Oguegbu UdokaEvery generation or epoch has rare and extraordinary personalities that change the course of human history which no one has ever done. Engr. Dr. Francisca Unoma Nwafulugo. FNSE is one of the 21st century celebrities exquisitely selected to change the face of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko.
She rose above conventional gender constraints and emerged the first woman Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Oko. Dr. Nwafulugo further defeated every human limitations, stood her ground like a colossus in the face of giants across the world women Chief Executives to prove her uniqueness, perspicacity and ingenuity in Administration. Appointed as the substantive first female Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State, with a letter of appointment which took effect from February 4, 2019.
Until her appointment, Engr. Nwafulugo was a Chief lecturer at the Chemical Engineering Department of Kaduna Polytechnic. She attended the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) Enugu where she obtained Higher National Diploma (HND) in 1991. She proceeded to obtain a Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) in Education (Technical) from Kaduna Polytechnic in 2010. She obtained a PGD certificate in engineering in 1999 and later, Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering (Process Analysis and Development Option) in 2002 both from Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State. Dr. Nwafulugo futher proceeded to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria where she obtained her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Chemical Engineering in 2014.
She is a member of over six professional bodies and associations including Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria (COREN), Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers (NSCHE). She also belongs to the Association of Professional Women Engineers (APWEN), Waste Management Society of Nigeria (WAMSON) and Women in Technical Education and Employment (WITED), Kaduna Polytechnic. She is presently the Matron of NSCHE, Kaduna Polytechnic Students’ Chapter as well as the Kaduna Branch Chairman of APWEN, among others.
Indeed, the true mark of a leader is the willingness to stick with a bold course of action an unconventional business strategy, a unique product-development roadmap, a controversial image making campaign even as the rest of the world wonders why one is not marching in step with the status quo. In other words, real leaders are happy to zig while others zag.#
They understand that in an era of hyper-competition and non-stop disruption, the only way to stand out from the crowd is to stand for something special. Engr. Nwafulugo’s exploits in the Federal Polytechnic, Oko has been unprecedented thus, ever since she took up the mantle of leadership in the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, a lot of positive changes have been recorded by her administration.
Engr. Nwafulugo came into office when the accreditations of almost all the programmes offered in the Polytechnic had expired. She tackled this head-on and in 2019 about 62 programmes were accredited by NBTE. Interestingly, this was followed up with the accreditation exercise of 2021 in which the Polytechnic, recorded an outstanding score sheet. This culminated in the Polytechnic having as at today, over 90% of her programmes fully accredited. Her administration has continually laboured to provide favorable environment that will bring about most favorable performance from members of staff.
The rector, within one and half year of her assumption of office, cleared large portion of arrears of earned allowances which she inherited when she came into office. The indefatigable rector has continued to gradually settle these arrears the much the financial strength of the Polytechnic can do at the moment. Certainly, this is a proof of her dedication to gratify the cravings of Staff of Federal Polytechnic, Oko who promised her their support and cooperation.
Very interesting to note that Engr. Nwafulugo had streamlined promotion processes in the Fedral Polytechnic, Oko such that promotions now come as at when due. Last year 2021, she made sure that 2022 promotion was approved by the Council and before the end of January 2022, staff involved would have started picking their letters of promotion from the registry unit. It will be pertinent also to remark that it wasn’t long that she converted and upgraded over 200 staff who have acquired additional qualifications.
She has also conducted International Computer Driving License (ICDL) training for more than 100 teaching and non-teaching staff. Basically, this is an International licensed computer training sponsored by TETFUND where each participant was issued a personal laptop. She hopes to conduct more of such trainings and capacity-building for staff of the Polytechnic.
Engr. Nwafulugo’s administration has continued to strife to make the Polytechnic a more respectable and favourable place for nurturing excellent education. In line with this, in 2021 she commissioned a splendid office building complex for the deans and also, a well equipped and operational complex to improve the feasibility for research and lecture groundwork. Already, her administration had taken delivery of the following projects: I.C.T building, a gigantic general studies complex; Agric engineering building and a renewable energy building. Her administration is also erecting a gigantic Chemical Engineering multifarious building which consists of laboratory, lecture halls and offices.
Her administration has also embarked on an ongoing food science and Technology Laboratory which is hoped to be ready in no distant time. She has already renovated some decrepit buildings and revamped others with plans to do more. In addition, there is a very well asphalted1.23 kilometer road constructed by the Federal Ministry of works which she played much role in attracting to the Polytechnic.
As a Tertiary Educational Institution, her administration had worked diligently to improve the value of learning and had continued to put in place, facilities that would improve the lives of staff and students to raise well educated students with excellent moral background who will be the pride of their parents and the society at large. In line with this, the indefatigable rector also established an e-library and built classrooms for the learning soothe of students. At the moment there are two magnificent hostels for male and female students which are still under construction.
Recently, the rector signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Portharcourt for affiliation. This affiliation is due to take effect from 2021/2022 academic year. This means that the polytechnic will start admitting students who will be awarded the following degree certificates: B.A Fine Arts and Design(FAD), B.Sc Mathematics/Statistics, B.Sc Computer Science, B.Sc Finance & Banking, B.Sc Accounting, B.Sc Hospitality Management & Tourism, BLIS (Bachelor of Library and Information Science) Library & Information Science, B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) Biochemistry Technology, Microbiology Technology, as well as Physics/ Electronics Technology.
John Maxwell believed that, “The single biggest way to impact an organization is to focus on leadership development. There is almost no limit to the potential of an organization that recruits good people, raises them up as leaders and continually develops them.” In pursuit of this, Engr. Nwafulugo’s administration lately signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Innoson Vehicle Motors to smooth the progress of training, research and skill acquisition for staff and students. This will go a long way towards impacting on both the staff and students the requisite knowledge to improve our society.
No doubt these feats are heavy achievements that were carefully articulated and executed to turn out those wonderful results and in the words of Warren Bennis, “Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into relity”. Engr. Dr. Franscisca Unoma Nwafulugo, came to Federal Polytechnic, Oko with vision and mission to transform the Polytechnic into an enduring paradigm. It was in tandem with such vison that her administration achieved far more than her predecessors within these few years. She is not yet done and in her usual words, “We must all work together to bequeath a lasting legacy to this Polytechnic hence; no one would make meaningful achievements who wants to do it himself or to get credit fordoing it all himself, there must be a collaboration”.
Today, Federal Polytechnic, Oko has shown that, with a lucid vision, good planning and parsimonious management of resources, a lot could be achieved. Any wonder that this Polytechnic has fittingly turned to ‘the Polytechnic of the moment’.
Oguegbu, Ostene Celestine Udoka writes from Awka
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