Asika, 1936-2004

By Olu Ojewale
Monday, October 11, 2004

Former administrator of East Central State during Nigeria's civil war years, dies at age 68

His death was long expected. So, when Anthony Ukpabi Asika, political scientist and former administrator of East Central State, died September 13, many Nigerians were not so surprised. He was 68. The former university don had been bed-ridden for several years.

President Olusegun Obasanjo his personal friends of many years, is one of those who will miss him. Obasanjo recommended him for the post of the sole administrator of the defunct East Central State. He also conferred on him a national honour a couple of years ago. Perhaps to compensate for his inability to serve in his government, Obasanjo made Asika's wife head of his advisors on New Partnership for African Development, NEPAD.

Chimaroke Nnamani, governor of Enugu State, commended Asika for leaving behind legacies that would remain the source of inspiration for future generations of the Igbo. He described him as a formidable intellectual and university don who made positive mark in the society.

Some Igbo are likely to remember Askia for his infamous quarrel with the late Nnamdi Azikiwe, former president of Nigeria, whom he called ex-president who should mind how he interfered with events and called him the "netting nabobs of negativism."

Asika was born in Jos, Plateau State, June 28, 1936. He was educated at Saint Patrick's College, Calabar, 1949; Edo College, Benin, 1951; University College, now University of Ibadan, 1956-61; University of California, Los Angeles, United States.

He was a clerk at the Onitsha Town Council, 1953; clerk, department of marketing and exports, Lagos; lecturer, political sociology, University of Ibadan, 1965-67. He was made the administrator, defunct East Central State, 1967-1975 and a member, defunct Supreme Military Council, 1970-75.

He was chairman and director of many companies, including Sigma Systems and Communications Limited. He held traditional title of Ajie Onitsha and more than 30 others from various communities in Nigeria. He was a Rockefeller Foundation Scholar and recognised honorary doctor of law and letters degrees from Ahmadu Bello and University of Nsuka, respectively. He also had foreign honourary awards from Senegal, Sudan and Togo.

- Reported by Tubosun Sowemimo.