By Amaechi Agbo

Today marks a new academic sphere at the ESUT School of Postgraduate Studies as the much-awaited two-day International Conference begins with a renowned priest and academic guru, the Reverend Monsignor Professor. Obiora Ike will deliver the Keynote Address.

Monsignor Professor Obiora Ike is a professor of Ethics and Intellectual Studies at the Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu State.

Anchored on the theme “Bridging the gap Between Industry and Academia through Research and Development” the two-day conference which will hold on October 2 and 3 at the Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah Auditorium will commence from 9am each day.

The conference aims to leverage the expertise of academic institutions and the resources of industries to drive innovation, develop new products, and enhance existing processes to tackle pressing national challenges and create new opportunities for socioeconomic development. As well as provide a platform for knowledge sharing, collaboration, and networking among experts, researchers, and stakeholders.

ESUT Vice-Chancellor, Prof Aloysius-Michaels Okolie will be the Chief Host while the Conference will be hosted by the Dean, ESUT School of Postgraduate Studies, Professor Charles Chime.

Prof James Robinson, Harris School of Public Policy, University of Chicago, USA, is one of the lead paper presenters. Others include Prof Ambrose Anoruo, Texas A&M University, Kingsville, USA and Prof Mkpa Agụ Mkpa, former Vice-Chancellor, Abịa State University

Speaking in an interview with ESUT Monitor, Chairman, Local Organising Committee, Dr Felix Ugwu said the conference will bring the gown and the town to town-hall discussion on how to effectively utilize research to develop the nations abundant resources.

Who is Reverend Monsignor Professor Dr. Obiora Ike

Rev. Msgr. Prof Dr. Obiora Ike, is a widely acclaimed teacher, minister of religion, author, publisher, administrator, and scholar and has written over 100 books, journal contributions, monographs, and edited works on topics related to Ethics, Education, Culture and Society, Church and Development, State and Governance and on Spirituality. Ordained Catholic Priest at the age of 25 in Austria, Pope John Paul II elevated him to a Papal Chamberlain in 1999 as the youngest Monsignor in Nigeria at the time.

Dr. Ike studied from 1975 to 1986 in Nigeria, Austria, Germany, France, and the UK, and holds degrees in philosophy, theology, economics, journalism, and political science. He gained his doctorate degrees in Bonn, Germany, with a specialisation in Ethics and Christian Social Thought.

Professor Dr. Ike has held several positions of service in the Church, Society, and State within Africa and Europe. He worked as visiting Professor in 1983 at the Theological Faculty, Tilburg, Netherlands. In 1996, he became a full Professor at the Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany and in 2010, he moved to Godfrey Okoye University, Nigeria as a Professor of Ethics and Intercultural Studies.

He has served at University Councils at Enugu State University of Science and Technology; the Advisory Board of the University of Stellenbosch, Executive Development; the Board of Trustees of Godfrey Okoye University. In May 2021, he was appointed to serve as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Council of Plateau State University Bokkos, Jos, Nigeria.

Interested in Human Rights activism and Human Development, Dr. Ike initiated several educational and development organisations in Nigeria. He is the founder of the Catholic Institute for Development Justice Peace and Caritas (CIDJAP), the Prisoners Legal Education and Assistance Scheme, the Small and Medium Scale Entrepreneurs Training Association, the Grassroots Women Empowerment and Development Education and was part of the founding of the leading Umuchinemere Pro-credit Microfinance Bank Limited in Nigeria where he serves as Chairman. He serves in several other organisations.

Monsignor Professor Dr. Ike is Chairman of the Enugu State Government Economic Advisory Committee since 2015. He is the immediate past Executive Director of the Geneva-based leading Foundation for Global Ethics “Globethics.net” in ECOSOC Status of the United Nations and is President of the Club of Rome, Nigeria Chapter as well as a member of the European Academy of Science and Arts and the World Academy of Science and Arts.