By Francis Ewherido
The title simply means “Professor Sunday Ijirhevwe Awhefeada.” For the purpose of this article, his Urhobo name, Ijirherhe, means I also have them (intelligence, knowledge and administrative prowess). The surname, Awhefeada, roughly translated means “one who distributes wealth abroad,” although Prof. is distributing his wealth of knowledge mainly at home. Professor Awhefeada is not just a professor. He is a man with tremendous knowledge and enormous intelligence. He is also steeped in African tradition (he is a traditional chief, the Ogbiroro (one endowed with great wisdom) of Ephron-Otor Kingdom).
Prof’s beginning was humble but firm. A native of Ugono-Orogun, Awhefeada attended Eni Grammar School, Evwreni, Delta State, before proceeding to the University of Benin, where he earned a bachelor of art degree in English in 1996. With an insatiable appetite for literature and critical inquiry, he proceeded to the University of Ibadan (UI), graduating in the year 2000 as the best graduating student in master of arts class, Department of English. Not done, he continued his studies and completed his Ph.D. studies in UI in 2007.
Teaching is his calling, more like an addiction. I can tell because my father was also addicted to teaching. He started his teaching in his alma mater, the University of Ibadan, as a teaching assistant from 1998 to 2001. Prof Awhefeada is a homeboy, so it was inevitable that the allure of owho soup, amiedi (palm nut soup and usi (starch) – I’m using them as symbolisms of the Urhobo and Niger Delta cultures – would drag him to Delta State, specifically Urhobo land. He joined the Department of English and Literary Studies, Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, as an assistant lecturer in 2001. His scholarship and intelligence were obvious and he rose through the ranks and became a Professor of African Literature in 2017.
Professor Awhefeada is a teacher, mentor and father-figure to many students and his former students. He has taught virtually every literature course across all levels and programmes in the Department of English and Literary Studies and successfully supervised over 30 master of arts dissertations and 13 Ph.D. theses. He has been head of department, concurrently director in two directorates, university orator, chairman and member of many high-profile university committees and member, university governing council. He had two highly successful tenures as dean, faculty of arts, which saw Abraka Humanities Review as the first faculty journal to be indexed in the history of DELSU. He was the Dean, postgraduate School, DELSU. By virtue of this position, he was the dean of all deans at DELSU.
His last major outing at DELSU was the 117th inaugural lecture, which he delivered on January 15, 2026. It was titled THE LITERATURE OF OUR STATE: AN EVOLUTIONARY
ENGAGEMENT WITH MODERN NIGERIAN LITERATURE. The ovation that greeted the highly cerebral and thought-provoking lecture was yet to die down when he was appointed the Vice Chancellor of Southern Delta University, Ozoro.
When I heard the news, I was very happy. I commend the Delta State Governor, Elder Sheriff Oborevwori; the Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Nyerhovwo Tonukari, and everybody who made this appointment possible. Una finish work for this appointment. I am very happy for other reasons. One, as an undergraduate in the 80s, we heard of professors who became vice chancellors because of their connections, not necessarily because of academic excellence or administrative prowess. Professor Awhefeada is different. Academically, he is up there with the best. Administratively, he has occupied many administrative positions as stated above and garnered a lot of experience. I have not heard anybody questioning his appointment based on competence. Two, I am very happy for the students and staff of the university. What they have is a very erudite and versatile VC; a great administrator. In addition, they have a man of integrity as a VC. Without integrity, intelligence and administrative skills count for little. Three, I spent part of my early days (1973 -1980) in Ozoro. Ozoro is home (égwo me). Only the best is good enough for the university and Awhefeada is among the finest.
Four, Prof Awhefeada is my friend and brother. Our paths crossed in 2013 in a very painful circumstance. He was very close to my late brother, Sen. Akpor Pius Ewherido. They both loved scholarship and the preservation of Urhobo culture and language. My brother used to mention his name in our discussions, but we never met. But during my brother’s burial we both mourned an elder brother whose light was blown out suddenly like a candle in the wind. After the burial, I started this column to help blunt the pain of the loss. Incidentally, beyond his literally and academic writings, Awhefeada is a newspaper columnist. That became a point of convergence.
When I was preparing for the presentation of my book, Life Lessons from Mudipapa, Prof. Awhefeada was a natural pick for the review of the book. He did an excellent job of the review. Our last collaboration was last December. We were part of a group of people with a noble project, but things didn’t go our way. Anyway, ekwetafia (let bygones be bygones).
Prof. is also close to my elder brother, the Most Revd. Anthony Ovayero Ewherido, the Bishop of Warri Diocese. In fact, he officiated the Mass when the wife of Professor Awhefeada, Professor (Mrs.) Ufuoma Veronica Awhefeada, celebrated her 50th birthday. Prof Awhefeada is family. “Prof. Mrs.,” as I refer to her, is a professor of law at Delta State University, Oleh Campus. She’s also an intellectual giant. Together, they are an intellectual power couple.
Now, let me address Professor Awhefeada. Prof, I wish you success as the VC of Southern Delta University. I pray and I will continue to pray for you. I want you to be innovative and transformative. Delta State has four state universities, three federal universities, seven private universities and numerous polytechnics. We are rightly an educational hub. But something is amiss. Delta State does not have the capacity and industries to provide employment for these graduates. Many of them now ride keke (tricycle). After four years in the university, you end up a keke rider? What a waste of education!
Prof, I suggest that you introduce entrepreneurship into the university’s curriculum. Those studying agriculture, for instance, should not come out and look for paid employment. There is enough fertile land in Delta State. Those in media studies should focus on how to earn money via social media. Let it be so from department to department.
The University should also be strong in mentorship. All some of these graduates need is someone to guide them. Ordinarily, mentorship should start at home, but many parents do not have the skills and you can’t give what you do not have. Mentorship helps the mentees to go on a journey of self-discovery to know who they are, their likes and passions. Once discovered, it is the responsibility of the mentees to fan their passions into flame. Internet has flung open the gate of knowledge. Mentees should spend time honing their skills online instead of the fruitless jumping from one porn site to the other.
Ogbur’ebe, oyovwi kowe evur’iruokpokpona, (Prof, may it be well with you in this new assignment.)
