Anambra Indigene Wins Canadian Award For Academic Excellence
By Emmanuel Nzomiwu, Reporter, Enugu


A Nigerian born don in Canada, Professor Obiora Okafor, has been awarded the prestigious nationwide, 2010 Prize for Academic Excellence by the Canadian Association of Law teachers.

Okafor hails from Ukpo, Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State.

He is the first African and black person in history to receive a top Canadian nationwide award for academic excellence for his outstanding contributions to legal research and teaching in Canada and around the world.

According to a statement by the association, “He is the first African ever to be promoted to the highest academic rank of full professor at a Canadian University.

“Professor Okafor has previously received many other honours and awards, including the Governor General’s Academic Gold Medal and Award of Excellence of the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers.   

“One of the leading international law and human rights experts in the world, he has also served as an expert panelist for the United Nations working group on people of African descent. Professor Okafor who received his PhD in 1998, teaches at Osgoode Hall Law School of York University, Toronto Canada, Canada’s top Law Faculty and one of the leading global law schools in the world.   

“He has published seven books, edited three special issues of leading academic journals and written over 60 scholarly papers and book chapters. His latest book on African human rights system was issued by Cambridge University Press.”

Reacting to the award, Okafor expressed happiness that he has been accorded recognition for his contributions to legal research and teaching in Canada and around the world.   

The professor of International Law expressed gratitude to the prestigious association for the award, saying that the honour would spur him towards making greater contribution to legal research and teaching and academia in general.

Okafor, who promised to continue making Nigeria proud, also expressed gratitude to all those who have contributed to the success of his career, including members of his family, colleagues, friends and well wishers.

Congrats, Prof. But it is strange that the first african to become a full prof in Canada did so only recently (2009), while the USA, across the boarder, has conceivably had uncountable full african profs for decades now. Interestingly he got his PhD only in 1998. Taken together, except it comes from a canadian source, I am inclined not be believe that he is the first full prof in Canada of african descent.

Nchara:

Congrats, Prof. But it is strange that the first african to become a full prof in Canada did so only recently (2009), while the USA, across the boarder, has conceivably had uncountable full african profs for decades now. Interestingly he got his PhD only in 1998. Taken together, except it comes from a canadian source, I am inclined not be believe that he is the first full prof in Canada of african descent.

I agree with your inclination on this one. 2010 is too late a year to have the first professor of African descent in a country like Canada.

Anyways, congrats to one of our own for doing us proud.

Of course it would be an I_____ man.

Are you Ok. He is not the first african or nigerian to become professor in canada.

Becomrich0:

Are you Ok. He is not the first african or nigerian to become professor in canada.

Let me guess, you are

Biafra Sosongo!!!

after they'll say igbo people no dey go school sey na alaba be their life. . .

He is not, there are other nigerian who are professors in Canada. I even know one in that school and before this same person became a professor. Even in that school . He is not the first from York university. This is pure 419.

Becomrich0:

He is not, there are other nigerian who are professors in Canada. I even know one in that school and before this same person became a professor. Even in that school . He is not the first from York university. This is pure 419.

When I came to canada york university, was a small school. and that time, only university of toronto had engineering. expect you had to go very far out of town. And the population of canada then was just about 17 million. this city then were small apart from toronto .  Now you have several universities, it is not like before.

Becomrich0:

When I came to canada york university, was a young school. and that time, only university of toronto had engineering. expect you had to go very far out of town. And the population of canada then was just about 17 million. this city then were small apart from toronto .  Now you have several universities, it is not like before.

What does this have to do with the thread?

What did you study?

That law is young in york university. So he may be the first african in law at york university but NOT IN CANADA.

Becomrich0:

That law is young in york university. So he may be the first african in law at york university but NOT IN CANADA.

Most reasonable and logical argument I'm reading from my teacher, BCR.

Ileke-IdI:

What does this have to do with the thread?

What did you study?

Some of you guys disappoint me here.

He studied 'electricity engineering' !!

Are you new in nairaland?! Gosh!!

@All

Let us try to confirm what Becomrich is saying, it is possible he is right, we do not need to make fun of him because of what he has said in the past.

There is an Abba Gumel who was made a Full Professor of Mathematics at the University of Manitoba, Canada in 2008, Professor Obiora was made a full Professor in 2009, seems Becomrich was right afterall.

http://www.umanitoba.ca/institutes/iims/gumel.shtml

hercules07:

There is an Abba Gumel who was made a Full Professor of Mathematics at the University of Manitoba, Canada in 2008, Professor Obiora was made a full Professor in 2009, seems Becomrich was right afterall.

http://www.umanitoba.ca/institutes/iims/gumel.shtml

You do not need to ascribe any rightness to Becomerich. Read the original poster's second post and that of Cohomology. Even Gumel at 2008 may not be the first one. We are talking about Africa not just Nigeria. As with Nigeria, there are many Kenyan and Ghananian profs out there in the West. I have seen that Gumel is  a full prof, although there is no evidence of when (year) he became one from the link you provided. Indeed to be a prof in math in a developed society is not come-chop. No be small thing oh!

ok

Actually it is an Igbo propaganda because those who own this site are igbos and use the website to get position for Igbos.

