Overview and History of Clifford University Owerrinta Abia State

 
Nestled in the green-scapes of Abia State, Nigeria, Clifford University (often abbreviated CLU) offers an inspiring model of higher education that blends faith, service and academic excellence. In the wider context of Nigeria’s private university sector, CLU stands out for its Christian (specifically Adventist) heritage, its commitment to character formation alongside knowledge, and its ambition to contribute to regional as well as national development. The university is located in Owerrinta (and Ihie) in the Isiala Ngwa area of Abia State, and serves students from across Nigeria and beyond.The choice of location is significant: within the South-East region, Abia State is noted for its industrious spirit, commercial activity (especially around the city of Aba) and educational aspirations. CLU builds upon these local realities, offering programmes and experiences designed to prepare graduates not just for jobs, but for leadership, innovation, service and responsible citizenship. From small beginnings it has gained momentum, expanding its faculties, departments, accreditation status, and campus infrastructure.

What makes CLU humanly compelling is its dual emphasis: first, on academic rigour—ensuring that students acquire the disciplinary depth and professional readiness expected in today’s competitive world—and second, on character, faith and service: helping students become persons of integrity, global awareness and moral purpose. Whether you are a prospective student, parent, academic, or simply interested in higher education trends in Nigeria, the story of Clifford University is worth attention: it illustrates how private faith-based institutions are evolving, and how they are positioning themselves for relevance in a changing national and global context. In this blog post we will explore key facets of CLU: its official website, motto, founder, history, leadership (including chancellor), accreditation & recognition, academic structure & facilities, campus life, and any available information about notable alumni.

##Official Website
The official web portal of Clifford University is https://clifforduni.edu.ng/On the site you will find admission information, programme listings, news updates, contact details and campus resources. The site emphasises clarity and accessibility, reflecting the institution’s aim of being transparent and supportive for prospective students.

##Founder
Clifford University is owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Nigeria. While it may not have a single individual founder in the sense of a private entrepreneur, the institution honours the memory of Pastor Jesse Clifford (and his wife), early missionaries to Eastern Nigeria whose name the university bears. 
The decision to establish the university was taken by the Eastern Nigeria Union Mission (ENUM) of the Adventist Church through its Technical Committee for the Establishment of a University, and the site was chosen at Owerrinta and Ihie because of land availability and church property history. So, in effect, the “founder” is the Adventist Church / ENUM leadership, with Pastor Bassey Udoh, Pastor K.C. Nwangwa and others playing facilitating roles in the early development.

##History
The roots of Clifford University go deep into the Adventist educational mission in Eastern Nigeria. The historical narrative begins with Pastor and Mrs Jesse Clifford, who, after mission work in Sierra Leone and Ghana, arrived in Abua in Rivers State in 1920 and later moved to Oghor-Hill, Aba in 1923. There they laid the foundation for Adventist education in the region by establishing primary schools and a Bible school.In January 2008 the Adventist Secondary Technical College (ASTEC) in Owerrinta initiated discussions regarding expansion into tertiary education. A technical committee was subsequently formed, and recommended – rather than a mere vocational college – a full university to be sited at Owerrinta (with take-off at Ihie). By 2012, land and facilities were returned to the church by the Abia State government; in July 2013 a Certificate of Occupancy was signed for the campus(s). 

The university formally commenced operations in 2017 (some sources say 2016/2017) with three faculties, 10 departments and 15 degree programmes, and a modest student intake (as low as 66 pioneer students) at matriculation.Since then CLU has grown significantly: by 2024 it reported having six faculties, 30+ departments, and 34+ degree programmes; student numbers have risen as well. The institution’s growth has included the introduction of new programmes (nursing sciences, law, etc), accreditation of more courses, establishing additional campuses (including a Port Harcourt campus announced) and increasing its public profile.

