The Nigerian National Merit Award Centre, Abuja, became the stage of national celebration on Thursday, November 27, 2025, as Dr. Basilia Nkemdilim Igbokwe, the visionary Rector of the Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri, was conferred with the prestigious Best Rector of the Year 2025 Award by the International Association of Research Scholars and Administrators (IARSA).
According to the statement released by the the rector’s special assistant on media matters, Noble Uchegbu Uchechukwu Zachariah on Saturday and made available to newsmen, this landmark recognition crowned a two-day Global Researchers’ Award event held from November 26–27, 2025, which attracted scholars, global research leaders, institutional administrators, and major corporate organisations from across Nigeria and beyond.
In its approval letter, IARSA praised Dr. Igbokwe as “a preeminent leader of integrity whose contributions to academic excellence, infrastructural development, digital innovation, and student welfare stand as a model to institutions across Africa.” Her administration’s achievements, ranging from the Polytechnic’s rising research profile to its digital transformation, environmental renewal, and student-centred reforms made her selection both deserving and historic.
The Rector was ably represented at the Abuja event by her Brand Ambassador and School Orator, Dr. Anayo Uhiara, who stood on her behalf with the poise, dignity, and eloquence befitting her office. He was accompanied by a dedicated delegation of distinguished staff: Nwankwo Miriam Okeoma (Assistant Chief Executive Officer), Onwubiko Queen (Assistant Chief Executive Officer), and Susan Ibiam (Principal Executive Officer).
Together, they received the Rector’s plaque, certificate, and emblem of honour, symbolising Federal Polytechnic Nekede’s rising stature in the academic and research community.
The award ceremony also honoured several outstanding personalities and organisations. Julius Berger Plc received high recognition in the corporate category, while Federal Polytechnic Ede won the Best Polytechnic Award, adding more prestige to the evening. The event brought together national achievers, innovation drivers, and educational front-runners.
Dr. Igbokwe’s recognition as Best Rector of the Year 2025 is a testament to the institutional renaissance currently unfolding at Federal Polytechnic Nekede. It affirms her visionary leadership, her unrelenting drive for academic quality, her commitment to digital transformation, her passion for student welfare, and the emergence of FPNO as a competitive, forward-looking institution in Nigeria’s tertiary education space.
This award is not just her win; it is a win for Federal Polytechnic Nekede, for Imo State, and for the Nigerian research community at large.
