Ekweremadu recognise through Professorial Chair amidst allegations of corruption

News of Professor Ekweremadu’s elevation has rattled the National space recently, coming at a time that the All Progressives Congress, APC, government was bent on dragging his towering image to the gutters with allegations of houses owned by the Deputy Senate President in choice places of Dubai, United Kingdom and the United states of America. This has been following rumors, as yet unconfirmed, of his political foray into the presidential ticket via Vice presidency to Abubakar Bukola Saraki, under the platform of a yet to be identified party. Predictably, the Buhari administration swung into action, using some of their attack dogs in the media, who allege that the trial of the Distinguished senator it imminent.
On that score the government can be accurately predicted. This Magazine once indicated that if the Kingmakers of Nigeria, generally called th Musketeers-Abdul salami Abubakar, Ibrahim Babangida, Olusegun Obasanjo and Theophilus Danjuma-will have their way, they will chose a retired Military Officer as the next Nigerian President come 2019. As such the most possible person among all contestants is Senator David Mark, a retired General.
Two days after, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, suddenly remembered that he did not properly give account of his financial stewardship as a former Senate President.
When Atiku Abubakar, a former Vice president wanted declared his intention, his company, Intel, came under tax scrutiny. His expatriate managers wee hounded and allegedly sent out of the country. So it was not surprising that Ekweremadu is having his own run. Bukola Saraki, Senate president, is undergoing his own trial at the Code of Conduct tribunal, CCT.
It is under this circumstances that news filtered in of his grand elevation as a professor of Law at the Southern University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. A release by his media man, Uche Anichukwu, indicated that he was intimated of the appointment via a letter from the University authorities.
Ekweremadu, according to the appointment letter dated February 2018, is expected to mentor doctoral students, junior lecturers, as well as take a lead in advising the university’s research centre on academic issues related to e-Governance and Strategic Government Studies.
The university, which described the senator as “a motivation to the Nigerian youths, both at home and in the diaspora,” predicated his appointment on his intellectualism and long experience in leadership in Nigeria and Africa.
It explained that its doctoral students and lecturers also have ambitions to serve in government and not just in the academia and would, therefore, benefit from his experience.
The university’s letter read in part: “Southern University was founded in 1880 and has always been at the forefront of academic research, as well as mentoring of many from the black community in the USA.
“Looking at your academic, administrative, and overall leadership in Nigeria and Africa, you fit perfectly in Southern University’s goal to remain a leading research and teaching institution in the United States and beyond.
“We are excited to have you join our university and our research centre. We believe the background you bring from your pool of experience will be most valuable to the university community as a whole.
“It is our fervent hope, sir, that you will accept this offer.
“Once again, congratulations, Professor Ike Ekweremadu.”
A senior legal practitioner and former lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (UNEC), Ekweremadu holds Ph.D. in Law and has undergone executive strategic leadership trainings at the Harvard University and Oxford University.
The senator is an author of several books and has delivered over 25 public lecturers, mainly on the subjects of good governance, constitution making, and the principles of federalism at both local and international fora such as the Osgood Hall Law School, York University, Ontario, Canada; Johns Hopkins University, Washington DC, USA; Parliament of the United Kingdom; University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Federal University of Technology, Minna; University of Ibadan; Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, as well as several Commonwealth and ECOWAS fora.
Ekweremadu has also held several leadership positions, including local government chairman; Chief of Staff, Government House, Enugu; Secretary to the Government of Enugu State; and is .currently serving a fourth term as senator and third term as Deputy Senate President. He is the only Nigerian that has serves as the Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament.
The lawmaker is the founder of the Ikeoha Foundation, which bursary awards have supported over 3,172 youths through their university education, while 68 undergraduates are currently enjoying its full scholarship. Over 12,198 women and youths have also received basic education through the Ikeoha Foundation’s 34 Adult Literacy Centres.