Prof. F.N.C. Osuji Was An Intellectual Giant - Emeritus Prof Nwala

 

The death of Professor Fabian N. C. Osuji at the ripe age of 82 has been description as a big loss to Mbaise nation, having being one of the founding leaders of Mbaise Frontline Circle who contributed immensely to the development of education in Nigeria.

Emeritus Prof Tim Uzodimma Nwala in his reaction to the death of Prof. Osuji in far away United States observed that "Mbaise Community and the intellectual World have lost a great intellectual and an untiring patriot. He belonged to one of the most fiercely patriotic generation of Mbaise citizens, a first class brain!

"Fab, we shall miss you. But be assured we shall pass the baton to worthy successors! And I can see several of them not only in the field already but also in the horizon!"

Prof. Osuji who was a former Minister of Education during the Obasanjo administration was said to have died on Wednesday morning.

Osuji was born on January 20, 1942, and attended Holy Ghost College in Owerri, Government College in Umuahia, the University of Nigeria in Nsukka, Enugu State, and the University of Ibadan, Oyo State.

He conducted his post-doctoral research at the Imperial College of Science and Technology in London.

He became a Lecturer, Senior Lecturer and Associate Professor in the Department of Zoology, University of Ibadan in 1973, a post he held till 1981.

He was also a Visiting Scientific Fellow at the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Food and Agriculture Organization.

He became a Dean of the College of Science, Dean of the College of Postgraduate Studies, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and member of the Governing Council of Imo State University.

He was appointed Professor of Applied Biology, at St. John’s University, New York (CUNY) USA (1997-1999).

He was also a Visiting Professor at several universities in Nigeria and worldwide.

Known as a scholars’ scholar, he published 35 papers and books to his credit.

He celebrated his 80th birthday in 2022 when family and friends gathered to extol the virtue of a man highly regarded as a sound educationist.

A member of the former minister’s family disclosed that the deceased returned from the United States last Saturday where he had been holidaying and was treated for undisclosed ailments.