Michael Okpara University of Agriculture

Agricultural university in Umudike, Nigeria

The Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, originally the Federal University of Agriculture, is a federal university in Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria was established as a specialized University by a Federal Government of Nigeria Decree No 48 of November 1992. It began formal activities in May 1993 with the appointment of the first Council and Vice Chancellor Professor Placid C. Njoku on 27 May 1993, while other key officials of the University were appointed later. The first set of students were admitted into the institution during the 1993/94 academic year with a student population of 82. The nickname "Umudykes" or "U'dykers" is used for students, alumni, and sports teams of the university. Vice Chancellor Professor Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe has hinted that the university will start engaging in commercial farming to support its internal generated revenues and better prepare the students for a complex and unpredictable future.

The Principal Officers which consist of the Chancellor, Pro Chancellor and the council, Vice Chancellor, Deputy Vice Chancellors (Academic and Administration), the Registrar, the Bursar, and the University Librarian.

The institution is located in the Agricultural Training and Research city of Umudike, about 10 kilometers from Umuahia (capital of Abia State). The major link road to the University is the Umuahia Ikot Ekpene Federal Road, a direct route to the State capitals of Abia, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States. Being close to Umuahia, the University is linked through a major North South Express Road to most part of the country. It commenced its activities on the premises of the former Federal College of Agriculture, Umudike which is currently located in Ishiagu, Ivo LGA of Ebonyi State and still goes by the name Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu.

In 1994, the Institution Library was established with the goal of supporting academic activities at the university, including teaching and learning, research, and community service. The Federal College of Agriculture, Umudike, and the library initially shared space, housing, and library resources until the latter moved to Ishiagu, Ebonyi State, in 1995. Two main facilities serve as the university library. The second university library building is known as the library annex, and the university library moved into it in 2011. The main university library building is situated in library phase one, and it was occupied in 2013. There are ten departments and two divisions in the university library. In order to foster community based library services, the university library also runs a collegiate system with branch libraries in the institution's eleven colleges (taking library services to the faculty and students at their various colleges and departments). This also complies with the rules and conditions set forth by the National Universities Commission (NUC). There is a PG School library in addition to college libraries. The university library has supported the creation of departmental libraries in several university departments by offering information resources, personnel, and other infrastructural resources to support effective library services in such departments.

The university library participates in a variety of activities to assist the achievement of excellence in university academic programs. In order to accomplish the mission of the university, all divisions of the university library, as well as the college and departmental libraries, are involved in providing vital services. Unbiased book acquisition, library orientation to the new intake, processing of the books for easy accessibility, Selective dissemination of information (SDI), Current awareness services (CAS), Exhibition and display of information resources on topical issues, Inter library cooperation, and providing reference and referral services are just a few of the services offered.