By Osamwonyi Omozuwa

Last Saturday, a cross-section of Nigerian academic elite, industry experts, and policymakers gathered at the famed Indoor Sports Hall of the University of Benin to felicitate the Vice-Chancellor, Igbinedion University Okada (IUO), and Chairman of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVCNU), Professor Lawrence Ikechukwu Ezemonye as he marked his 70th birthday.

The multifaceted 70th birthday celebration featured well-choreographed academic, spiritual, and cultural elements. It entailed a celebration of the eucharist, a validatory colloquium, the launch of three books, testimonials, music and dance, and reunion. The event highlighted how Professor Ezemonye’s over three decades in academia contribute to deepening a culture of multidisciplinary, multi-institutional, and multinational research for human development.

While giving an abridged diachronic account of the celebrant’s life, the chairman of the occasion, a former two-time executive governor of Edo State, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, noted that Professor Ezemonye is a study in excellent leadership, sportsmanship, and innovation.

Similarly, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Professor Edoba Omoregie, who was the chief host of the event, noted that Professor Ezemonye’s academic services have extended the frontier of human knowledge. He also noted that Ezemonye’s humane and collegial disposition buoyed their friendship.

The Vice-Chancellor, University of Jos, Professor Tanko Ishaya, also showered encomium on Ezemonye, an award-winning alumnus of UNIJOS, describing his commitment to mentoring and educating the next generation of scientists and leaders as salutary.

Before assuming his current role as Vice-Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Okada, Professor Ezemonye had established himself as a renowned academic leader at the University of Benin, where he served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) and held a professorship in the Department of Animal and Environmental Biology. In these roles, he demonstrated an inspiring blend of administrative competence and academic vision. Consequently, strengthening institutional structures, promoting research excellence, improving the quality of education delivered to students, and instilling a culture of excellence in all things.

His leadership attained a higher notch of significance in 2018 when he became the Vice-Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Nigeria’s premier private university. Since taking office, Professor Ezemonye has initiated policies that seek to expand research capacity, improve academic standards, foster innovation, and accelerate national development.

For example, in response to Nigeria’s security challenges, the Buratai Centre for Contemporary Security Studies was established. Similarly, to boost food security in Nigeria, he deployed his astute leadership acumen to establish a state-of-the-art oil palm within the precincts of IUO.

Under his stellar stewardship, the university is strengthening its well-earned reputation as a centre for quality education and research, and has become one of Nigeria’s leading smart campuses that use advanced technology to promote innovative learning. This achievement denotes a sophisticated integration of digital infrastructure and modern education models, as well as positions IUO as a forward-thinking contributor to Nigeria’s smart education landscape. By prioritising technology-enabled academic excellence, he has helped shape an environment where students are equipped with professional skills and the values needed to contribute meaningfully to society.

It seems to me that one of Professor Ezemonye’s key contributions to sustainable national development is his strong push toward entrepreneurship and skills-based education. He has institutionalised entrepreneurship at IUO. It is a core course for all undergraduates from 200 level. He envisions a society where graduates are sufficiently empowered to be drivers of development, employers of labour, and creators of value-adding and revenue-generating solutions. So, under his leadership, IUO has developed enterprise incubation hubs, mentorship programmes, and student start-up support systems.

Also, student product exhibitions are regularly organised to showcase innovation and practical skills. Last year, during the 25th anniversary celebration of IUO, some students showcased an array of life-enhancing pharmaceutical products that enthralled policymakers and industry experts. This pragmatic initiative underscores a shift from purely theoretical education towards job creation and self-employment, which will contribute to abating Nigeria’s labour challenges.

Another significant dimension of Professor Ezemonye’s contributions to human development is his involvement in national and international scientific organisations. His belief that science should serve society, guide policy, and promote sustainable development made him to play a pioneering role as the First President and Chairman of Council, Institute of Environmental Practitioners of Nigeria (IEPN).

Professor Ezemonye is a man of many firsts. He also served as the pioneer Director of the National Centre for Energy and Environment under the Energy Commission of Nigeria. In this capacity, he contributed to initiatives aimed at promoting renewable energy and sustainable environmental management. By so doing, he contributed to positioning Nigeria within the broader global conversation on sustainability.

Professor Ezemonye’s scholarly output is impressive. With over two hundred scientific publications and numerous conference presentations, his body of work continues to stimulate research and policy discussions. His publications address critical issues in environmental toxicology and ecological risk assessment. Thereby, contributing to the global scientific community’s understanding of environmental pollution and its impacts on food safety, biodiversity, and public health.

As the ever-youthful Professor Ezemonye relishes the memory of 70 years of meaningful contributions to human flourishing, it is an earnest desire of his numerous well-wishers that he will remain useful to God, humanity, and his country. May his scholarship and leadership remain engines of societal transformation. May his life and service continue to inspire students, colleagues, young scholars, university administrators that intellectual excellence and commitment to humanity can leave an enduring legacy.

Dr Omozuwa can be reached via: [email protected]