Ignatius Ajuru University of Education

Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (formerly Rivers State University of Education) is a Nigerian university based in Rumuolumeni Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The first Vice-Chancellor of the university in 2014 was Rosemund Dienye Green-Osahogulu.

At the end of the civil war in 1970, the Rivers State Government was faced with anacute shortage of trained teachers for its rapidly expanding programme of post-primary education. In view of this, a committee was appointed by the Ministry of Education to examine the problem and to make necessary recommendations on the establishment of an Advanced Teacher Training College.

The report of the committee stressed the need to invest much energy in the right directions to ensure that the schools in Rivers State did not face the danger of either collapsing or producing students who would be worth nothing on their graduation. After the required spade work by the Ministry of Education, Rivers State College of Education opened in temporary quarters at the Catholic Mission’s Stella Maris College, Port Harcourt on 14 June 1971 with an initial intake of 116 students, under the headship of Dr. William Maxwell Jnr., a USAID representative then serving in the State.

In January 1972, the college moved to another temporary site at Oromineke in D-Line, Diobu. A new Principal, the late Mr. J.E. Ohochukwu, was also appointed in October 1972.From its foundation, the college had an uphill task to contend with the dearth of few academic staff. Lack of adequate library facilities and shortage of accommodation constituted serious problems. But happily many of the initial handicaps proved temporary and considerable progress began to be noticed in due course.

Until the promulgation of the Nursery and Miscellaneous Education Institution Edict No. 10 of 15 November 1974, Rivers State College of Education was under the direct control of the Ministry of Education. This Edict established the college as a corporate body under the management of a Governing Committee, headed by Mr.W.E. Alagoa, the then Chairman of the Teaching Service Commission. In terms of Administrative Management and Growth, Edict No. 10 of 1974 did not satisfy the needs of Rivers State College of Education, hence the promulgation of Edict No. 1 of 25 February 1975. The new Edict marked a veritable turning point in the history of the institution.

Rivers State College of Education was born as an autonomous body. With the attainment of full maturity, it became well placed to play a more dynamic role. There was established for the purposes of the college a Governing Council which is responsible for the recruitment of staff and for the general and overall administrative and financial control of the institution. Following this transformation, Mr. E. Aguma, who was appointed Principal in January 1975,became the first Provost while Dr. E.T. Green succeeded Mr. Alagoa as the Chairman of Council in June 1975. After an interregnum created by the change of Government in the country in July 1975, a new Governing Council with Dr. F.A. Eke, as Chairman, and a new Provost, Mr. R.I.C. Koko, were appointed in November of the same year. Undeniably, the problem of accommodation greatly inhibited the progress of the college.

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