There are tenures that pass as routine administrative phases, and there are tenures that become enduring legacies. As the Igbo adage says, “Ihe a na-eme nke ọma anaghị efu n’ala” — what is done well is never lost to the ground.
On September 3, 2025, a significant chapter closed at Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State (AE-FUNAI), as the Head of the Department of English and Literary Studies formally handed over leadership after a remarkable two-year tenure. Yet, in many ways, what ended was not influence, but office — for legacies do not resign; they endure.
Prof. Romanus Nwoma, PhD, Associate Professor of African Literature, had the rare privilege of leading the Department on two different occasions (2020–2021 and 2023–2025). Both periods were defined by vision, institutional renewal, academic expansion, and intellectual depth. Truly, “Onye kwe, chi ya ekwe” — when conviction aligns with purpose, history is made.
At the centre of his leadership philosophy was the belief that leadership is not merely a title, but a responsibility to reshape thought, inspire innovation, and expand possibilities. Under his stewardship, the Department pursued a bold ambition: to emerge as one of the foremost Departments of English and Literary Studies in Nigeria.
One of the most enduring milestones of his administration was the establishment of the Writers’ Village — a creative sanctuary envisioned as an intellectual ecosystem for writers, scholars, and literary thinkers. With institutional approval secured for a vast expanse of land measuring 31,127.952 square meters, the dream gradually began to take physical shape.
In the wisdom of the elders, “Aka aja aja na-ebute ọnụ mmanụ mmanụ” — diligent hands eventually attract honour and reward.
The project, supported by the University administration, including the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Sunday Elom, alongside other critical stakeholders, commenced with landscaping and tree planting, symbolising growth rooted in patience, vision, and continuity.
Curricular innovation also became a defining feature of the tenure. Leveraging the 30% flexibility provision in the NUC curriculum, the Department introduced practical and forward-looking courses such as ENG 113 (Public Speaking I) and ENG 114 (Public Speaking II) to strengthen students’ rhetorical competence, confidence, and global relevance. As tradition reminds us, “Okwu bụ ike” — speech is power.
This academic advancement gained further international relevance through a strategic collaboration with Prof. Ben Voth of Southern Methodist University, Dallas, USA, who facilitated virtual instruction in rhetoric and public speaking. The partnership effectively bridged local classrooms with global academic discourse.
Postgraduate studies equally witnessed remarkable progress during the period, with the successful graduation of MA and PhD candidates, many of whom had been admitted during his earlier administration. The presence of distinguished scholars such as Prof. A. N. Akwanya, alongside other accomplished academics within the Department, further strengthened a culture of rigorous scholarship, mentorship, and critical inquiry.
Another landmark achievement was the hosting of the Department’s first International Conference and Literary Arts Festival — a platform that brought together scholars, writers, and students to engage global conversations in literature, creativity, and cultural expression. As the elders would say, “Ọkụkọ sị na ya tụrụ ụra n’ụlọ mmadụ, ọ ga-esi n’ụlọ ahụ mara ụtụtụ” — when one is nurtured in knowledge, it eventually reflects in visibility and distinction.
In his reflections, gratitude was extended to colleagues, collaborators, students, and family members, especially his wife, whose emotional and spiritual support remained invaluable throughout the journey. Yet, beyond every achievement lies the deeper acknowledgment: “Not unto us, O Lord, but unto Your name be the glory.”
In the end, this was not merely a tenure; it was a season of transformation. And in the memory of institutions, such seasons do not fade — they echo through generations.
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