Emmanuel lkpeama
Governor of Anambra State, Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has made two strategic appointments in the state’s education sector, naming Matthew Hassan Kukah as Chancellor of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University and appointing Justina Chinyere Anyadiegwu as Chairman of the Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB).
The appointments, announced by the state government, are seen as part of Soludo’s broader push to reposition education in Anambra through experienced leadership, global partnerships, and strengthened institutional frameworks.
Bishop Kukah, an eminent Nigerian cleric and intellectual, brings decades of experience spanning academia, public discourse, and advocacy for social justice.
He studied Philosophy and Theology at St. Augustine Major Seminary, Jos, and later earned a diploma in religious studies from the University of Ibadan.
His academic journey also took him to the Pontifical Urban University in Rome, where he obtained a Bachelor of Divinity, and to the University of Bradford, United Kingdom, where he earned a master’s degree in Peace Studies.
He holds a Ph.D. from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, and has also undertaken academic engagements at the University of Oxford and Harvard University in the United States.
Beyond academia, Kukah is a prolific author and founder of The Kukah Centre, an organization known for research-driven advocacy on interfaith harmony and policy reform.
His appointment as Chancellor of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University is expected to leverage his global network to attract international collaborations, promote ethical leadership, and enhance the institution’s academic standing.
In a related development, Dr. Justina Chinyere Anyadiegwu, a seasoned educationist and Provost of Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe, has been appointed Chairman of ASUBEB.
With over three decades of teaching experience across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels,Anyadiegwu is a distinguished scholar in English Language and Applied Linguistics.
She holds a B.Ed. in Languages Arts/English from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, as well as a master’s and Ph.D. in English Language and Literature from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
Her professional career includes serving as a consultant trainer for the British Council between 2012 and 2014, where she worked on Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) and the Teaching Knowledge Test.
She is also a Master Trainer under the British Council’s Strengthening Teachers’ English Proficiency (STEP) programme