The University of Benin (UNIBEN) has appointed Professor Edoba Bright Omoregie as its 11th Vice Chancellor. The announcement was made by the Pro-Chancellor, Professor Shaibu Umaru, during a meeting of the Governing Council on Friday.
Professor Omoregie, who is set to take office on December 1, 2024, will succeed Professor Lilian Salami, the university’s second female vice-chancellor. Salami has been noted for her exemplary performance, following in the footsteps of the institution’s first female vice-chancellor, Professor Grace Alele-Williams.
Umaru highlighted that Omoregie was selected from a pool of 27 applicants for the prestigious role. Born on April 5, 1969, in Benin Kingdom, Edo State, Omoregie is a distinguished academic specializing in Comparative Constitutional Law and Legislative Governance.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Omoregie was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1992 after receiving his legal education at the University of Benin and the Nigerian Law School in Lagos. He has been a lecturer in UNIBEN’s Faculty of Law since January 1998 and holds a PhD in Comparative Constitutional Law, focusing on federalism and governance.
Over the years, Omoregie has risen through the ranks and became a Professor of Law in 2015. His expertise includes Legislative Drafting and Process, and he has taught at the postgraduate level for over a decade in collaboration with the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS).
Currently, he serves as the Acting Director of the Department of Legislative Support Services at NILDS, a position he has held since October 2019. Omoregie is also a prolific writer, with over 150 publications in various academic platforms, covering topics such as federalism, constitutionalism, and human rights.
In addition to his academic pursuits, he is an active member of several international legal and academic organizations, including the International Bar Association and the Commonwealth Association of Legislative Counsel.