CAREER AND ADMISTRATIVE EXPERIENCE: Prof. Zeb-Obipi was employed by the Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt in 1997 as an Assistant Lecturer, from the Post Primary School Management Board where he was first employed as Master Grade II in 1991 but rose to the rank of Senior Master (Economics), before transferring his service. He rose through the ranks to become a Professor of Management in 2018 with specialization in Organizational Behaviour, Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations; subjects he has taught for nearly twenty-eight years with over 100 publications and, produced over sixty doctoral graduates.
Prof. Zeb-Obipi is the most senior Professor in the Department of Employment Relations and Human Resource Management, was the Director of the University’s Information and Communication Technology Centre (ICTC), University Orator, 79th Inaugural Lecturer, a member of the Senate, Management Committee and 14th Governing Council of this University. Other positions he has held include Course and Student Association Adviser, Programme Coordinator, Departmental and Faculty Examination Officer, Faculty Associate Dean, Dean of Student Affairs (DSA), and President of the University Senior Staff Club. He has also served as the Rivers State Branch Vice Chairman and National Secretary of the University Alumni Association and Alumni Representative in the 12th Governing Council of the University. He has to his credit, Management, Senate and Council committees’ Chairmanship/membership; and student, union, community, and gown-town leadership.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND INNOVATIONS: Prof. Zeb-Obipi, through his various positions of service in the University, has acquired immense experience in university administration and demonstrated impressive communication, interpersonal, leadership and problem-solving skills; resulting in achievements and innovations that are widely acknowledged within and outside the University. As a Faculty Examination Officer, he helped to lead the transition from manual/analogue, to digital/electronic, management of results and earned an award for contributing to ICT development in education (ICT4D) in Nigeria. As Acting Head, Department of Management, he designed the tabular outlay of examination offences and penalties now found in departmental, faculty and student handbooks. He also introduced the lecture series of professional bodies such as the Chartered Institute of Personal Management (CIPM) for our students.
As Acting Head, Department of Office and Information Management, he restored peace in a department known for rancour, reviewed its programme to make it a “living discipline” that attracted increased student enrolment into the Department, and employed the Course Adviser practice to mentor students from years one to final year; that led to the eventual production of first-class graduates of the Department after a very long while. They are all lecturers in the Department now with doctorate degrees. As DSA, he facilitated the completion and handover of two hostels by the NDDC and FCMB to the University, introduced electronic voting for student union elections, restored the SRC and SJC arms of the SUG, facilitated the building of the SUG and NURSS Secretariats by the State Government, ensured non-interference and legacy project policies in student union management, and instituted a dialogue culture with the creation of a Dialogue Centre as an objective referent. These explain why there are no major disruptive actions by students for a long time.
As President of the University Senior Staff Club, he resolved the conflict that divided the Club into “Senate vs House of Representative Chambers”- a division that made the elections from which I emerged as President the most competitive election the Club had ever had. He gave the Club its slogan and philosophy of socio-intellectualism; and introduced the Vice-Chancellor Cup inter-union football match to engender comradeship among the staff unions on campus. As the Director of the ICT, he created the team-service line organization with the ant philosophy and tortoise metaphor, set up board and conference rooms for the Centre with smart features for local, national and international meetings or conferences, engineered the “result-before-excuse” culture, and started the annual onboarding, organization-wide evaluation and reward, and thanksgiving ceremony that has spread across the University. Every section of the University now holds one, in one form or the other.
As the longest serving University Orator, from the 12th Convocation Lecture and later the 34th Inaugural Lecture, he has read the citations of over 71 of the University’s 109 inaugural lecturers, and majority of the Convocation, Validatory, Special Convocation and Public lectures in this University. Serving as Chairman of the Cultural Day, Convocation Lecture and Novelty Football Match Subcommittees of the Senate Ceremonial Committee (simultaneously or at different times), he introduced several innovations such as themes, programme officers, invitation of relevant icons, detail order of events and brochure. It is worthy of note that through these innovations, he had Hon. Austin Opara endow a Professorial Chair in Marketing and Chief Adokiye Amiesimaka presented sports equipment to the University worth millions of naira.
APPOINTMENT AS 12TH VICE-CHANCELLOR: From amongst 15 candidates that applied for the position of Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi emerged the best with a score of over 90% in an interview conducted by the Joint Council-Senate Selection Committee. Accepting the interview results, the 14th Governing Council recommended him and two others to the Visitor of the University. In accordance with the Rivers State University Law, Number 4, 2017, the Visitor and Governor of Rivers State approved his appointment as the 12th Vice-Chancellor of the Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt with effect from Thursday, March 6, 2025.
