Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt, has rescheduled its 44th convocation ceremony for Friday, May 8 and Saturday, May 9, 2026, with 35 academic staff elevated to the rank of professors and 41 others promoted to associate professors (readers).
The new dates, approved by the Rivers State Governor and Visitor to the university, Siminalayi Fubara, were announced by the Chairman of Senate, Prof. Okechukwu Onuchuku, during an emergency Senate meeting held on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at the institution’s Postgraduate Hall.
According to the breakdown of events, the first day will feature the award of first degrees and prizes, while the second day will be dedicated to the conferment of postgraduate degrees.
Onuchuku also disclosed that the promotions were ratified by the university’s governing council, describing the development as a significant boost to the institution’s academic capacity and leadership.
A breakdown shows that the newly promoted professors cut across faculties, including Administration and Management Sciences, Agriculture, Education, Humanities, Natural and Applied Sciences, Social Sciences, and Vocational and Technical Education.
Among those elevated are Prof. Ikechi Prince Obinna and Prof. Chukwu Godswill Chinedu in Consumer Behaviour and Sustainability Marketing; Prof. Joy A. Mekuri-Ndimele in Human Resource and Office Information Management; and Prof. Dumo Nkesi Opara in Human Resource Management and Organisational Behaviour.
Others include Prof. Eunice Ngozi Ajie (Agricultural Economics), Prof. Emmanuel Okwu (Library and Information Science), Prof. Grace Hart Lawrence (African Religion and Cultural Heritage), and Prof. Constance Izuchukwu Amanah (Algorithms and Software Engineering).
Also on the list are scholars in Science Education, Mathematics Education, Applied Geophysics, Development Economics, Political Theory, Sociology, and Industrial Technical Education, reflecting a broad spread across disciplines.
Similarly, 41 academics were promoted to the rank of reader, spanning fields such as Financial Accounting, Educational Technology, English Language, Fine and Applied Arts, Public Health, Applied Mathematics, Development Studies, and Technical Education.
The Senate chairman congratulated the beneficiaries and urged them to provide strong academic leadership, mentor younger colleagues, and uphold standards that would enable qualified staff to advance when due.
The convocation and promotions come amid ongoing efforts by the university to strengthen its academic profile, expand postgraduate training, and position itself as a leading institution in teacher education and research in Nigeria.
