History of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Edict No. 48 of the Federal Government of Nigeria established the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike in May 1993. In due course, it became clear that the mission of the Institution could not be properly achieved, neither could Agriculture be successfully developed nor meaningfully utilized in the industrialization, mechanization and sustenance of the nation without an accompanying College of Engineering. Thus in 2001/2002 academic session, the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, came into existence with the establishment of the Department of Agricultural Engineering followed in quick succession by Departments of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering in the 2003/2004 academic session. Computer Engineering took off in the 2004/2005 academic session and Chemical Engineering in the 2011/2012 academic session. These departments run 5-year degree programmes leading to the award of the Bachelor of Engineering (B. Eng.) degree. Presently, these Departments run Postgraduate programmes leading to Post Graduate Diploma Certificate; Master of Engineering (M. ENG) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in Engineering.
Engr. Dr. O. Onuba who started the College of Engineering was also the first Acting Head of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. In the year 2007/2008 academic session, Engr. Dr. L. U. Anih who was on Sabbatical Leave in the department was appointed the Acting Head of the Department by the Vice-Chancellor and was charged with overall responsibility of organization, coordination and supervision of the various academic activities and day-to-day running of the Department. The Department has two major options: 1. Electrical Engineering option and 2. Electronic Engineering option. In 2008/2009 academic session the Department graduated its first set of students who were seven in number (three second class upper division and four second class lower division). Thereupon, the Department continued to grow in teaching and research facilities, staff strength and student enrolment. In 2008/2009 academic session, Engr. Prof. O. I. Okoro led the Department as the Head of the Department. In this academic year, the Department recorded a rapid development in terms of procurement and refurbishing of equipment as well as physical infrastructures. By 2014, Engr. Dr. A. J. Onah was appointed acting Head of Department and was succeeded by Engr. Dr. L. I. Oborkhale, who superintended the 2015 COREN Accreditation. Engr. Dr. P. I. Obi took over as Acting Head of Department from Engr. Dr. L. I. Oborkhale and eventually handed over to him again. Engr. Dr. I. K. Onwuka succeeded Engr. Dr. L. I. Oborkhale in 2022. In 2024, Engr. Dr. C. C. Awah was appointed the Acting Head of Department.
The Department was granted full Accreditation in its last COREN Accreditation Exercise during the 2015/16 academic session. The Staff strength of the Department is: 5 Professors, 3 Associate Professors, 8 Senior Lecturers, 4 Lecturer I, and 29 Faculty-shared Staff. Additionally, the Department has 12 Technologists and 5 Administrative Staff. Through selfless service and relentless efforts, the Department staff struggle extremely hard despite the prevailing economic state of the educational sector of the nation to ensure we produce Engineers who are not only sound academically, but equally can compete excellently with their counterparts in various universities within and outside the country.
