Professor Andrew Onokerhoraye attended University of Ibadan from 1967 to 1970. He graduated with a B.Sc. degree in Geography (second class upper division). He won the University of Ibadan Prize for the Best Graduating Student in Geography that year. During his undergraduate days at the University of Ibadan, he was a Federal Government Scholar and he also won the Midwest Government Scholarship Award in his first year at the University.

In 1971, he won three postgraduate Scholarships to study Geography at the London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London with specialization on regional planning.

• The Midwest Postgraduate Scholarship
• The Commonwealth Postgraduate Scholarship and
• The Federal Government Scholarship, which he utilized.

After three years of postgraduate study at the London School of Economics and Political Science, he obtained the PhD in Geography in 1974 having been exempted from the Masters Degree programme. Professor Onokerhoraye came from NISER, Ibadan to the University of Benin in 1980 as a Senior Lecturer and rose rapidly to the position of Professor in 1982.

Professor Onokerhoraye has served the University of Benin in various administrative capacities. He was Head, Department of Geography and Regional Planning, 1981 – 1984, Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, 1986 – 1990, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration) 1990 – 1992). In November, 1992 Professor Onokerhroaye was appointed Vice- Chancellor and remained in that position till March 1998. He was the first staff of the University of Benin to be appointed its Vice-Chancellor. He later proceeded to Harvard University, Boston, USA as a visiting Professor in the Department of Population and International Health of Harvard School of Public Health from September 1998 to 1999.

Professor Onokerhoraye University career spans over a period of thirty- five years. He has taught undergraduate and postgraduate courses at the University of Ibadan, the University of Benin and Harvard University, Boston, USA. He has successfully supervised over forty (40) Masters Degree and fifteen (15) PhD students. Six of his former PhD students are now Professors in various Universities in Nigeria and abroad. One of them at present is a Vice-Chancellor.

An erudite Scholar with special interest in Urban and Regional Development Planning, Professor Andrew Onokerhoraye has carried out over fifty (50) research projects. His recognition internationally as a distinguished researcher and Scholar is reflected in the fact that most research projects in the last twenty (20) years were funded by international organizations including:

• Rockefeller Foundation, USA in 1986 and 1992
• African Development Foundation, USA in 1990
• World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva in 1989 and 2001
• Ford Foundation, USA in 1988
• Carnegie Corporation, USA in 1998
• Cordiad, Netherlands, in 2001 and 2003
• World Bank, Washington, 2002
• European Commission, Brussels in 2002
• Shell Foundation, London in 2003
• Mark Arthur Foundation, USA in 2004
• Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), Rome in 2006 and
• United Nations Development Program (UNDP) New York in 2005 and 2006.

Professor Andrew Onokerhoraye has served as a Consultant to many International Organisations as well as the Federal and State Governments on various development issues. He has also served as Chairman and member of several boards and committees set up by governments at the federal and state levels.

Professor Andrew Onokerhoraye has over 120 publications in the form of learned journals, articles, Chapters in books and books which are published locally and internationally. His latest book titled On the Hot Seat: The Memoirs of a Vice-Chancellor is an 850 page documentary of his experiences as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin. From the reviews of the book, it is mandatory for any administrator in a Nigerian University to read the book. He has delivered over 30 key note addresses and public lectures in the last ten (10) years.

Professor Onokerhoraye is happily married to Mrs Josephine Bosede Onokerhoraye (Nee Okolete) with whom he has four lovely children- Onoriode, Onajite, Oghenekevwe and Akpor. This brilliant Scholar and seasoned University Administrator have seen it all in the University system. He was a Head of Department, Dean, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor. It is therefore my privilege to present to you Professor Andrew G. Onokerhoraye as the first Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council of Western Delta University, Oghara.

Professor Peter Hugbo had his secondary education in Government College, Ughelli, Delta State, from 1953 - 1957 and rounded it up with a Higher School Certificate in 1959 in the same institution.

His bachelors degree in Pharmacy was obtained from Sunderland Polytechnic, Faculty of Pharmacy, in England with honours in 1964. Thereafter he attended Chelsea College, University of London for masters and doctorate degrees in 1968 and 1973 respectively

He joined the services of University of Benin as a Senior Lecturer in 1977 from the University of Ife now (Obafemi Awolowo University) where he was between 1973 – 1976. He became Professor of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin in 1985.

At various times Professor Hugbo was Head, Pharmaceutical Microbiology for a total of 15 years. He was also Dean, Faculty of Pharmacy from 1990 – 1994.

A distinguished scholar and a cost-effective manager , Professor Hugbo has published over 43 articles in learned Journals, largely overseas, supervised over 14 students for the masters degree and one for PhD degree and attended over 18 International Learned Conferences/Congresses. At different times and for several years, he served as External Examiner for the B.Pharm degree in the following universities: Obafemi Awolowo University, Ahmadu Bello University, University of Jos. He was equally an external examiner for Postgraduate degrees of MSc/PhD to Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Nigeria, Ahmadu Bello, Ibadan and Lagos Universities. He has served on the editorial board of no less than 9 Science Journals.

Professor Hugbo served the University of Benin in numerous capacities including Chairman of Security Committee for 6 years, Chairman Anatomy Embalming management Committee, member representing Senate in Tenders Board, University of Benin Teaching Hospital Management Board. etc

Professor Hugbo won many distinctions, awards and fellowships in the course of his academic career. He won the Pfizer Prize, for best overall student in Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutics Technology in B. Pharm Degree Examination in 1963/64 session, Federal Government Scholarships (secondary and post secondary) Glaxo Nigeria Travel Fellowship, International Congress Chemotherapy, Stockholm Sweden 1993, May & Baker Travel Fellowship earlier in 1981 and ICI in 1980.