##Chancellor
While specific public information about a “Chancellor” by name is less clearly documented, the current substantive leader of the university is the Vice Chancellor: Prof. Allwell Chimezie Omeonu, PhD. Brief biography: Prof. Omeonu serves as President & Vice Chancellor of Clifford University. Under his leadership the institution has announced major milestones: the accreditation of additional programmes by the National Universities Commission (NUC), introduction of faculties such as Nursing Sciences and Law, and the beginning of plans for a postgraduate school. He is quoted as emphasising moral discipline, academic integrity and the broad mission of the university (“to serve God and humanity”) in matriculation and convocation ceremonies. In many Nigerian private universities the Chancellor is a ceremonial or patron role, while the Vice Chancellor handles academic and administrative leadership. Even if the titular Chancellor is not widely publicised in external sources, Prof. Omeonu is clearly the driving academic-executive for CLU at present. 

##Accreditation and Recognition
Accreditation is a critical assurance of programme quality, and Clifford University demonstrates multiple credible recognitions:

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has visited and accredited several programmes at CLU, granting “Full Accreditation” status for individual degree programmes. For example, the programme in Christian Religious Studies scored 90.48% and attained full accreditation. 
National Universities Commission

Similarly, the programme in English Language & Literature scored 88.00% and achieved full accreditation. 
National Universities Commission

The programme in Economics scored 94.17% and was likewise fully accredited. 
National Universities Commission

The Adventist Accrediting Association (AAA) – a denominational accreditor within the global Adventist system – also recognises the university. 

The university has been listed as an accredited tertiary institution for the years 2019/2020-2022/2023 by related accreditation lists. 

On its website, CLU asserts that it offers programmes with full accreditation, plus a secure environment, small class sizes and quality learning facilities. 

These accreditations suggest that prospective students can have confidence that CLU’s degrees are recognised, subject to specific programme accreditation statuses and ongoing monitoring. As always, students should check the current accreditation status of the specific department or programme of interest, since accreditation can evolve.


##Academic Structure and Facilities
Clifford University offers a breadth of academic offerings and facilities designed to support student learning, research, and personal development. Here are six key aspects of its academic structure and facilities:Faculties & Departments

Humanities/Arts

Social & Management Sciences

Natural & Applied Sciences

Health Sciences 

Education

Law/Social Justice.


##Campus Life and Facilities
Beyond classrooms and labs, campus life at Clifford University is shaped by its environment, culture and student support services:

Location & Environment: The university has campuses at Ihie and Owerrinta in Abia State. The website emphasises that the campus is “green, serene, secured, clean and beautiful,” offering a conducive environment for learning. 

Hostels & Accommodation: As a residential institution in the private university sector, CLU provides student accommodation (hostels) though some infrastructural works (e.g., male/female hostels) were still under completion as of 2024. Student Services & Governance: The university has set up a Parents Advisory Council (PAC) to involve parents in student character development. 

The institution also offers admission portals, student registration services and student support.Extracurriculars & Moral Life: Faith integration means students participate in chapel worship, week of prayer, community service, moral formation programmes. The Adventist system model emphasises holistic development (mind, body, spirit). Events & Achievements: For example, the 8th matriculation ceremony (2024) inducted 332 new students. Some graduands achieved first-class honours across multiple departments. 

Professional Linkages & Community Engagement: CLU recently had a high-profile event where Nigerian entertainment star Davido (David Adeleke) inaugurated a female hostel at the university, in honour of his late mother. This highlights engagement beyond academics and into philanthropy and community.All of this suggests that student life at CLU provides more than lectures—it offers community, faith, co-curricular opportunity, and a supportive setting for growth and service.

As a relatively young institution (take-off around 2017), publicly documented notable alumni of Clifford University are still emerging. While no widely published comprehensive list of distinguished graduates is currently available, the university has reported that its convocation ceremonies produced first-class graduates in several departments: for example, in the 2024 convocation 31 first-class degrees were awarded across 11 departments. 

One specific student mention: during the 8th matriculation (2024), a 400-level Law student, Miss Idaresit Umoren, was honoured for winning the best undergraduate law contest among Nigerian universities. While strictly speaking the matriculation student is not an alumnus yet, this does reflect early student achievement at CLU which sets a precedent for the alumni profile.As the institution grows, it is likely that more alumni with visible achievements (in business, academia, public service, health sciences) will emerge. Students and parents may wish to contact the alumni unit at CLU for updated profiles and career tracking of graduates.