The Governing Council of the Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, (AIFUE), Owerri has approved the appointment of Prof. Stella Ngozi Lemchi as the first substantive Vice-Chancellor of the university.
The appointment was announced during the third Regular Meeting of the Governing Council on Thursday, 23 January 2025.
According to a statement at the weekend by the AIFUE, Public Relations Officer, Dr. Nnaemeka Ijioma, the appointment takes effect from 23 January 2025, and it is for a non-renewable tenure of five years.
The statement reads: “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 her appointment ss substantive ViceChancellor, Lemchi served in an acting capacity from 25 July 2024. During that 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 11 September 1969 in Imo State, 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 (Credit) in 1980. She proceeded to the Federal Government College, Okigwe, where she passed her West African School Certificate 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.
She started her teaching career at 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.
As an educationist, 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.
