How I grew from being a gate-man to a university don — Academic journey of Dr. Emmanuel Ibeh

By Ikechukwu Odu

At the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), the story of Dr. Emmanuel Ibeh stands as a powerful reminder that destiny sometimes finds people in places they never expected to be and elevates them beyond their wildest imaginations.

Today, Dr. Ibeh is a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) holder in Educational Management and a lecturer in ESUT. But his journey to the classroom began far from the lecture halls. It started quietly, almost unnoticed, at a security post.

In 2006, when ESUT was relocated to Agbani, Emmanuel Ibeh had no ambition of working in any government establishment, let alone as a security officer. Yet, providence had other ideas. Through community advocacy and an unexpected twist of fate, he found himself employed as a Grade Level 2 security officer at the university, a position that would become the unlikely foundation of an inspiring academic ascent.

Dr. Ibeh’s academic journey began with Political Science. He was initially admitted to study the course, but on the advice of his uncle, he made a decisive switch to Educational Management. It was a turning point that would later define his professional calling.

In 2006, the same year ESUT relocated to Agbani, he enrolled in the university’s sandwich programme, quietly laying the groundwork for a future that was still invisible to many around him. While others saw a security officer, Emmanuel Ibeh saw a student, a scholar, and a man in preparation.

His employment at ESUT came not through personal ambition but through selfless community service. Dr. Ibeh played a key role in advocating for employment opportunities for members of ESUT’s host communities (Agbani, Obe, Umueze, and Amurri)

As a member of Igwe’s cabinet of Amurri and the Onowu, he was privileged to represent his community in several engagements with ESUT authorities on issues relating to the institution’s Corporate Social Responsibilities to the host communities. During some of these engagements, he persistently made a case for the employment of some members of the host communities as part of the University’s CSR in their community.

His advocacy paid off when the ESUT Management decided to visit the traditional rulers of the host communities, instructing each to submit five candidates for employment.

When he submitted the list from his community to the then Vice-Chancellor of ESUT, Professor Ikechukwu Chidobem, something unexpected happened.

“He asked for my name,” Dr. Ibeh said. “I told him I was not ready to work in ESUT as a security officer. But he insisted.”

Unknown to him, his name was added to the list. It was only when he went to collect appointment letters for others that he discovered his own was included.

A Job he never planned for

Working as a security officer was never part of Dr. Ibeh’s plan. However, rather than see it as a setback, he treated it as a stepping stone. Almost immediately, he intensified his academic pursuits, determined not to remain stagnant.

“I didn’t waste time before pursuing higher degrees,” he said.

He wrote to the university management requesting conversion to administrative staff, but the request was not approved. Still, he remained focused. With patience and persistence, he continued his studies, earning his Master’s degree and enrolling for a Ph.D programme in Educational Management.

Then, in 2022, came the breakthrough. After submitting another letter to the management, this time while already enrolled in his Ph.D, the response was swift and life-changing.

“The next morning, I was called and told that my letter had been approved,” he said. “I was appointed an Assistant Lecturer by the present Management.

The moment remains unforgettable for Dr. Ibeh.

“I felt as if I was in heaven the day I got the news,” he said. “I concluded that God has positioned me where I belong.”

In 2025, nearly two decades after enrolling in the sandwich programme, he bagged his Doctor of Philosophy degree, completing a journey defined by resilience, faith, and unwavering determination.
Transitioning from security duty to lecturing was not without its challenges. Standing before students for the first time filled him with uncertainty.

“My first day in the classroom was like embarking on a journey to an unknown land,” he recalled. “I had not taught before.”

However, with the experience garnered in my previous roles as leader/ head of ESUT Choir/Band, coupled with the tips from my academic mentors and other leadership positions I held outside the lecture hall, I anchored my faith in God, prayed fervently before entering the classroom to teach. Today, the outcome speaks for itself.

“Students confess that they like attending my classes,” he said with quiet satisfaction.

Perhaps the most profound impact of Dr. Ibeh’s story lies in how it has inspired others, especially his former colleagues in the security department.

“My story inspired many people, particularly in the security unit, to enroll for further studies,” he said. “Some of them are my students now.”

From guarding university gates, to shaping young minds, Dr. Emmanuel Ibeh’s journey is a testament to the power of perseverance and the belief that no position is too small to birth a great destiny. At ESUT, his life story has become more than a personal triumph; it is a symbol of hope, proving that with focus, determination, and faith, one can rise from anywhere to become exactly what he was meant to be.

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