Prof. Samuel Okechukwu Onyekuru

Professor Samuel Okechukwu Onyekuru hails from Umuorii-Uratta in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State. After his primary and secondary schools education, he had a brief stint at Government Secondary School, Owerri for an Advanced level Certificate. Thereafter, he proceeded to the erstwhile Anambra State University of Technology (ASUTECH), Enugu, for his B.Sc. Certificate, and emerged as the Best Graduating Geoscience Student in the 1990/1991session.During the National Youth Service Corps programme in 1992, Professor Onyekuru worked as a Project Geologist with Kwara Water Corporation, Ilorin and later, Corps Liaison Officer, Ilorin West Local Government Area. He successfully mapped Ilorin and its Environs and was rewarded by the Ilorin West Local Government and NYSC with Honours Award and Commendation Certificate respectively.  His first teaching experience was a short stint as a Physics teacher at Irete Girls Secondary School, Owerri from 1993 to 1994. He was later employed as a Hydrogeologistfor Jagal Nig. Limited, Lagos (1994 -1997); Borehole Water Services Limited (BOWASEL) Lagos and its parent company, China Geo-engineering Corporation (CGC) Kaduna (1998-2002), where he rose from Senior Hydrogeologist to Chief Hydrogeologist/Project Manager in the Expansion of Gombe Township Water Project, between 1998-2002. Within these periods he completed the Petroleum Trust Fund Rural water projects in Abuja, FCT, Cross River including Bakassi, Kogi, Benue, Kaduna, Kano, Maiduguri, Sokoto and Zamfara States. Due to his love for academics, Professor Onyekuru resigned his job with CGC on February 19, 2002, to join the Federal University of Technology Owerri as an Assistant Lecturer. Within a period, he rose to the position of Senior Lecturer after obtaining a PhD degree in Petroleum/Sedimentary Geology from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) in 2010. With over 70 publications in various core geosciences disciplines, more than 18 years of lecturing experience under his belt and active participation in various software and field training here in Nigeria and abroad, Professor S.O. Onyekuru is an accomplished academician.

He had held some key positions in the University and Imo State, having served out a tenure as the Deputy/Ag. Director (2017), Institute of Erosion Studies, Head of Department, Department of Geology FUTO (2017-2019) and Electoral Commissioner Imo State Independent Electoral Commission, Owerri. Beyond the classroom and university administration, Professor. Onyekuru is an active member of several professional bodies including but not limited to NAPE, AAPG, NMGS, COMEG, etc. where he regularly brings his research findings to the industrial sector as a paper presenter and judge/panellist. He is also an external examiner to many Nigerian Universities. Professor Sam Onyekuru is a member of the order of Knight of St. Christopher (K.SC.), Owerri Council and is happily married to Lady Joy Chisom Onyekuru. They are blessed with 5 children.