IGBINEDION UNIVERSITY OKADA HOLDS 19TH SPECIAL SENATE TO HONOUR CHANCELLOR ON 92ND BIRTHDAY

The Senate of Nigeria’s Premier Private University, Igbinedion University Okada convened her 19th Special Senate session solely to celebrate the 92nd birthday of the university’s Founder and Chancellor, Sir Chief (Dr.) Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, CON, CFR, the Esama of Benin Kingdom on Thursday, 3 September 2026 at his palatial residence in Benin.

Speakers at the occasion described the Hon. Chancellor as a titan of industry and architect of progress whose decades of work in banking, oil and gas, aviation, real estate and education have elevated the institution to international standards.

The Vice-Chancellor Prof. Lawrence Ikechukwu Ezemonye PhD, FAS, opened proceedings with a goodwill message praising the Chancellor’s 92 years of leadership and integrity. He then read Special Senate Resolution No. 19 of 2026, which formally expressed the Senate’s gratitude, immortalised the Chancellor’s contributions, reaffirmed the University’s commitment to his legacy, and offered prayers for his continued health. An engrossed copy of the resolution, signed by the Vice-Chancellor and Registrar, was presented to the Chancellor at the occasion.

Similarly, there were special tributes from senior academics, of the institution including Prof. Uche Osimen-Eboziegbe (Dean, School of Basic Medical Sciences), Prof. Ikedimma Onyeakagbu (College of Law) and Prof. Stephen Ughulu (College of Business and Management Studies).

The centrepiece of the day was the “Tributes Extraordinaire” delivered by Prof. Dennis Teghtegh of the Department of Theatre Arts, titled “In Honour of the Great Whisperer of Hope.” In a dramatic oration, he traced the Chancellor’s rise from humble beginnings to a life of quiet sacrifice, national influence and enduring impact, comparing him to an “Iroko tree” that has provided shelter and opportunity for many. The address closed with a congregational hymn and 92 hearty claps in the Chancellor’s honour.

The session concluded with the presentation of gifts by the university community to the Hon. Chancellor on his special day.