Prof. Rahila Gowon: Teacher Trainer, Researcher And Varsity Administrator

Professor Rahila Plangnan Gowon of the University of Jos (UNIJOS) in Plateau State has broken the glass ceiling in university administration in her 34-year career in the education sector.

To some stakeholders, she is a teacher trainer; others see her as a researcher; many more classify her as an outstanding university administrator.

Overall, Prof. Gowon has carved out a unique place for herself in Nigeria’s university system, combining her academic career with leadership, mentorship and an unmatched commitment to improving education.

Gowon was born in Pankshin, Plateau State and obtained a B.A. (Ed.) English, M.Ed. English, M.Ed. Guidance and Counselling and PhD in Language Education, all from UNIJOS.

A Professor of English Education at UNIJOS, she made history as the Ivory Tower’s first female deputy vice-chancellor (Academic), occupying one of the university’s top administrative positions.

Her professional career began with the Plateau State Ministry of Education, from 1986 to1987, and later at the Federal College of Education, Pankshin, where she taught for three years before joining UNIJOS in 1990.

According to the university’s official profile records, Prof. Gowon has spent 34 years there, in addition to her earlier years in the education sector.

She specialises in English Education, with particular expertise in adolescent literacy and communication skills. As a teacher trainer, researcher and consultant, Gowon has focused on practical approaches to teaching English as a second language and on preparing teachers to meet the demands of the classroom.

Thus, her academic career has involved teaching and supervising students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, as well as examining postgraduate theses and participating in academic upgrading exercises.

Her rise through academia has been accompanied by increasing administrative responsibility. Before becoming deputy vice-chancellor (Academic), Gowon has served in several academic and administrative capacities at the university: Director of the Institute of Education, director of the Centre for Entrepreneurship Studies and acting director of the Division of General Studies. She also handled various responsibilities within departments and faculties, including examination and academic advisory roles.

The university describes her as the first female DVC (Academic) and only the second woman to serve as a deputy vice-chancellor in the institution’s history. This position places her at the centre of academic administration, where she contributes to issues concerning teaching, curriculum, research, students and the wider academic direction of the school.

Gowon has also built a reputation for mentorship, particularly in supporting younger academics and students. Her commitment to developing future educators has led her to participate in several initiatives designed to strengthen teaching and professional capacity.

Furthermore, Gowon has collaborated with institutions such as the University of Oxford and the Pan-African University to train entrepreneurship educators in Nigeria’s North-Central and North-Eastern zones.

In a UNIJOS mentorship programme designed to promote gender equity and a more inclusive academic environment, Gowon served as one of the facilitators. On mentorship, she stressed the importance of creating supportive professional environments in which women can advance, particularly in traditionally male-dominated spaces.

Her record of public and institutional service is equally impressive, serving as a member of the Governing Council of the National Universities Commission (NUC) between 2018 and 2020 and as a board member of Plateau State University, Bokkos, from 2015 to 2019. She also chaired the Governing Council of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Bichi, Kano, from 2021 to 2023. In addition, she served as chair of a Presidential Visitation Panel to the Federal College of Education (Technical), Omoku, Rivers State, in 2021.

Her contributions have gone beyond Nigeria. She was a panellist at Sessions II and III of the ECOWAS Human Rights Day Celebration in Monrovia, Liberia, in January 2018. She has also participated in federal-level negotiations involving unions based in colleges of education.

As a scholar, Gowon has published more than 45 articles, books and other academic collaborations, according to her UNIJOS profile. Her scholarship and professional interests centre on literacy, communication, teacher education and the development of effective teaching strategies.

In November 2025, she represented the vice-chancellor of the UNIJOS during the Plateau State governor, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang’s inspection of facilities for the Nigerian Universities Games Association competition at the university.

For Gowon, leadership is not simply about occupying a senior office. Her career reflects a sustained commitment to teaching, scholarship, mentorship and institutional development. By becoming the first woman to hold the position of deputy vice-chancellor (Academic) at UNIJOS, she has helped broaden the possibilities for women aspiring to leadership positions in Nigeria’s university system.