Leadership, Legacy, Sustainability in Focus at FUTO’s 7th Valedictory Lecture

Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), Prof. I.N.S. Dozie, has reiterated his administration's commitment to building on the achievements of his predecessors.

Prof. Dozie stated this on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, while chairing the 7th FUTO Valedictory Lecture delivered by former Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Francis Chukwuemeka Eze, FNIP, at the Prof. Celestine Onwuliri Conference Centre, FUTO.

Congratulating Prof. Eze on the lecture, Prof. Dozie commended him for his years of scholarship, leadership, and service to the University, describing him as an accomplished academic whose contribution helped to grow and develop FUTO.

The Vice-Chancellor noted that the University's progress was the product of the contributions of successive administrations and generations of staff, stressing the importance of continuity, responsible stewardship, and sustained institutional development.

Prof. Dozie said FUTO would continue to draw from its heritage and the contributions of previous leaders as it responds to the demands of a rapidly changing higher education and technology landscape.

Against the backdrop of institutional continuity, Prof. Eze, who served as FUTO's 7th substantive Vice-Chancellor from 2016 to 2021, used his valedictory lecture to reflect on his long journey at FUTO, while offering thoughts on the opportunities and challenges ahead.

His lecture, titled “Walking the FUTO Journey: A Physicist's Reflections on Scholarship, Leadership, Legacy and Emerging Opportunities,” examined his academic and leadership experience, as well as the University's evolution, achievements, and prospects.

He highlighted institutional developments recorded during his tenure as Vice-Chancellor, including the establishment of the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research, Development and Innovation (RD&I), as well as the development of notable Centres of Excellence, including the Africa Centre of Excellence in Future Energies and Electrochemical Systems (ACE-FUELS), Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards (CE-sPESS), and Centre of Excellence in Local Materials Substitution (CoE-LoMaS).

Prof. Eze, a Professor of Solid State Physics, also cited the strengthening of the School of Information and Communication Technology (SICT), the School of Logistics and Information Technology (SLIT), the School of Electrical Systems and Engineering Technology (SESET), the College of Medicine, and the NCC Professorial Chair on ICT, among developments that contributed to FUTO's growth and impact.

Looking ahead, Prof. Eze called for stronger partnerships between FUTO and government, industry, development agencies, research institutions, alumni, and universities to expand opportunities for research, innovation, and technological development.

He also urged the University to embrace digital technology and digitisation more aggressively, noting that technology should remain central to FUTO's identity and its contribution to national development. He expressed gratitude to God, his wife, Dr. Mrs. Egejuru Eze, his four children, mentors, colleagues, and others who contributed to his journey at FUTO.

“I step aside confident that education remains our surest instrument of nation-building, that integrity remains the highest form of intelligence, and that service remains the truest measure of success. May FUTO continue to shine as a beacon of knowledge, innovation, and service to humanity,” Prof. Eze stated during the lecture that coincided with his official retirement from FUTO after nearly 37 years of service.

Among those present were the immediate past Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Mrs. Nnenna Oti; Vice-Chancellor of the University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (UAES), Prof. Christopher Eze; Vice-Chancellor of K.O. Mbadiwe University, Prof. Mrs. Francisca Chukwukere; former Principal Officers of FUTO; academics, traditional rulers, the clergy, alumni, and representatives of various staff and student groups.

The programme also featured special presentations by the Department of Physics, the University of Nigeria Alumni Association, FUTO Choral Group, and other staff groups.