The Management of the Federal University of Environment and Technology (FUET), Koroma/Saakpenwa, in Tai Local Government Area, Ogoni, Rivers State, has paid a courtesy visit to the Gokana Council of Traditional Rulers, Elites, and Selected Stake holders of Gokana in Academics.
Leading the delegation, the Vice-Chancellor of FUET, Professor Prince Chinedu Mmom, JP, DSSRS, expressed profound appreciation to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Sen. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for assenting to the bill establishing the university on February 3, 2025. He described the establishment of the institution as a clear demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to the development of the Ogoni people.
Professor Mmom recalled that the Governing Council and Principal Officers of the university 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, appointed as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, alongside other distinguished members.
“As the pioneer Vice-Chancellor of this great institution, I am deeply grateful to God for this privilege. We are here to give honour to whom honour is due,” he stated.
“We are very excited by the warm reception we have received today. The turnout here in Gokana shows how deeply the people value education.”
He noted that despite being inaugurated just over two months ago, the management of FUET has already “hit the ground running.”
According to him, the university has commenced its first round of admissions, making it one of the fastest-developing new institutions in Nigeria.
“We applied for seven faculties and seventy-six (76) academic programmes. I am glad to report that six faculties have been approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC), namely: the Faculty of Agriculture, Faculty of Allied Sciences, Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, and Faculty of Management Technology,” Professor Mmom announced.
He further stated that admission opportunities are open to candidates who scored 150 and above in JAMB but are yet to secure placement, noting that over 500 applicants have already applied through a change of institution.
He also revealed ongoing efforts to leverage his global academic network to attract investors and partners toward establishing research centres and institutes within the university.
Speaking on recruitment, the Vice-Chancellor clarified that the process has not yet begun, but assured that “merit and quality will be our watchword as we recruit pioneer staff to build a solid foundation for the university.”
He, however, emphasized that local content will also be considered, particularly qualified sons and daughters of Ogoni who possess the necessary capacities to contribute to the institution’s growth.
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, warmly welcomed the FUET management team 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 today underscores the spirit of collaboration and mutual progress between our people and your esteemed institution,” the monarch stated.
He reflected on the historical struggles of the Ogoni people, emphasizing that despite being the source of Nigeria’s early oil wealth, Gokana had long suffered environmental degradation and neglect.
“The establishment of FUET is, therefore, a direct answer to our decades-long outcry,” the Gberemene said, while commending President Tinubu for his foresight and commitment to the Ogoni cause.
King Bagia appealed for the establishment of a Gokana Campus of the university and recommended Government Secondary School, Kpor, as a suitable location with existing infrastructure to support academic activities.
He also requested that Gokana indigenes be given priority in admissions, employment (academic and non-academic), and contract opportunities, stressing that such inclusion would foster a sense of belonging and ownership.
“As a people, we pledge our full support and cooperation to ensure that the Federal University of Environment and Technology thrives and fulfills its vision,” the Gberemene concluded.
Speaking on behalf of Gokana Academics, Prof. Ben Naanen of the University of Port Harcourt thanked the Vice-Chancellor and his management team for the visit and for their early strides in positioning the new institution for success.
He urged the Vice-Chancellor to strike a balance between merit and local content, stressing that while excellence must not be compromised, consideration should be given to qualified Gokana indigenes, given the community’s enormous sacrifices and the severe environmental degradation it has endured over the years.
According to Prof. Naanen, “Gokana has paid the greatest price in the struggle for environmental justice in Ogoni.
Many of our elites and leaders have made sacrifices for this cause, and 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 the Gokana academic community to the university, assuring the Vice-Chancellor that they would partner with the management to ensure the institution’s vision is fully realized. Highlight of the visit was the conferment of a traditional title — Mene Pop Torkpa I of Gokana Kingdom — on the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Prince Chinedu Mmom, in recognition of his outstanding leadership, humility, and commitment to educational development in Ogoniland.
