The Senate of Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka has appointed its youngest professor, Hilary Owamah, as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic).

Owamah, who is DELSU’s only professor of civil engineering, is the current director of academic planning at the institution. He attained the rank of professor in October 2022 at 40.

His appointment followed his nomination by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Samuel Asagba, at the Special Senate meeting held on Wednesday, 26th February, 2025 according to available official documents.

Owamah’s appointment would become effective from March 11, 2025, when the tenure of the outgoing Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Ochuko Anomohanran, is completed and pending ratification by the Governing Council.

In his acceptance speech, Owamah expressed gratitude to members of the Senate for the confidence reposed in him. He said, “I sincerely appreciate the VC for finding me worthy of holding this enviable position of service. I also deeply thank you all for the unalloyed love and support shown to me since joining the University.”

Owamah was born on August 27, 1982.  He attended Umejei Primary School (1987-1993) and St. Thomas’ College (1993-1999) all in Ibusa, Delta State. He then proceeded to the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, graduating with a B.Eng. in 2006 and M.Eng. from the University of Port-Harcourt, Rivers State in 2011. He bagged PhD in Civil Engineering in 2016 from the University of Benin.

Owamah, having earlier lectured in Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, joined the service of the Delta State University, Abraka in 2016 as a Senior Lecturer and rose to the rank of Professor in 2022. He had earlier served the University as Head, Department of Civil Engineering (2017-2020), Deputy Director of intensive and Part-time Programmes (2020-2022) and Director of Academic Planning (2022 -2025).  As Director of Academic Planning, DELSU received for the first time NUC’s full accreditation for all her 92 programmes. He also supervised the establishment of 15 new programmes in the university. Owamah enjoys the respect of his colleagues as a young, vibrant professor with enormous administrative prowess and experience.

He has attended several national and international conferences and workshops and is a well sought-after public speaker. He has to his credit over 60 scientific articles published in top-ranking Scopus-indexed journals. He was awarded the second-best researcher in the university in 2024.

Owamah is a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers and Nigerian Institution of Environmental Engineers. He currently serves as the Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Asaba Branch.  Owamah consults for a couple of high-profile engineering and energy firms and has been practicing as a registered professional engineer for over a decade. He is happily married to Victoria Owamah and the union is blessed with children.