It is said, that no one gets angry for being appreciated in reciprocation of a kind gesture. It is on this premise, that Engr. Prof. (Mrs) Ongoebi Maureen Etebu accepts wholeheartedly, the “thank you” offered to her by the good people of Ogboin Kingdom in conferring on her, a royal tittle.
Recall that, Engr. Prof. (Mrs.) Ongoebi Maureen Etebu was appointed a Commissioner by His Excellency, Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha.
As the then honourable Commissioner for Public Utilities, she was saddled with the responsibility of renovating and upgrading the old Amasoma Secondary School in order for the Niger Delta University to kick-off.
With the funds provided for renovation, Engr. Prof. (Mrs.) Ongoebi Maureen Etebu being a highly proactive, meticulous, prudent and thorough person in whatever she does; and as a University Don with the requisite experience and knowledge of basic infrastructure needed by a university, went beyond specification of mere renovation and started the construction of required and requisite infrastructure needed for the commencement of the university at the start-off campus.
The directive His Excellency, Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha gave her was to renovate four (4) hostel blocks and the old refectory of the former secondary school; she however, expanded his vision and executed projects by direct labour such as the Vice Chancellor’s Lodge, Registrar’s Resident, 3-500 Seater Lecture theatre, Library, Auditorium, 110 Lecturer’s Offices, Seminar rooms, Administrative block, Guest House, re-enforced concrete Jetty, concrete roads, walkways, and other external works including gardening and planting of flowers/orchids.
In fact, she had to transport building materials by river and worked tirelessly day and night for the accomplishment of this laudable project being the Industrial Engineer as she is.
Corroborating these achievements, His Excellency Chief Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha during his speech, at the 10th year anniversary of the university stated, ” the contribution of two visionary Commissioners must be acknowledged at this point, Dr. Ingoebi Etebu, the then honourable Commissioner for Public Utilities, practically relocated her office to Amasoma to oversee and ensure that renovation and upgrading of infrastructure at the university site were in strick compliance with the quality and schedule. She weathered the inclement environmental conditions to overcome the problems”.
Commencement of the university therefore, accelerated not only academic pursuits, but also boosted economic activities which has brought massive growth and development to the kingdom.
It is in recognition of the above, that HRM, King Oweipa Jones-Ere 111 (JP) and the good people of the Kingdom have deemed it appropriate to say thank you with a prestigious royal tittle.
Engr. Prof. (Mrs) Ongoebi Maureen Etebu is an academic giant, standing tall with three doctoral academic degrees; Ph.D Industrial Engineering, Ph.D Mechanical Engineering, Ph.D Energy/Power, Four (4) Masters academic degrees in various fields of engineering and one (1) in Administration.
Consequently, in further recognition of her academic achievements, she was inducted into the Nigerian Women Hall of Fame by her Excellency, Sen. (Mrs) Oluremi Remi Tinubu, CON OON, wife of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria at the Maryam Babagida National Centre for Women Development (MBNCWD) in July, 2023.
Engr. Prof. (Mrs) Ongoebi Maureen Etebu was a former Dean, Faculty of Engineering, University of Port Harcourt, former two-times Commissioner, Bayelsa State, Pioneer Vice Chancellor, Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Delta State and the First Female Professor of Mechanical Engineering in Nigeria, is now to be addressed as High-Chief, Engr. Prof. (Mrs) Ongoebi Maureen Etebu; the Ebe Fini ere 1 of Ogboin Kingdom.
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