By Presidential Decrees No. 2017/317 and 2017/318 of 27 June 2017 respectively, a new Pro-Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor were appointed at the University of Buea.
Professor Ngomo Horace Manga, new Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buea, was installed by the Minister of Higher Education on Monday, 10 July 2017. He was given instructions “to make UB the place of our dreams… and the best amongst the best”. Professor Manga replaces Professor Nalova Lyonga. Before his appointment as Vice-Chancellor, Professor Manga was the Secretary-General at the Ministry of Higher Education.
He was installed alongside Professor Ako Edward Oben, who is taking over from Professor Maurice Tchuente as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council. Professor Ako is coming from the University of Maroua where he served as Rector.
Meanwhile, Professor Maurice Tchuente was transferred to the University of Yaounde II to serve in the same capacity.
Profile of New Pro-Chancellor
The new Pro-Chancellor of the University of Buea, Professor Ako Edward Oben, is a distinguished Administrator and Professor of American and Commonwealth Literatures.
Professor Ako Edward Oben, until 5 pm of 27 June 2017 was the Rector of the University of Maroua.
He was born in Ossing, Eyumojock subdivision, Manyu Division of the SWR.
Professor Ako Oben obtained his PhD in comparative Literature from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and U.S.A in 1982, having worked with Professors Owen Aldridge, Francois Jost and Richard Barksdale.
In 1978, he obtained a Master of Arts degree in Afro-American Studies from Atlanta University, Georgia, U.S.A. with emphasis on African American, Afro-French and Caribbean Literatures.
A former pupil of the Basel Mission School, Osing from 1956 – 1963, the young Ako then moved to the Bilingual Grammar School, Man O’War Bay and later to the Cameroon College of Arts, Science and Technology where he obtained his GCE Ordinary and Advanced level papers respectively.
Professor Ako Edward Oben has served the state in many capacities. His coming to the University of Buea as Pro-Chancellor is not a field of discovery for him after working at the helm of the University of Maroua for 9 years, from 2008 – 2017. As Rector of the University of Maroua, he was in charge of managing the academic and administrative structures of the University.
From 2003 – 2008, he served as Technical Adviser at the Presidency of the Republic of Cameroon, where he was in charge of the Division of Cultural and Social Affairs and coordinated the activities of more than ten ministerial departments.
From 2000 – 2003: He was Vice Rector in charge of Research and Cooperation, at the University of Yaounde I, where he coordinated National, Inter-African and International cooperation ties and oversaw university research development. He was also the Focal Point of the Association of African Universities, in the University of Yaounde I during this period.
From 2000 – 2008: He was member of the Cameroon Consultative Committee of University Institutions (CCIU).
From 2001 – 2008: he occupied the following positions:
Member of the Cameroon Scientific Evaluation Committee for the promotion of University lecturers (CSE).
Member of the University of Yaounde I Commission for the Recruitment of Lecturers (CCRA).
Member of the Advisory Council of the African Virtual Library and Information Network (AVLIN) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).
1998 – 2000: Vice Rector in charge of Academic Affairs, The University of Yaounde I where he coordinated all aspects of teaching in the Faculties and School of the University.
1997 – 1998: Vice Rector, UYI. At the time when there was only one Vice Rector in the Cameroon University System. He was therefore in charge of overseeing all aspect of University Management and ran the institution in the absence of the Rector.
He has been Dean of Student Social Services, Assistant Dean of Student Services, Assistant Rapporteur General of the National Scholarship Commission of the Republic of Cameroon, Board member of the Office du Baccalaureat du Cameroun, Chairman of the Academic Advisory Council amongst others.
He has held numerous awards and distinctions such as:
1st Vice President of the Executive Council of the Association of African Universities.
Member, Executive Council of the Federation of Universities of the Islamic World.
Elected Member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities Council.
Commander of the National Order of Valour.
Designated Manager of the year 2009 by the Groupe Africain d’Excellence.
Knight of the Cameroon Order of Valour (Chevalier de l’Ordre de la Valeur) nd many others.
Amongst his Civic and Political Activities, he is:
Project Chairman, Ossing Development and Cultural Association (ODCA).
Assistant Secretary General, Manyu Elements Cultural Association (MECA), Yaoundé branch.
Chargé de mission of the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) for Manyu Division.
He is member to several professional associations and he has published extensively in renowned scientific journals
He has supervised more than 20 Ph.Ds students in the areas of English, American and Commonwealth/Postcolonial literatures; over 40 students for the Master’s degree, and more than 30 for the Diplôme d’Etudes Approfondies (DEA) or Certificate of Advanced Studies.
He is married with four children
Profile of Professor Ngomo Horace Manga,
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buea
The new Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buea, Professor Ngomo Horace Manga is an astute Administrator and a distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering.
Until his appointment on 27 June 2017 as Vice-Chancellor of the Univerity of Buea, Professor Manga was Secretary-General at the Ministry of Higher Education.
Professor Ngomo Horace Manga was born in Meka, Ndian Division of the South West Region.
Education
After his Primary Education at the St Peters Primary School, Mundemba and St. Pius Primary School, Buea Station, respectively, he would move to Government High School, Mamfe : between 1973- 1978 Obtaining 9 Papers at the GCE Ordinary Level.
1978- 1980: He attended the Cameroon College of Arts and Science, Kumba, where he Obtained 5 Science papers at the Advanced Level.
Due to his brilliant performance, he was awarded a Cameroon Government Scholarship, which enabled him to study Chemical Engineering at the University of Lagos, Nigeria, between 1980- 1984
1984- 1985: Master’s in Chemical Engineering; University of Lagos
1987- 1991: Ph.D in Chemical Engineering; University of Lagos, with Specialty: Reforming Catalysts Deactivation
As a Patriotic citizen, He then returned home to begin a career in the academia
Professional
1992- 1998: Lecturer in the Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Science of the University of Yaounde I.
December 2011: He was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Yaoundé I.
1999- 2012: Technical adviser, Cabinet of the P.M, Cameroon where he was in-charge of
2012- 2017 : Secretary General, MINESUP where he assisted the minister in the day-to-day Administrative and Financial management of the Ministry.
He is member to several professional societies including the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.
He has attended several Local, Regional and International Scientific meetings where he presented papers.
His Research Interests are in:
(1)Reforming Catalysts Activity
(2)Adsorption with Porous Adsorbents
(3)Renewable Energy
Supervision of students:
And has published extensively in peer-reviewed International Journals
He is married with children
