Alvan Ikoku, 3 others upgraded to universities of education

Alvan Ikoku, 3 others upgraded to federal varsities of education

Nigeria's Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday in Abuja approved the upgrade of Alvan Ikouku College of Education to a full fledge university along three others.

The Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, stated this when he briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of the weekly FEC meeting, which was presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan.


“The Council approved the conversion of four old Colleges of Education to new Federal Universities of Education."

According to him, the colleges are: Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri, Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo; Federal College of Education, Zaria; and Federal College of Education, Kano.

“Alvan Ikoku College of Education, Owerri, is now approved as a university to be known as Alvan Ikoku University of Education,” Shekarau said.

“Federal College of Education, Zaria, will now be Federal University of Education, Zaria; Federal College of Education, Kano, has now been converted to Federal University of Education, Kano." the minister continued.

He also said the conversion of the colleges was meant to ensure quality teacher education in the country.

The minister also disclosed that the council approved the upgrading of the College of Medical Health Sciences under the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, to Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo in Benue.

He said the approval was part of the Federal Government’s efforts to ensure the production of quality graduates into the various fields of medicine and sciences.

The man Alvan Ikoku

Alvan Ikoku (August 1, 1900–November 18, 1971) was a Biafran educator, statesman, activist and politician. Born on August 1, 1900 in Arochukwu, present-day Abia State, he was educated at Government School and Hope Waddell College, Calabar. In 1920, he received his first teaching appointment with the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria and Church of Scotland at Itigidi and two years later became a senior tutor at St. Paul's Teachers' Training College, Awka, Anambra State. 

While teaching at Awka, Ikoku earned his University of London degree in Philosophy in 1928, through its external programme. Soon after, in 1931, Ikoku established one of the earliest private secondary schools in the country: the Aggrey Memorial College, located in Arochukwu and named after James E.K. Aggrey, an eminent Ghanaian educationist. In 1946, after several constitutional changes allowing more Nigerians in the legislative chambers, he was nominated to the Eastern Nigeria House of Assembly and assigned to the ministry of education. 

Alvan Ikoku adorning Nigeria's 10 naira note

In 1947 he became part of the Legislative Council in Lagos as one of three representatives of the Eastern Region. Ikoku fostered considerable government interest in the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), becoming instrumental in the Legislative Council's acceptance of 44 NUT proposals amending various educational ordinances. He did encounter resistance through much of the 1950s, when the Colonial Government repeatedly rejected his NUT recommendations to introduce uniform education in Nigeria. After national independence, Ikoku and his union were vindicated, when these recommendations became the basis for education policy in the new nation. 

Upon retiring from government politics, Ikoku served on various educational bodies in the country. He was a member of the West African Educational Council (WAEC) and the Council of the University of Ibadan as well as Chairman, Board of Governors of the Aviation Training Centre. Honours for his contribution to education in Nigeria include an honorary Doctorate in Law (1965) at a special convocation of the University of Ibadan, the establishment of the Alvan Ikoku College of Education, and his commemoration on a bill of Nigerian currency, the Ten Naira note. He died on November 18, 1971. 

-(NAN)