By Rita Mokobia.
WARRI/Nigeria: Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, on Friday made another bold statement in the state’s education sector with the appointment of Dr. (Mrs.) Fidelia Chukwudumebi Ighrakpata as the first female Provost of the Delta State College of Education, Warri.
Beyond shattering a long-standing gender barrier in the institution, the Governor’s decision has also revived a remarkable family legacy deeply rooted in the history of the college.
Dr. Ighrakpata, daughter of the late Prof. Alfred Chukwudi Unomah, becomes Provost nearly 24 years after her father served as the institution’s third substantive Provost between 1995 and 2002 — a rare father-daughter transition that has stirred excitement within academic and political circles across Delta State.
The appointment is being widely celebrated as one of the most symbolic leadership decisions under Governor Oborevwori’s administration, reflecting his growing commitment to merit, competence, inclusiveness and institutional continuity in the management of tertiary education in the state.
For many stakeholders, the Governor’s choice sends a powerful message that excellence, experience and dedication remain central to appointments under his administration.
By appointing the institution’s first female Provost from within its academic system, observers say Oborevwori has not only rewarded years of service and professionalism but also strengthened confidence in the promotion of women into strategic leadership positions.
Dr. Ighrakpata’s emergence did not come by chance;a seasoned academic,administrator and renowned physicist, she has spent more than two decades building an impressive career at the College of Education, Warri.
She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Physics obtained from the University of Benin in 1993 and later earned a Master’s degree in Exploration Geophysics from the same institution in 1998.
In pursuit of educational advancement and academic development, she proceeded to obtain a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from Delta State University in 2005 before earning a Ph.D in Physics/Geophysics from Ambrose Alli University in 2015.
Born into the family of the late Prof. and Mrs. Alfred Unomah of Igbodo in Ika North-East Local Government Area of Delta State, Dr. Ighrakpata joined the College of Education, Warri, in 2001 as Lecturer III in the Department of Physics and steadily rose through the ranks to become Chief Lecturer in 2016.
Throughout her years in the institution, she distinguished herself in both academics and administration, serving in several strategic capacities, including Head of the Department of Physics and Deputy Provost.
She also made history as the first female Director of the institution’s Management Information Systems (MIS), a development many now see as an early sign of her trailblazing leadership journey.
Beyond campus administration, Dr. Ighrakpata has built a strong reputation in scholarly research and educational development.
She has authored and co-authored numerous academic publications featured in reputable local and international journals and has participated actively in accreditation exercises organised by the National Commission for Colleges of Education.
Stakeholders within the institution say Governor Oborevwori’s decision to appoint her reflects confidence in her institutional knowledge, leadership experience and capacity to drive reforms capable of repositioning the college for greater academic relevance.
The appointment has since generated widespread commendation from education stakeholders, women groups and members of the academic community, many of whom describe it as a defining moment in the history of the institution.
Yet beyond the headlines and celebrations lies a deeper narrative — one that connects leadership, legacy and destiny.
In elevating Dr. Fidelia Ighrakpata to the office once occupied by her late father, Governor Oborevwori did more than fill a vacant position; he reopened a historic chapter in the life of the institution and handed a new generation the responsibility to continue a legacy of service.
And in the corridors of the College of Education, Warri, where memories of Prof. Alfred Unomah still linger, a new story has now begun — one written by a daughter, but enabled by a Governor determined to leave his own mark on the future of education in Delta State.
