A Time to Break the Ice!

A TIME TO BREAK THE ICE!!
The last time I posted a write-up on this blog was in May of 2008!
You see, following my treatise on Obama's ambition to become the first African-American president of America, a lot of my friends bombarded my telephones. All attempts I made to get them summon the courage to reply on my blog failed. They all preferred discussing my opinion on the issue on the telephone or, sometimes, at social gatherings.

The kind of reactions I received (and the media for such reactions) belied one of the basic principles behind blogging: virtual community. So, like the wise tortoise, I went into my shell. But, that is not the whole story.

A more compelling reason for my rather long period of hibernation has been my academic pursuit. Between April last year and February this year, I was vigorously writing up my PhD thesis. So demanding was the story that I devoted a greater chunk of my literary efforts at putting finishing touches to it. Well, as you can appreciate, Igbo elders warn against chasing two rabbits (or rats, depending on your level of greed or ambition) at the same time. The danger in doing so being that you run the risk of loosing both! Fired by this wisdom, I decided to pursue one of the rabbits - the academic one. Thank Goodness, I grabbed it in February this year, and finally celebrated the success (and other very humbling achievements) on July 12, this year.

Now, why have I chosen this particular time to break my silence, did I hear you ask? Well, one sad event occurred on Wednesday November 18, 2009…

1. The Passing of a Sage
A few days ago, I read a mail from my friend and brother, Okey Ndibe, informing me about the shocking news of the death of PROFESSOR SAMUEL EJIKEME OKOYE. This sad event occurred on Wednesday (November 18, 2009). I was very shocked about the news. It was early in the morning when I read the mail. I rang up my friend and brother, Amechi (one of the venerable Prof’s sons), and left a message on his voicemail requesting for confirmation of the event. Then, disregarding the time difference between the UK and the US, I rang up Okey without success. Next I searched online to see if such news existed in cyberspace. I found out from Sahara Reporters that the sad story was indeed, true.

Prof Okoye, born on July 26, 1939, hailed from Amawbia in Anambra State of Nigeria. He was the first black African to obtain a doctorate in Radio Astronomy. As a consummate academic, Prof Okoye lectured in physics and astronomy at the University of Ibadan And the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). It was at Nsukka that he attained full professorial toga in 1976. He also served the university at various times as Director of the Division of General Studies; Head of Department of Physics and Astronomy; Associate Dean and later Dean of the Faculty of Physical Sciences, and Dean of the School of Post Graduate Studies. In 1978, Prof Okoye acted as Vice Chancellor of UNN.

Apart from Nigeria, he also lectured in the Netherlands, the US, and the UK. From 1990 to 1993, he served as a visiting professor/senior research fellow at the Institute of Astronomy, and Fellow Commoner at Churchill College at the University of Cambridge.

He also belonged to a good number of professional and reputable international bodies including fellowship of the Nigerian Academy of Science; the Royal Astronomical Society of the United Kingdom; the Pugwash International Conferences on Science and World Affairs; the New York Academy of Sciences; the International Network of Engineers; the Scientists for Global Responsibility; and the International Astronomical Union.

As a prolific writer of international repute, Prof Okoye authored numerous scientific papers and publications spanning the ionosphere physics, solar physics, and the theory of extragalactic radio sources and cosmology. He co-edited two books, Basic Science Development in Nigeria: Problems and Prospects, and The World at the Crossroads: Towards a Sustainable, Equitable and Liveable World.

He also wrote profusely on information technology (IT) and science in his regular columns in The Guardian newspapers based in Lagos, Nigeria. His columns drew a wide readership because of his ability to convey difficult scientific ideas in simple, easy-to-understand and accessible language.

On a personal level, Prof Okoye took very keen interest in my development and welfare since I was introduced to him by his son Amechi in 2002.

Amechi and I became friends since we met at the Middlesex University during our masters degree programme. His interests intensified when I informed him about my involvement in a PhD programme. He gave me some very useful, insightful and intellectual pieces of advice. Indeed, at a point when the enormity of the task became almost unbearable, Prof Okoye gave me some pep and morale-boosting talks that spurred me and reinvigorated my desire to continue. And finally, when the time came in July this year to celebrate the successful completion of my doctorate programme, I was honoured and humbled by his esteemed presence at my thanksgiving ceremony.

You can begin to imagine the magnitude of my shock and sadness when I read Okey Ndibe’s mail in the early hours of last Friday, intimating me that PROFESSOR SAMUEL EJIKEME OKOYE, world renowned physicist, philosopher, mentor, sage, lecturer, writer, science analyst and, I dare add, intellectual father, had passed on.
What a loss!

My consolation lies in the conviction that his soul is now in the comfortable arms of the Father Almighty. There, nothing will harm or worry him any longer.
Prof Okoye, may your soul rest in perfect peace, Amen.