A Nigerian man, Patrick O. Okigbo III, has shared his encounter with 79-year-old Professor Emeritus, Alexander Animalu of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), whom he met on a flight from Enugu to Abuja.

The renowned professor Animalu is a physicist of international repute, member of the highest advisory body on Science and Technology to the Nigerian government, a pioneer of solar energy in Nigeria, the only African member to date of the Advisory Board of the Euro-Journal Physics and the only African member of the Editorial Board of the Hadronic Journal.

Below is what the excited man posted on Facebook after his meeting with the aged professor.

GOOD NAME

I am on the Air Peace flight from Enugu to Abuja. As usual, it is packed with a good mix of Ndigbo leaving the region to hustle in other parts of Nigeria and probably the world. It is always a good place to meet people and to get a sense for what’s happening in the region. You are sure to pick up interesting conversations.

As I walked to my seat towards the back of the plane, I was pleasantly surprised to see that I have been assigned a seat across the aisle from Prof. Alexander Animalu, the renowned theoretical physicist. He was already holding court with some of the people seated around him. He regaled them with stories from his days at the then-prestigious Dennis Memorial Grammar School (DMGS) also referred to, by rivals, as “Does Monkey Go to School”. Animalu was in the graduating class of 1957. There were two other “DenGramites” around us and they were in awe of the man. They had only heard stories of Animalu’s academic prowess but never had a chance to meet him in person.

Prof. Animalu told us stories of how he arrived in the USA on January 01, 1966 to study physics at MIT on a Shell-BP scholarship. I told him that it was coincidental that my dad arrived London on the same day to study accountancy on a scholarship from Eastern Nigeria Development Commission.

He mentioned that he is from Oba in Anambra state. I told him that I am from next door, Ojoto. He spoke about some of my uncles who were his contemporaries: Pius, Bede, Chris. At the mention of Chris, the discussion went to the War.

As is often the case, Biafra makes a cameo in these conversations. Prof. Animalu did not fight in the war because he was in the States. Like most people from the region, he lost many friends and family members.

We spoke about his academic career and how much goodwill he still enjoys. Most of the people on the plane who recognized him came by to shake his hands. Even some politicians came from the front of the plane to greet him.

I thought of all the big Ogas on this plane: current National Chairman of a political party, two candidates in the January 2018 Senatorial elections in Anambra, a former Honourable Minister, etc. None had the same level of genuine admiration as this reputed emeritus professor who sat at the back of the plane, hoping to remain incognito, but whose academic accomplishments, life’s work, and good name caused for a long procession of people who just wanted to shake his hands. I kept thinking, “eziafa ka ego” (good name is better than money).

As the air hostess announced (in a jumble of accents) that we should switch off our phones and get ready for departure, I asked Prof. Animalu for a selfie. He obliged. I captured the moment to use it to teach my kids that good name is better than silver and gold.

Source; https://www.nationalhelm.co/2017/12/man-shares-his-experiience-after-encounter-with-prof-animalu-alexander-o-e.html

Economy class(room)

∆ The man's face dey scare me self... ∆

Please driver lets go.

me that don't even know the professor lemme don't waste this FP
lemme just kukuli say something that's been bothering me but thankGod our youth have taken a giant step to curb it

#ENDSARS
#dropYourGunFaceMeOneOnOneSee

This is much better than Ebuka's agbada or danshiki or babanriga...

What a feat

That means if he meets Anthony Joshua, he will just

Iyama. See face like chuku abiamala sacrifice.

Meets...... or harasses?

OrestesDante:




∆ The man's face dey scare me self...
∆

Resist the temptation to be shallow. The point of the article is not the man's looks.

Prof

grew up knowing him.

respected him the day i googled that name.

living a simple life till date.


if you hear the achievements of his children and grand children, in the US you will bow



the wife always brags that the grandchild @ age 3 was given a scholarship in the US to study mathematics for the rest of his life

emeijeh:
D

Even you too you have joined them.

That's a Living Legend

IamaNigerianGuy:


Resist the temptation to be shallow. The point of the article is not the man's looks.

Even if it is the man's look. Tell the guy to show us his father.

Nice write up tho

Alexander fleming?

at least, this one is better than all d useless posts that make FP nowadays

proud to be a dengramite RIP ARALU

OrestesDante:




∆ The man's face dey scare me self...
∆

But you would have to be understanding that everyone gets old....and words like yours ain’t necessary

Keneking:
Economy class(room)

Well, we all get to the same destination at the same time...if one can, why not save that money for other things that might be priority

lloyds:
With all him mighty CV and achievements, the Prof cannot even wear a nice tie and shirt.
I don't envy the life of academics sometimes really.

Like the original poster said...a good name is better than money
I do believe most people from years back that went into academia sought knowledge to do things and pass it on...not the quest for money

Wit dat face,if dat prof na ur project supervisor na die b dat o

Savage

With all him mighty CV and achievements, the Prof cannot even wear a nice tie and shirt.
I don't envy the life of academics sometimes really.

So old ppl are also on NL @op!.....and we were on same flight!

An epitome of excellence that we should all be proud of and yet someone is complaining about the man's look.