They already knew Jonathan was going to pick Judges of the appeal court. They use nairaland to run propganda for the igbo people, You would be shock who is supporting this. She is a cabinet minister in Jonathan govt. Seun osewa name is just been used as a proxy. So dont worry about them insulting me. It is the normal tribalism that surround nigeria. The reason is they are scared I may return back home and contest for the office of president.

And in Nigeria politics, there is no way I would loss again Jonathan in Yorubaland. And I would do very well in the north, if I would make the North majority. Even win the presidency in a true and fair election.  I cant loss for my effort to make the North majority. I cant loss, It is impossible. My probability of lossing is less than 10%, because the north want majority so very very bad. I would be the candidate to beat.

So that is why they are doing thier best to make me look like an illiterate, this is why  the Igbos are running the propaganda. And alter even my posts.  They know I can not loss.

Becomrich0:

Actually it is an Igbo propaganda because those who own this site are igbos and use the website to get position for Igbos.

They already knew Jonathan was going to pick Judges of the appeal court. They use nairaland to run propganda for the igbo people, You would be shock who is supporting this. She is a cabinet minister in Jonathan govt. Seun osewa name is just been used as a proxy. So dont worry about them insulting me. It is the normal tribalism that surround nigeria. The reason is they are scared I may return back home and contest for the office of president.

And in Nigeria politics, there is no way I would loss again Jonathan in Yorubaland. And I would do very well in the north, if I would make the North majority. Even win the presidency in a true and fair election. I cant loss for my effort to make the North majority. I cant loss, It is impossible. My probability of lossing is less than 10%, because the north majority so very very bad.

So that is why they are doing thier best to make me look like an illiterate, this is why the Igbos are running the propaganda. And alter even my posts. They know I can not loss.

Bros, you miss road? Wetin concern jonathan with this topic?

They have been using nairaland as a propaganda machine against other ethnics group.

^^^^^^
You mean the award that this innocent prof won is also an igbo propaganda?

They already had an inside information that Jonathan was going to name, the judges of the appeal court, before they started the propaganda.
They have a insider who was a member of Yar adua govt too and she is still with Jonathan, she is the one feeding them the information before this information get to the press and they try to run propaganda all over the newspaper and internet before decision are made. It is some tribalism BS.

Becomrich0:

They already had an inside information that Jonathan was going to name, the judges of the appeal court, before they started the propaganda.
They have a insider who was a member of Yar adua govt too and she is still with Jonathan, she is the one feeding them the information before this information get to the press and they try to run propaganda all over the newspaper and internet before decision are made. It is some tribalism BS.

So you imply that they want to appoint this man a judge in Nigeria? Is he qualified to be one having not been a judge before? If so, what makes you think he wants to leave the comfort of Canada to the drudgery of Nigerian politics? I would not, if I were him. Again do not forget that judges are appointed based on quota system. So this man from anambra is not going to take the place of the judge from your own state. He can only take up the position of the SE, if indeed he is under consideration.

I never said he was going to be appointed. They just use him to run the propaganda and test reaction of other nigerian. Which I quickly said 419. he is not the first, even Gumel is not the first nigerian in Canada. Even at York there are other nigerian who are Professor .

The reason why there are not many nigerian Professor in canada before now is because in the past. Canada was a small country and 1/3 do not speak english. And mostly we moved to the USA. And even the first redeemed church started in canada. 90% of the members now live in the USA. they all moved.  It was hard getting into the program those days because there were less universities just about 10 million population were speaking english. And people had to move to the USA.

strange topic
i mean this is 2010 how can canada have it's first african professor in 2010. this would be all over the NYT if that were the case.

oyinda.:

strange topic
i mean this is 2010 how can canada have it's first african professor in 2010. this would be all over the NYT if that were the case.

Yeah! Nigerian press and their mediocre ways.

Wonders from BCR shall never end!

Lailai, This na lie. I know of Professor Musiwa Mapomeji from Benin Republic he is a Full professor in Canada.


I find it odd that the whole of Canada is just having his first Nigerian prof in 2009, Not to talk of African. Those Egyptian dey read book wella or are they not part of the selection?

Egyptians consider themselves to be Middle Eastern