FUET Management Strengthens Ties with Gokana Council of Traditional Rulers

The management of the Federal University of Environment and Technology (FUET), Koroma/Saakpenwa, in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State, has paid a courtesy visit to the Gokana Council of Traditional Rulers, elites, and stakeholders in academics.

Leading the delegation, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Prince Chinedu Mmom, JP, DSSRS, expressed deep appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for signing the bill establishing the university on February 3, 2025. He described the establishment of FUET as a significant step toward the Federal Government’s commitment to the development of the Ogoni people.

Professor Mmom recalled that the Governing Council and Principal Officers of the institution were inaugurated on August 11, 2025, by the Honourable Minister of Education, with Professor Don Baridam, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, serving as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council.

“As the pioneer Vice-Chancellor of this great institution, I am deeply grateful to God for this privilege,” he said. “We are excited by the warm reception we have received here in Gokana. The turnout reflects how much the people value education.”

He noted that despite being inaugurated only a few months ago, the management of FUET has made impressive progress, having already commenced its first round of admissions—one of the fastest developments recorded among newly established universities in Nigeria.

“We applied for seven faculties and seventy-six (76) academic programmes, and I am glad to report that six faculties have already been approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC),” Professor Mmom stated.

The approved faculties include:

• Faculty of Agriculture
• Faculty of Allied Sciences
• Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences
• Faculty of Environmental Sciences
• Faculty of Engineering and Technology
• Faculty of Management Technology

According to the Vice-Chancellor, admission is open to candidates who scored 150 and above in the UTME but are yet to secure placement elsewhere, with over 500 applicants already applying through change of institution. He also revealed plans to attract investors and global research partners to establish research centres and institutes within the university.

On recruitment, Professor Mmom clarified that the process has not yet started but assured that merit and competence would remain the guiding principles in staff selection. He, however, emphasized that qualified indigenes of Ogoni would also be considered to promote inclusion and local participation.

In his welcome address, His Royal Majesty, King Festus Babari Paago Bagia, JP, AMBP, Gberesaako XIII, Gberemene of Gokana Kingdom and President of the Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers, welcomed the FUET management team warmly to his palace.

“On behalf of the Gokana Kingdom, we are delighted to host the management of the Federal University of Environment and Technology. Your visit underscores the spirit of collaboration and mutual progress between our people and your institution,” he said.

The monarch reflected on the long history of environmental challenges faced by the Ogoni people, noting that the establishment of FUET represents a long-awaited answer to their decades of advocacy for development and justice.

King Bagia appealed for the establishment of a Gokana campus of the university and suggested Government Secondary School, Kpor, as a suitable location due to its existing infrastructure. He also called for priority consideration of Gokana indigenes in admissions, employment, and contract opportunities to ensure inclusivity and community ownership.

“As a people, we pledge our full support to ensure that the Federal University of Environment and Technology thrives and fulfills its vision,” he added.

Speaking on behalf of the Gokana academic community, Professor Ben Naanen of the University of Port Harcourt commended the FUET management for its early strides in building a strong institutional foundation. He urged the Vice-Chancellor to balance merit with local inclusion, stressing that while excellence must not be compromised, fairness should guide engagement with the host communities.

“Gokana has paid the highest price in the struggle for environmental justice in Ogoni,” Professor Naanen said. “It is only fair that the people who bore the brunt of that struggle benefit from this institution’s growth and opportunities.”

He pledged the continued support of Gokana academics to FUET’s vision and assured collaboration in research and institutional development.

The highlight of the visit was the conferment of a traditional title — Mene Pop Torkpa I of Gokana Kingdom — on Professor Prince Chinedu Mmom in recognition of his leadership, humility, and commitment to advancing education in Ogoniland.