Welcome to the Vice-Chancellor's Office

The Vice-Chancellor's Office at Western Delta University is the central administrative hub overseeing the strategic direction and academic excellence of the institution. Our dedicated team is committed to fostering an environment of innovation, excellence, and inclusivity.

Contact Information:

Vice-Chancellor's Office

• Location: Administrative Building
• Phone: +234 703-8592-752 
• Email: [email protected]

Services and Responsibilities:

• Leadership and Governance: Providing visionary leadership and ensuring effective governance of the university.

• Strategic Planning: Developing and implementing strategic plans to advance the university's mission and goals.

• Academic Excellence: Overseeing initiatives to enhance academic quality, research, and innovation.

• Community Engagement: Building strong connections with the university community, alumni, and external stakeholders.

Meet the Vice-Chancellor

Professor Augustine Ovuoronye Ikelegbe taught Comparative Politics and Public Policy at the Department of Political Science of the University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria before he assumed duty as Vice Chancellor of Western Delta University.

Augustine Ikelegbe became Professor of Comparative Politics and Public Policy in October, 2007. He was Assistant Dean, School of Postgraduate Studies (1994-1997), Head of Department of Political Science and Public Administration (2006-2008), and Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences (2021) at the University of Benin. He was Visiting Lecturer at Niger Delta University, Amassoma (2009-2010) and Directing Staff at the National Institute for Security Studies, Lower Usuma Dam, Abuja, (2014-2017, and 2018-2019). He is currently, Vice Chancellor, Western Delta University, Oghara, Delta State.

He has also been Visiting Research Fellow, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, United kingdom, (June 1999-November 2000), Visiting Research Fellow, African Studies Centre, University of Leiden, Leiden, Netherlands (May-August 2004), Adjunct Research Professor, Centre for Population & Environmental Development, Benin City, and Nigeria Supervisor for the Multilateral Comparative Research Project on Violence Research and Development in the Global South, Institute for Interdisciplinary Research on Conflict and Violence, University of Bielefied, Germany (2013-2014).

Professor Ikelegbe has published 14 books, 8 monographs and 94 journal articles and book chapters in reputable publishing outlets in all parts of the world. In addition, he has made over 30 presentations at public forums across Nigeria, and presented over 45 papers at conferences and research meetings in Africa, Europe, America and Asia.

His flagship books include Militias, Rebels and Islamist Militants: Human Insecurity and State Crises in Africa, Pretoria: Institute of Security Studies (edited with Wafula Okumu, 2010);) Oil, Environment and Resource Conflicts in Nigeria. In Politics and Economics in Africa Series, Volume 7, Berlin: Lit Verlag, 2013; Governance, Sustainable Development and Peace Building in the Niger Delta: Challenges and Pathways, Ibadan: Spectrum Books (edited with A. Onokerhoraye,2017); and Transhumance and International Migration: Challenges for Governance, Peace and Sustainable Development in Sub Saharan Africa’’, Abuja: National Institute for Security Studies, 2019 (Edited with A. Muhammad-Wali & A. Karim).

He has been Consultant to among others, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung/United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa; Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light weapons Control; The Foundation for the Institute for International and Development Studies/Small Arms Survey, Geneva; Centre for Democracy and Development; Nigeria Extractive Industries Initiative (NEITI); Oxfam-Novib; AFSTRAG/Ford foundation; French Institute for Research in Africa; PEFS/Ford Foundation; CODESRIA/African Studies Center, Leiden (Netherlands); Institute of Security Studies, South Africa; United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa/Friedrich Ebert Stiftung; International Development Research Centre/Centre for Population and Environmental Development; Oxfam Novib (Netherlands); CASS/International Alert; NSRP/British Council; Institute for Interdisciplinary Research on Conflict and Violence, University of Bielefied, Germany, and Political Parties Leadership and Policy Development Centre. In addition, he has participated in several research projects funded by Ford Foundation, International Alert, Consortium for Development Partnership, CODESRIA, International Development Research Centre, British Council and International Centre for Research on Conflict and Violence.

He has conducted and managed large-scale researches at national and regional levels. His academic work through conferences, research meetings and study tours has taken him to numerous countries, including Norway, Netherlands, Germany, Britain, Italy, United States of America, South Africa, Kenya, Liberia, Senegal, Ethiopia, Benin, Togo and Mali.

He was at different times, editor of Nigerian Journal of Politics and Public Policy, Benin Journal of Social Sciences, and guest editor to the Nigerian Electoral Journal. In addition, he has served on the editorial boards of prestigious journals including, Democracy and Development, Ubhuntu-Journal of Conflict Resolution, Politics and Society, Niger Delta Research Digest, and Security and Development.

In recognition of his academic stature, Professor Ikelegbe has been External Examiner to 20 universities and institutes in Nigeria and South Africa. He has also been External Professorial Assessor in 17 Universities, and Chairman/member of NUC Accreditation Visitations in Undergraduate and Postgraduate Programmes to several Universities. He has supervised over 30 M.Sc. projects and 10 Ph.D. theses, and externally examined 25 Ph.D. theses in Nigeria and South Africa.

He is a member of several academic associations including the Nigerian Political Science Association, Society of International Relations Awareness and Nigerian Network on Security and Democratic Governance. His areas of research and publications include Comparative Politics; Public Policy Analysis; Governance and Public Sector Management; Development Studies; Conflict and Post Conflict management, Peace Building and Security.

As a distinguished international scholar, Professor Ikelegbe’s publications are used in universities and libraries all over the world and cited almost daily in scholarly publication outlets. Professor Ikelegbe is an intellectual activist, public affairs analyst, media commentator and social critique.

Professor Ikelegbe believes in the power of ideas, innovation, change and transformation; the values of hard-work, merit, achievement, quality and results; the virtues of openness, transparency, accountability, honour and integrity; the leadership style of team-work and inclusiveness; and the provision of opportunities, spaces and avenues for younger colleagues to excel and deliver on results, while providing guidance, inspiration and motivation. He is an academic to the core, ingrained in the academic traditions of simplicity, humility, discipline, credibility, excellence, integrity and honour.

He is married to a fellow academic, Professor (Mrs) Onovughe Ikelegbe of the University of Benin and they are blessed with children.

News and Announcements

Institutional Email for All Students

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Agustine Ikelegbe, has directed that all students be issued a WDU Domain Inbox. Students are advised to visit the Central Records processing Unit (CRPU) to obtain their institutional email.