As the countdown begins to another birthday anniversary, the Vice-Chancellor of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, Engr. Prof. Isaac N. Itodo, FAEng, FNSE, FNIAE, FSESN, NPOM, has shared a personal reflection titled _”48 HOURS TO A MILESTONE — A MOMENT TO REFLECT.”

According to the statement released by his Publicity Team, Prof. Itodo said he has taken a moment to pause, reflect and look back with gratitude. He noted that reading through the bio-sketch of his journey has been both humbling and deeply reflective.

“Beyond the titles, appointments, awards and recognitions are decades of learning, service, mentorship, scholarship and, above all, the grace of God,” he stated. “I thought to share it with you as I approach this milestone — not merely as a celebration of age, but as a reflection on a journey that has taken me through different places, institutions, responsibilities, opportunities and seasons of service.”

Early Life and Education

Engr. Prof. Isaac Nathaniel Itodo was born sixty-two (62) years ago in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria. He attended various primary schools in Kano, Sokoto, Afikpo, Abakaliki, Enugu and Kaduna between 1968 and 1975. He attended the famous Mount Saint Gabriel’s Secondary School, Makurdi from 1976 to 1981.

He obtained a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Agricultural Engineering in 1986, a Master of Science degree in 1989 and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in December 1993 from the University of Ibadan. He is a certified Occupational and Safety Health Administration (OSHA) Engineer of the USA (2014) and holds human resources management and development certificates from leadership training institutes in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Mauritius, Seychelles, China, France, Ghana and the United Kingdom.

Awards, Honours and Fellowships

Professor Itodo was awarded the Kassel University, Germany scholarship for scientists from developing countries for the International Solar Energy Society (ISES) Solar World Congress in 2011. He was President of Solar Energy Society of Nigeria, one of the most sought-after of the learned societies from 2016 to 2019 and is a Life Member of the society. He is currently the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Solar Energy Society of Nigeria.

The Nigerian Society of Engineers, Makurdi awarded him the Excellence Award as an Academic Icon in the Engineering Profession in 2016. The University of Agriculture Makurdi Alumni Association awarded him the Distinguished Award of Excellence (Academic) in 2022. Professor Itodo was conferred with the national honour of National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM) by the Federal Government of Nigeria through President Muhammadu Buhari in 2021.

He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering (FAEng) since 2021, Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (FNSE-5658) since 2009, Fellow of Solar Energy Society of Nigeria (FSESN), and Fellow of the Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineers (FNIAE). He is also a member of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) and member of the International Solar Energy Society (ISES).

He holds the Igala national honour of ‘Commander of the Igala Kingdom’ conferred on him by the Igala Cultural and Development Association (2007).

Academic and Administrative Career

Professor Itodo started his academic career as Graduate Assistant in the Department of Agricultural Engineering, University of Jos in 1987 (39 years ago) and rose to the rank of Professor in October 2003 (23 years ago). He was Head, Department of Agricultural Engineering from 1996 to 2000; Deputy Dean, from 2001 to 2002; Dean, College of Engineering from 2005 to 2008. He was Editor of the University journal – Journal of Agriculture, Science and Technology (JAST) from 2005 to 2007. He was Hall Adviser, Hostel D (2005 – 2007). He was Programme Leader, Technology and Environment, Institute of Food Security (IFS) from 2010 to 2011 and was Director of Linkages of the university from 2013 to 2018. Professor Itodo was appointed the 7th Vice Chancellor of the Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi in February, 2023.

Professor Itodo was a member of the Governing Council of the University from 2003 to 2007 and has Chaired several standing committees of the university: University Corporate Image Committee (2006), Public and Inaugural Lecture Committee (2009 – 2012) and the University Sports Committee (2011 – 2018). He Coordinated the UAM/NNPC Automotive Ethanol Biomass Programme (2006 – 2017) and was Chairman, Pope John Paul II Catholic Chaplaincy (2012 – 2016). He won the Outstanding Service Award of the University of Agriculture, Makurdi in 2014.

Mentorship, Research and Publications

Professor Itodo has supervised over fifty (50) undergraduate and twenty – five (25) postgraduate diploma projects; twenty – one (21) Master of Engineering degree and twelve (12) Doctor of Philosophy degree theses. He has attracted research grants to train postgraduate students; Eight (8) of his former postgraduate students are now Professors. He is currently editor/member of editorial board of nine (9) learned societies and university-based journals. He was a Slumberger Nig. Ltd Mentor to the SEED programme of the Nigeria Academy of Science.

Professor Itodo holds two (2) Nigerian patents of a yam-in-mound harvesting machine and an improved acha dehulling machine. He is author of the books ‘Agricultural Energy Technology’ and ‘Biogas Technology in Nigeria’ published by the CRC Press, London. He has one hundred and twenty-five (125) publications. His publication ‘The effects of biogas fuel in an electric generator on greenhouse gas emission, power output and fuel consumption’ in the Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) won the 3rd best engineering academic publication in Nigeria in 2019. Professor Itodo is also a poet, having published poems in anthologies.

