Ernest Emenyonu is a notable African literature critic and professor. He was formerly head of department of English and Literary Studies, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calabar, in that order, through the 1980s and 1990s. He was also Provost of Alvan Ikoku College of Education now Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Educationˌ Owerri in Imo stateˌ Nigeria (1992-1995)

Ernest Emenyonu is one of the preeminent scholars in the world on African Literature. He has published biographies on notable writers Chinua Achebe and Cyprian Ekwensi.