Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has approved the appointment of Dr. Fidelia Chukwudumebi Ighrakpata as the new Provost of the College of Education, Warri.
The announcement was made on Monday, 11 May 2026, in a statement released in Asaba by the State Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Nyerhovwo Tonukari.
The appointment makes Dr. Ighrakpata the first internal female to head the institution since it was established in 1979. It also comes 24 years after her late father, Professor Alfred Unomah, served as the college’s 3rd substantive Provost from 1995 to 2002.
A renowned physicist, Dr. Ighrakpata joined the college in 2001 as a Lecturer III and rose to the rank of Chief Lecturer in 2016 in the Department of Physics. She holds a http://B.Sc. in Applied Physics and an http://M.Sc. in Exploration Geophysics from the University of Benin, a PGDE from Delta State University, Abraka, and a Ph.D. in Physics/Geophysics from Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma.
Over her nearly three-decade career at the college, she has served as Head of the Department of Physics, Deputy Provost, and the first female Director of Management Information Systems since the college’s inception.
“Dr. Ighrakpata has built a remarkable academic career spanning nearly three decades and has consistently demonstrated professionalism and dedication to the growth of the college,” a senior staff member said.
A prolific scholar, she has authored and co-authored several books and articles published in reputable local and international journals, and has participated in multiple accreditation exercises for the National Commission for Colleges of Education.
Born to the late Prof. and Mrs. Alfred Unomah of Igbodo in Ika North East LGA, and married to Hon. Solomon Ighrakpata of Effurun in Uvwie LGA, she is widely regarded as a distinguished scholar and administrator.
The appointment is being hailed as a milestone for gender representation and academic leadership in Delta State’s tertiary education sector. The new Provost is expected to focus on strengthening academic standards, advancing staff development, and enhancing the college’s role in teacher education.
