AE-FUNAI gets first indigenous Vice Chancellor
By Peter Okutu
A Professor of Medical Biochemistry who hails from Ohaukwu local government area of Ebonyi state, Prof Sunday Oge Elom has been appointed as the new Vice-Chancellor of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State.
Prof Elom’s appointment has put to an end the agitation for an indigene of Ebonyi State extraction to become the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University.
Until his appointment which was announced through a Press Release signed by the Registrar/Secretary of Council, Odisa C. Oleke ( Mrs.) on Tuesday, 19th January, 2021, the new VC was the immediate past Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic of the Institution.
He was born on 5th November 1961 at Ekwashi, Ngbo in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Nigeria.
He has over 14 years of post professorial and uninterrupted academic and administrative experience in the university system, having bagged his PhD in Medical Biochemistry from the Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki in 2006.
Before then, he had a Master of Science (M.Sc.) degree in Molecular Biology from the Vrue University, Brussels, Belgium in 1992 and a First Class Honours’ degree in Biochemistry from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
He has had an illustrious career as a member of the academia, spanning over three decades. His journey as an academic started in 1987 when he served as a Research Assistant in the Department of Applied Biology, Anambra State University of Science and Technology (ASUTECH), Enugu campus.
He, however, rose through the ranks in different universities in Nigeria and became a professor of Medical Biochemistry in 2006.
Professor Elom has published over 50 academic papers in top-tier and high ranking national and international journals with impact factors. He has also published many books, books chapters and monographs as well as many conference papers. More so, he has served as external examiner and assessor to many universities.
Apart from being a thoroughbred and seasoned academic, Professor Elom has occupied many administrative positions in the Nigerian university system where he brought his administrative astuteness to bear, ensuring that the vision and goals of the institutions he worked for are achieved.
He was first appointed the Head, Department of Medical Biochemistry in 1984 at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) and rose to become the Dean, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences of the same university in 2009.
Later, he became the Dean, Students’ Affairs, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki and the Dean, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences of the same institution in the year 2000 and 2014 respectively.
At the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, he was the Interim Dean, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences from 2012 to 2016 and later a two-term Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic from 2016 to 2020. He has also chaired many important university committees.
He is a member of many international professional bodies, chief among them is the British Biochemical Society, London.
Professor Sunday Oge Elom is married to Dr. Chinyere Elom, and they have 4 children.