He also won CIDA/ NSERC, Research Fellowship which took him to the University of British Columbia, Canada in 1994 and 1995. 

After his retirement from the University of Benin, he was invited to render his services again to the Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island Bayelsa State where as Dean, he midwifed the Faculty of Pharmacy to full NUC accreditation of the programmes. It was from the Niger Delta University that he was appointed the pioneer Vice-Chancellor of Western Delta University (WDU), Oghara.

He resumed duty on 1 April 2008.  

Prof. Godini Gabriel Darah from Esaba in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State was the Project Coordinator of the Western Delta University, Oghara, from 2004 – 2007. He is a Trustee of the Urhobo Advancement Foundation, the proprietor of the University. Darah is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Western Delta University.

Professor Darah holds B.A (English) and Ph.D (Oral Literature) from the University of Ibadan. He is a Professor of Oral Literature and Folklore at Delta State University, Abraka. He was Visiting Professor of African Folklore at the Northeastern University, Boston, United States of America. Darah was Member of the Nigeria-UNESCO Committee on Intangible Cultural Heritage and National Commission for Museums and Monuments.

He was Chairman of the Editorial Boards of Daily Times ( 1992 - 1995) and The Guardian ( 1995 – 2001). Professor Darah was the Special Adviser on Public Communications to the Governor ( 2003 – 2005) and the Chief of Staff, Government House, Asaba, ( 2005 – 2007 ) during the second tenure of Governor (Chief) James Onanefe Ibori

Mr. Egbri had his University education at the University of Ibadan from 1976 to 1979, when he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology. He also obtained a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Benin.

Mr. Egbri started his public service career in the then Bendel State Civil Service before joining the University of Benin in 1981 as an Administrative Officer. In about 26 years of his University career, Mr. Egbri worked in all the vital administrative segments of the University of Benin.

When it became necessary for Mr. Egbri to have the experience of Faculty Administration, he was moved to the Faculty of Dentistry from 1999 to 2003. He was later moved to the Council and Legal Matters Division of the Registry where he became the Head. He was also made the Head of Examinations and Records Division. Before Mr. Egbri disengaged from the University of Benin on 4th July, 2006, He was the Student Affairs Officer in the Student Affairs Division of the Vice-Chancellor`s Office.

He is a member of the Association of Universities Professional Administrators (ANUPA), an Associate member of Nigeria Institute of Public Relations, AMNIPR and member, Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM)

An accomplished scholar, Professor Joe Otubu was a head of Department in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Jos. Presently, he is a Professor of Gynaecology, University of Abuja.

He is Chairman of Mene Otubu Trust which, together with Urhobo Advancement Foundation, conceived the University project that gave birth to the Western Delta University. He served in the Project Implementation Committee (PIC) with total dedication and studiously kept assignments and turned up for meetings often at short notice from his base in Jos.

His membership of this first Governing Council of Western Delta University is quite fitting in realizing the vision of the founders of the University.

Professor (Mrs) Otete Cecilia Okobiah attended Carlow College, Pittsburg, USA from 1974 to 1977, Graduate School, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, USA from 1977-1978 and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where she obtained the Doctor of Philosophy in 1989. Her area of Specialisation is Guidance and Counseling.

Prof. Towuanse Simon Emudianughe hails from Unughovo, Oghara, in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State. He holds the degree of B.Sc and M.Sc Biology of the University of Oregon, Eugene, United States of America and a Ph.D in Biochemical Pharmacology, University of London, England.

He has been the Dean, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Delta State University, Abraka, since 2005. He was Acting Dean and Professor of Phamacology of the Faculty from 2001- 2005. Professor Emudianughe has also been a Visiting Professor at the Faculty of Health Sciences and School of Environmental Studies, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya, East Africa ( 1998 – 2000 ).

Born on 4th June 1940, Professor Sunday Mebradu had his early education in St. Michael`s Primary School, Okogbo (1953-1959) and Urhobo College, Effurun (1960-1964) and Federal School of Science, Lagos (1966-1967). He graduated from the University of Ibadan with a B.Sc Honours in Geology in 1971. Thereafter, he proceeded to Imperial College of Science and Technology, University of London where he obtained a Doctorate degree in Applied Palynology in Oil Technology in 1975.

Professor Mebradu joined the services of the University of Benin as a Lecturer1 in 1978 and steadily rose to the position of a Senior Lecturer in 1982. He later moved to the Ondo State University, Ado-Ekiti as an Associate Professor. He was promoted a Professor in 1998 at the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akoko-Akungba.

In the course of his academic career, Professor Mebradu won several scholarships/awards:

An accomplished scholar, Professor Mebradu has published over 20 articles, papers in both Local and International Journals. He equally attended many International Conferences. He was external examiner for Undergraduate and Postgraduate examinations at the Universities of Ibadan and Benin. At various times he was a Head of Department and Dean of Faculty.

Presently, he is the First Dean of the College of Natural and Applied Sciences, Western Delta University. He is happily married with children.

Representing National University Commission (NUC) is a member of the Governing Council. She is also a Director in the NUC.

Mr Ukperi is the Permanent Secretary Directorate of Higher Education, Delta State Ministry of Education. He represents the ministry in the Council.