DELSU Names 42-Year-Old Professor Hilary Owamah as Deputy Vice-Chancellor

Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, has appointed 42-year-old Professor Hilary Owamah, its youngest and only professor of civil engineering, as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), effective March 11, 2025.

The Senate of Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, has appointed its youngest professor, Hilary Owamah, as the institution’s new Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic).

Professor Owamah, DELSU’s sole professor of civil engineering and current Director of Academic Planning, achieved the rank of professor in October 2022 at the age of 40.

His appointment was confirmed following a nomination by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Samuel Asagba, during a Special Senate meeting held on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, according to official records.

Owamah will officially assume office on March 11, 2025, succeeding the outgoing Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Ochuko Anomohanran, pending approval from the university’s Governing Council.

In his acceptance remarks, Owamah expressed his appreciation to the Senate, stating, “I sincerely appreciate the Vice-Chancellor for finding me worthy of this enviable position of service. I also deeply thank you all for the unwavering support and kindness shown to me since I joined the University.”

Born on August 27, 1982, in Ibusa, Delta State, Owamah completed his primary education at Umejei Primary School (1987–1993) and secondary education at St. Thomas’ College (1993–1999). He earned his B.Eng. from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri in 2006, an M.Eng. from the University of Port Harcourt in 2011, and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Benin in 2016.

Before joining DELSU in 2016 as a Senior Lecturer, Owamah taught at Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State. Since his arrival at DELSU, he has held several key administrative roles, including Head of the Department of Civil Engineering (2017–2020), Deputy Director of Intensive and Part-Time Programmes (2020–2022), and Director of Academic Planning (2022–2025).

During his tenure as Director of Academic Planning, DELSU achieved full accreditation from the National Universities Commission (NUC) for all 92 of its academic programmes—a first in the university’s history. He also oversaw the introduction of 15 new academic programmes.

Widely respected for his dynamic leadership and administrative expertise, Owamah has participated in numerous national and international conferences and is a sought-after public speaker. He has published over 60 scientific papers in top-tier, Scopus-indexed journals and was recognized as DELSU’s second-best researcher in 2024.

A Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, the Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers, and the Nigerian Institution of Environmental Engineers, Owamah currently serves as Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Asaba Branch. In addition to his academic roles, he consults for several prominent engineering and energy firms and has been a licensed professional engineer for over a decade.

Professor Owamah is married to Victoria Owamah, and they are blessed with children.

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SOURCES: ALLSCHOOL, VANGUARD