Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, has approved the appointment of Dr. Fidelia Chukwudumebi Ighrakpata (Nee Unomah) as the new Provost of the College of Education, Warri.
This is contained in an official government statement released on Monday, 11 May 2026 in Asaba, the state capital, by the State Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Nyerhovwo Tonukari.
The appointment makes Dr. Ighrakpata the first internal female to head the institution since its establishment 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.
Dr Fidelia Chukwudumebi Ighrakpata, a renowned physicist, 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 B.Sc. in Applied Physics and an M.Sc. in Exploration Geophysics from the prestigious 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, Dr. Ighrakpata has held several academic and administrative positions.
She has served as Head of the Department of Physics, Deputy Provost of the college, 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 of the college said.
A prolific scholar, Dr. Ighrakpata has authored and co-authored numerous books and articles published in reputable local and international journals.
She has also participated in multiple programme accreditation exercises for the National Commission for Colleges of Education.
Born to the family of the late Prof. and Mrs. Alfred Unomah of Igbodo in Ika North East LGA, Delta State, and married to Hon. Solomon Ighrakpata of Effurun in Uvwie LGA, Delta State, she is widely regarded as a distinguished scholar and respected 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 in the state.
