. I have been exceptionally fortunate to serve under three governors. Under my tenure as Rector, I served Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan; later, under Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, as Vice-Chancellor, I’ve continued to deliver, and now under Governor Sheriff Oborevwori. None of the three governors under whom I have served has found my performance wanting.
The first time Governor Uduaghan came here, I had been able to conduct two convocations. The first was the inaugural convocation in the defunct Delta State Polytechnic; none of my predecessors had managed to organise one. The then Governor said this rector is a developer. You can verify this online; it is on record.
When Governor Okowa presided over the second convocation, he remarked, “Here is a Rector in whom I am pleased; he thinks big and goes after dreams.” More recently, our current governor commended our achievements, stating, “We know you. We trust you. We know your capability. You have done so well. Others should emulate.” Ironically, those who tried to emulate us became a challenge.
Ladies and gentlemen, I can confidently state that my administration, alongside my management team, the Deputy Vice-Chancellors, the Registrar, the Bursar, the Librarian, and all university staff, have worked together to establish this university in line with the vision of His Excellency. I must also express my gratitude to the governor, who has consistently responded positively to our requests. During the convocation, he approved all requests, for which we are truly thankful.
Could you shed more light on the ground-breaking research you said has distinguished Southern Delta University over the past five years?.
Research at SDU is ongoing. As a relatively new university, our first set of Engineering students are only in their 500-level; none has yet graduated. Nevertheless, in the field of power, we have developed a model that converts waste into energy, led by the Department of Chemical Engineering.
During our recent exhibition week, held just before the convocation, our students showcased the construction of smart homes. These homes are equipped with sensors that detect an approaching person, recognising their skin tone and other characteristics, and automatically open the door. Furthermore, the system allows residents to interact with their homes remotely via mobile phone, even from abroad.
In the Faculty of Biotechnology, we have developed a device known as the osmosis revision system. This technology can regenerate plants: a product planted today may show results within two weeks. While I have expressed caution regarding its chemical composition for human consumption, this research demonstrates the forward trajectory of scientific innovation.
In road construction, we used the interlocking road system. When visitors see the type of roads we have here, they often ask why they deviate from standard asphalt roads. They do not understand that the interlocking system, while relatively costly, is exceptionally durable. If well designed and properly engineered, it outperforms conventional methods.
The interlocking stones we use on our roads are very different from the stones people use in their compounds. Those are simply pieces of sand and dust. Our stones, however, are the product of rigorous research and can withstand at least 30 years of use, even under the heaviest lorries and trucks. If you examine the roads we laid down, you will not find a single cracked stone.
What have been the major achievements and challenges you have faced?
Challenges are part of management, and overcoming them is how management excels. Funding has always been a challenge. To overcome it, we are prudent, avoid waste, and seek other sources of funding. Every university is part of a community or tribal environment. In our case, within Delta State, we leverage support from local communities. For example, someone donated N1 billion to our university from the locality.
We also faced challenges with student hostels, but by the grace of God, we now have hostels, and His Excellency has promised to build more. Power is another major challenge. This has led our Electrical Engineering Department to develop a model for generating our own electricity. They are working on it seriously.
Other challenges are typical in every institution, such as managing student behaviour. They need to be properly guided so that they do not engage in acts that could bring disrepute to our university. We do not tolerate cult cases at all; just the mere hearing of those involved in such behaviour leads to immediate expulsion. We have no tolerance for it. There is no issue of cultism here because we have been vigilant. I recall one instance when we heard of a boy staying in the hostel claiming to be involved in such activities. I investigated him; he admitted it, and he was expelled immediately. Even when his parents came pleading on his behalf, we did not listen.
What about the issue of internet fraudsters (Yahoo Boy)?
The management of Yahoo boys is particularly challenging, but we have been able to handle them. For example, as you enter the university on the right-hand side, there is an oil palm plantation under which there is a garage serving as the student car park. Students must park their cars there before proceeding to their lecture venues. If a student is found driving or parking on the street, they are in serious trouble. The tyres are deflated, the car is towed to the police station, and the student is referred to the Student Disciplinary Committee. Our rules are strict and non-negotiable. While on campus, students must remember that they are here to study, they are not car owners or ‘big men’. Even dressing inappropriately, sporting dreadlocks, or having tattoos is not tolerated. We train students to be responsible, not reckless.
