COOU Inaugurates Parents Forum, Appoints Sir Chris Chikwelu Interim Chairman to Strengthen Stakeholder Engagement

The Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) has formally inaugurated its Parents Forum and appointed Sir Chris Chikwelu as Interim Chairman, alongside seven other members, in a move aimed at strengthening collaboration between the institution and parents in student development and welfare.

The Parents Forum meeting was held on Tuesday, 9 June 2026, at the ETF Auditorium, Igbariam Campus of the university.

The initiative, introduced under the administration of Professor Kate Azuka Omenugha, is designed to reinforce the role of parents as active partners in the training, monitoring, and overall development of students, aligning home influence with institutional academic goals.

INTERIM LEADERSHIP COMPOSITION

The newly inaugurated interim committee includes:

• Sir Chris Chikwelu – Interim Chairman
• Dr Chinasa Iloabueke – Vice Chairman
• Prof A. C. Nweke – Member
• Mrs Ojukwu Kate – Member
• N. Dr Mrs Ifeoma Nwafor – Member
• Engr Obiora Manafa – Member
• Dr Ilechukwu – Member
• Mr Chinoso Adde – Member

The committee is tasked with providing leadership for the forum and serving as the official coordination and communication channel between parents and the university management.

According to the university, the Parents Forum is intended to become a structured and permanent component of the institution’s calendar rather than a one-off engagement platform.

Speaking during the inauguration, Vice-Chancellor Professor Kate Azuka Omenugha, fnipr, emphasized the importance of parent participation in addressing student welfare and reinforcing academic discipline.

The meeting also provided a platform for the university management to address concerns around misinformation, insecurity narratives, and other misconceptions, while reaffirming ongoing progress and institutional stability within COOU.

At the end of deliberations, a communique was issued outlining resolutions to formally integrate the Parents Forum into the university’s governance engagement structure.

The university described the development as a strategic step toward improving transparency, trust, and shared responsibility in student development, stressing that stakeholder collaboration remains central to its long-term academic vision.

The management reaffirmed its commitment to sustained engagement with parents, describing the initiative as a structured partnership aimed at strengthening discipline, academic performance, and institutional growth.