Court Reinstates Rivers State University Professor Ngerebo-A

Port Harcourt – The National Industrial Court sitting in Port Harcourt has ordered the reinstatement of a purportedly dismissed lecturer of Rivers State University, Professor Tamunonimim A. Ngerebo-a.

In her judgment, the presiding judge, Hon. Justice E. I. Kola-Olalere, held that the dismissal of the claimant by Rivers State University did not comply with the institution’s laws and regulations and was therefore unlawful.

As previously reported by NaijaChoice News, Professor Ngerebo-a of the Department of Banking and Finance, Faculty of Management Sciences, was dismissed by the 12th Governing Council of Rivers State University under the then Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Opuenebo Owei, in October 2019 for gross misconduct bordering on sorting and extortion of money from students.

Professor Ngerebo-a had approached the court in 2019 challenging his dismissal from the university and sought reinstatement.

The court consequently ordered that he be reinstated to the service of Rivers State University with effect from October 10, 2019, and directed the university to pay all his salaries and allowances from that date.

Justice Kola-Olalere further ruled that the outstanding salaries and allowances must be paid within three months.

The judgment also allows Professor Ngerebo-a to be eligible for reassessment for promotion to Professor after serving three years in his reinstated position.

The court made no order as to cost in the judgment.

Meanwhile, the matter has been conclusively closed following the signing of Terms of Settlement between Rivers State University and Professor Ngerebo-a, as confirmed by the immediate past Registrar, Mrs. Ibimonia B. S. Harry, and the current Vice Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi.

When contacted, a highly elated Professor Tamunonimim Ngerebo-a confirmed that “the non-ethnic, digital, proactive, peaceful, humane and progressive Vice Chancellor, acting on the 14th Governing Council of the University, facilitated my reinstatement and restoration of all my rights as Professor. I am indebted to the Governing Council, Vice Chancellor and Management of the University for this kind gesture.”

The development comes barely a year after Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi assumed office as the 12th Vice-Chancellor of the university in March 2025, bringing his well-documented focus on digital innovation, peaceful administration and staff welfare to bear on resolving long-standing internal matters.