Professor Itodo has attended one hundred and eight (108) national and international conferences/workshops and presented forty – six (46) papers as Keynote, Guest or Lead Speaker. He has presented papers at learned conferences in South Africa, USA, Germany, Republic of Benin and Canada.

Professional and National Service

Professor Itodo was Chairman/member of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) and the National Universities Commission (NUC) accreditation committees to twenty – three (23) universities. Professor Itodo was the Technical Secretary of the Committee of Deans of Engineering and Technology of Nigerian Universities (CODET) from 2008 to 2010. He was appointed Reviewer of the new curriculum (CCMAS) of the Agricultural Engineering programme by the National Universities Commission in 2021. He is currently the Chief External Examiner, Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for Benue State since 2025.

He was Chief Examiner, Agricultural Engineering, Makurdi zonal office of COREN from 2002 to 2012. He was appointed an Engineering Regulation and Monitoring (ERM) Inspector by COREN in 2013. He was member of several committees of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), which include the committee on one-year compulsory internship for graduate engineers and the establishment of school of engineering practice in 2006. He has also served on the Education Committee (2008 – 2010) and the Civil, Agriculture and Inter-Disciplinary Board of the NSE (2017 – 2019). He is currently the Chairman, Agricultural Engineering Curriculum Review Committee of the Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineers (NIAE) since 2021. He is currently the Vice Chairman of the Agriculture committee and member of the Membership Committee of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering (NAE).

International and Inter-University Contributions

Professor Itodo has served on several international and national committees. He was Team Lead and Consultant to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) between 1997 and 1998. He is currently a member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, appointed by the Federal Government in 2023. He is also currently a member of the Board of Trustees of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Associations Alliance of Nigeria (REEEA-N) of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, Abuja.

He served on the technical committees that developed the bio-fuels training manual and development of standards for bio-fuels production in Nigeria for the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) in 2008. He was Chairman, Technical Sub-Committee of the Nigerian Universities Games Association (NUGA) that held at the University of Agriculture, Makurdi in 2014. He was 2nd Vice President of the Conference of Alumni Associations of Nigerian Universities (CAANU) from 2005 to 2007 and currently the Provost of the Mt. St. Gabriel Old Boys Association since 2023. He was appointed Chairman, Presidential Visitation Panel to the Federal University, Gusau by the Federal Government in 2021.

Professor Itodo has contributed to the development of other Nigerian universities. He was External Examiner to twenty-five (25) M. Eng and sixteen (16) PhD candidates across nine (9) universities and External Examiner to the undergraduate programme of three (3) universities. He has assessed fifty (50) candidates from seventeen (17) universities for promotion to the professorial rank. He was a member of the steering committee for the establishment of the Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Benue State University, Makurdi from 2002 to 2003. He was Consultant to the Benue State University for the establishment of the Faculties of Engineering and Agriculture (2019). He was a consultant and member of the Renewable Energy for Economic Development Consultative Committee, National Centre for Energy and Environment, University of Benin (2012 – 2016). He has served as External Assessor for the appointment of Vice Chancellors of some Nigerian universities.

Personal Life and Closing Reflection

Professor Itodo is married to Grace and they are blessed with a daughter, Iye. His hobbies are playing the game of squash racquet, reading and watching football.

As the countdown continues, he expressed gratitude: “I am grateful for the journey, grateful for the people God has placed along the way, grateful for the privilege to serve, and grateful for every opportunity to contribute to the growth of our institutions, our profession and our nation.”

48 hours to another year. 48 hours to another chapter. 48 hours to pause, reflect and give thanks.

The journey continues

The service continues

The work continues

Engr. Prof. Isaac N. Itodo, FAEng, FNSE, FNIAE, FSESN, NPOM

Vice-Chancellor, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi

Facebook Handle: Prof. Isaac N. Itodo

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FAQ SECTION

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FAQ 1

Who is Isaac Itodo?

Isaac Nathaniel Itodo is a Nigerian professor of Agricultural Engineering and the Vice-Chancellor of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi.

FAQ 2

How old is Isaac Itodo?

According to the provided biography, Professor Isaac Itodo was born in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria, and the reflection identifies him as 62 years old at the time of publication.

FAQ 3

When did Isaac Itodo become Vice-Chancellor of JOSTUM?

Professor Isaac Itodo was appointed the 7th Vice-Chancellor of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, in February 2023.

FAQ 4

What did Isaac Itodo study?

He obtained a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Agricultural Engineering in 1986, followed by an MSc in 1989 and a PhD in December 1993 from the University of Ibadan.

FAQ 5

How many publications does Isaac Itodo have?

The provided biography states that Professor Itodo has 125 publications.

FAQ 6

What are Prof. Isaac N. Itodo’s major areas of expertise?

The biography highlights Agricultural Engineering, renewable energy, research, university administration, engineering education and professional service.