BENIN CITY – The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has mourned the passing of his former lecturer and longest serving expatriate academic at the University of Ibadan (UI), Mr. Nigel Henry.
Henry, who died at the age of 71, lectured in the Department of Classics, UI, where he taught Governor Obaseki, who graduated from the department in 1979.
The governor, in a statement, relived his experience under the tutelage of Henry, recalling the depth and range of his scholarship, his impeccable grasp of Classics as an academic discipline and his unrivalled attention to detail.
“He contributed immensely to advancing the study of Classics in the country, nurturing students in the various sub-disciplines of Classics, especially in Greek and Latin languages and literature,” he added.
According to the governor, “I am deeply saddened by the news of the death of my dear lecturer, Mr. Nigel Henry, a thorough-bred academic and lover of knowledge.
“Henry was a teacher’s teacher who brought to the university community the best traditions of Classical scholarship. With over four decades devoted to breeding a fine class of thinkers and scholars in the various sub-disciplines of Classics, he easily stands out in an exclusive class of his own. He will be remembered as a pacesetter in the academics.”
Obaseki added: “He was an exemplar that inspired many, including myself, to work hard, ask the hard questions and pursue the fine virtue of excellence.
“It is my prayer that God will uphold everyone he left behind and grant us all the fortitude to bear the loss of the erudite scholar.”
