President of the Ijaw National Congress, INC, Prof. Benjamin Okaba has been honoured as a Fellow of the Institute for Peace and Security Studies, IPSS, by the Rivers State's University of Port Harcourt Center for Peace and Security Studies, at a ceremony marking the 2023 International Day of Peace, organised in collaboration with the Bayelsa State Ministry of Culture and Tourism Development, and that held at the Ebitimi Banigo Auditorium on Thursday, September 21.

While performing the investiture, Prof. Diri Teilanyo from the University of Benin, Edo State, who earlier quoted the great American businessman, Arnold Henry Glasow's (1905-1988) ‘It doesn’t take great men to do things, but it is doing things that make men great’, during the citation of Prof. Okaba, said:

"I present to you one man who, as Arnold Glasow said, has done things to make him great, the inimitable Prof. Benjamin Okaba. I present to you a personage whose physical stature is as imposing as the magnificent offices he occupies, whose metallic black complexion glows and glitters in the sun as his enviable credentials. I present to you your alumnus Professor (Chief) Benjamin Ogele Okaba who remains in eternal fellowship with his alma mater for investiture as a Fellow of the Institute of Peace and Security Studies, the University of Port Harcourt."

With that, Prof. Okaba, who earlier had been honoured with the Award for Excellence by the Nigeria Peace Magazine on 28th June, 2023, and the Peace Ambassador Award by the Interfaith Mediation Centre, IMC, is now officially a Fellow of the IPSS.

During the citation , Prof. Teilanyo also noted that, "Professor (Chief) Okaba amply demonstrates the three-pronged duties of an academic, namely teaching, research and community service..." [and] "has held tenure appointments at the University of Port Harcourt; Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island; Delta State University, Abraka; and Federal University Otuoke, Bayelsa State. He commenced his career as an academic in this University [UniPort] as an Assistant Lecturer in 1992 and rose rapidly to the rank of Professor in 2006. He also held an adjunct appointment at Novena University, Ogume, Delta State. His long-standing association with his dear UniPort has been such that even after ending his tenure appointment in this University, he still maintained an adjunct appointment with it.

"His intellectual prowess is demonstrated by the fact that he has to his credit almost 60 publications comprising books, chapters, in books, articles in reputable local and international journals, monographs and edited books, eight (8) published books, three (3) monographs; he has also edited four (4) other books, about twenty-six (26) articles in learned local and foreign journals, sixteen (16) chapters in books. He has also presented 34 papers in academic conferences and issued 20 speeches and press statements," the Prof. Teilanyo added.

Continuing, Prof. Teilanyo, while delving into Prof. Okaba's years of service said, "During his service in the university system, he has held positions that would be unmatched by many of his contemporaries both in quantity and in quality such that enumerating these credentials would steal the entire day from us. He has been Coordinator of different units, Chairman of numerous committees, Head of departments, Director of centres and institutes, Dean of faculties, and Provost of university colleges and campuses. For example, in Niger Delta University his appointments include Director of the Centre for Niger Delta Studies, and Member of the University’s Governing Council, representing the Senate.

"At Novena University, Ogume, he was the premier Provost, College of Social and Management Sciences. In DELSU, he served as the Provost of the Oleh Campus of the University. In Federal University Otuoke, he is currently the Dean of the School of Postgraduate Studies and Chairman of the Committee of Deans of the University where he is equally the Chairman of the Inaugural Lecture Committee.

"His credentials in community service are gargantuan. Professor Okaba has deftly deployed his intellectual capacity to the service of humanity by belonging to and holding numerous positions in the affairs of his professional associations, his community, his Delta State, the Ijaw nation, the Niger Delta and the South-South geopolitical zone as a whole. In unionism, he has served as Secretary, Vice-Chairman and Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers in Delta State and the Academic Union of Universities (ASUU) at the University of Port Harcourt," Prof. Teilanyo added.

While currently the Chairman, Coalition of Indigenous Ethnic Nationalities of Nigeria (CIENN), Prof. Okaba, according to Prof. Teilanyo had also "held other appointments such as: Member, Delta State Transition Committee (2007); Member, Delta State Committee on Rehabilitation of Closed Down Schools in the Riverine Communities (2007); Member, Interim Management Committee, Delta State School of Marine Technology, Burutu (2010-Date); Chairman, Governing Council of the Delta State School of Marine Technology Burutu (2010); Chairman, Steering Committee / Facilitator of House of Representatives Public Hearing Session on the Review of the 1999 Constitution for Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency (2013).

"Most relevant to today’s investiture is that he was a Member, Delta State Peace Building and Advisory Committee (2015 – 2019). Notably in 2021 he eminently earned his election into the office of President of the global socio-cultural organization, the Ijaw National Congress (INC) Worldwide. With his ascension to the Presidency, the INC has gained unprecedented vibrancy and relevancy," the professor from the University of Benin stated.

Speaking further he said: "In recognition of his numerous and meritorious services, he has been conferred with several notable awards. Among these are: CLO Award for the Protection of Democracy (2002), Most Patriotic Lecturer’s Award (Claude Ake Hall, UniPort, 2003), ASUU (UniPort Branch); Award of Merit outstanding Leadership and Commitment (2004), Merit Award: National Union of Obio/Akpor Students, Port-Harcourt (2005); Fellow, Institute of Human and Natural Resources Management (2005); Silver Jubilee Award of Excellence – Esenaebe College, Bomadi Old Boy’s Association (2005).

"Others are: South-South Youth Assembly Award of Excellence (2012), Nigerian Print Journalism Development Organization Award for distinguished Administrator Par-Excellence (2012), Lamb light News Superlative Excellence Award for Competence in Administration, Probity and Accountability by Ijaw National Congress (INC) Bille Clan (2012); Award of Excellence by National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS, 2015), Award of Honour by Izonwari Unity Forum (19th Dec, 2019), Award of Excellence as Provost, Oleh Campus, Delta State University (22nd May 2015), Award of Honour by The National Union of Bayelsa State Students Federal University Otuoke Chapter, 7th Sept, 2018); Award of Recognition, Federal University Otuoke (4th Oct, 2019), Award of Recognition by Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (2019), Award of Honour by Izonwari Unity Forum Sciences (FAHSSSA), Federal University Otuoke (19th Dec, 2019).

"Recognition as the Voice of Ijaw Nation by Edwin Clark University (10th July 2021), Pan-Award of African Leadership Honor by African Students Union Parliament (ASUP, October 2021), Certificate of Noble Prize for Excellence by Youth Coalition for Education in Nigeria (YOCEN) 2022, Outstanding leadership qualities by Izon Christian Fellowship (ICF), (7th Jan 2023); Award of Recognition National Union of Izon-Ibe Students (NUIS), 2nd June 2023; Icon of Hope Award by Media Foundation for West Africa (17th July 2023); League of Character Clubs Int’l (LCCI) Good Leadership Award (29th August, 2023). Above all, Professor Okaba holds the Chieftaincy Title of Dike I of Ovon Autonomous Communities, Abia State, Nigeria (2005)."

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