PROFESSOR STELLA NGOZI LEMCHI APPOINTED FIRST SUBSTANTIVE VICE-CHANCELLOR OF ALVAN IKOKU FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, OWERRI
The Governing Council of the Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, (AIFUE), Owerri, under the Chairmanship of Senator (Dr.) Joy Emodi, CON has approved the appointment of Professor Stella Ngozi Lemchi as the 1st substantive Vice-Chancellor of the University.
The appointment was announced during the 3rd Regular Meeting of the Governing Council on Thursday, January 23, 2025.
The appointment takes effect from January 23, 2025, and it is for a non-renewable tenure of five years. Lemchi emerged as the best among the five shortlisted candidates interviewed by the Joint Council and Senate Selection Committee of the University, in line with the extant regulations governing the process.
Before she was appointed the substantive Vice-Chancellor, Professor Stella Ngozi Lemchi served in an acting capacity from July 25, 2024. During this period, she worked closely with the Governing Council to complete the transition of the institution from a College of Education to a University of Education, displaying remarkable leadership, vision and commitment.
Born on September 11, 1969 in Imo State, Professor Lemchi is a distinguished scholar and Professor of Home Economics Education at the Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Owerri.
Her educational journey began at Premier Primary School, Amaifeke, Orlu, where she obtained her First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC, Credit) in 1980. She proceeded to the Federal Government College, Okigwe, where she passed her West African School Certificate (WASC) in 1986.
Lemchi’s educational quest took her to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where she earned a B.Sc in Home Science and Nutrition, graduating with a second-class upper division in 1990. She obtained an M.Ed. in Home Economics Education from the same University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1994 and later bagged a PhD in Home Economics Education in 2006 from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Lemchi started her teaching career in the University of Nigeria in the Department of Home Science, Nutrition and Dietetics in 1991 immediately after her undergraduate studies before moving to the then Alvan Ikoku College of Education as an Assistant Lecturer (Lecturer III) in 1995, where she rose through the ranks to become a Professor in 2023.
In a distinguished career as an educationist, Prof. Lemchi became Head of the Department of Home Economics Education from 2011 to 2014, Director of the Centre for Entrepreneurship Education from 2015 to 2019 and Deputy Provost from 2019 to 2022. Professor Stella Lemchi became the 13th Substantive Provost of Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri in 2022. With the upgrade of the institution to a University of Education by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Lemchi served as the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the newly established Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Owerri. During her time as Provost, Professor Stella Lemchi played a pivotal role in restoring the University status of the institution and, as Acting Vice-Chancellor, she actively and successfully midwifed the transition process. Professor Lemchi is a visionary leader, brilliant manager and trailblazer whose administrative acumen and action plan have provided a roadmap for the development of the new University.
Professor Stella Lemchi is a passionate advocate for education who believes that education can play a vital role in developing the skills and knowledge that young people need to succeed in life. She is committed to ensuring that education is accessible and relevant to all students, especially the girl-child. One of Professor Lemchi’s most significant achievements is her work on the development of a new Entrepreneurship Curriculum for Home Economics education in Nigeria. This curriculum was based on the latest research and best practices in Home Economics education. It was designed to prepare students for the challenges of the 21st-century workplace.
Professor Lemchi, being a strong advocate for entrepreneurship education, believes that entrepreneurship is a critical skill for young people to master so as to succeed in the post-modern world. She has developed several programmes and initiatives to imbue undergraduates with marketable skills and vocations and published papers that promote the value of entrepreneurship education. An academic leader in the field of Home Economics globally, Professor Lemchi has published over 76 articles (International and National) and book chapters covering her research interests in textiles and clothing, entrepreneurship/promotion of skills acquisition, curriculum development, and Home Economics Education policies. She has presented papers at international conferences in the Caribbean, USA, Ireland, Malta, South Africa and South Korea, where she won the prize for the best conference paper at the International Federation of Home Economics Conference in 2016.
The Vice-Chancellor, a licensed TRCN Professional, is an active member of several professional organisations, including the International Federation for Home Economics (IFHE), where she is currently the Vice President, heading the Africa Region, Home Economics Professional Association of Nigeria (HEPAN), Home Economics Research Association of Nigeria (HERAN), Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN) and Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) among others.