The Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH), Osara, Kogi State, has appointed the Onojie of Ekpoma, His Royal Majesty, Barr. Anthony Ehizojie Abumere II (JP), as its Chancellor, underscores the institution’s tradition of integrating academic excellence with cultural leadership.
The official letter of appointment was presented at the monarch’s palace in Ekpoma on Saturday, August 23, 2025, by the Vice Chancellor of CUSTECH, Engr. Prof. Abdulrahman Asipita Salawu, on behalf of the Visitor to the university, Governor Usman Ahmed Ododo of Kogi State.
Prof. Salawu, who led a delegation to the palace, highlighted the university’s rapid growth since its establishment. “In just five years, CUSTECH has expanded from two faculties to eight and our graduates are already serving in the National Youth Service Corps programme,” he said. He added that the monarch’s official investiture would take place at the university’s maiden convocation scheduled for November.
Accepting the role, HRM Abumere II described the appointment as a call to service. “I am humbled by this responsibility and grateful to Governor Ododo for the trust placed in me, and to Governor Okpebholo of Edo State for his recommendation. I pledge to work with the management of CUSTECH to guide the university to greater heights,” he said. The monarch also offered prayers for the leaders of Edo and Kogi States, as well as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The event drew palace chiefs, political leaders, medical professionals, and academics, including Prof. George Obozokhale Akpede, former CMD of Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, and Princess Hon. Esther Eghaghe, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
CUSTECH’s management said the choice of the Onojie as Chancellor reflects a recognition of the unifying role of traditional rulers in fostering community trust and institutional growth.
The ceremony concluded with a royal banquet in Ekpoma, marking what participants described as a historic partnership between academia and cultural heritage.
