A TRIBUTE TO A HERO; EMERITUS PROFESSOR AUGUSTINE A.E.ORHUE
It was that eventful day, 10/2/2009, on the floor of the Senate of the University of Benin, Prof A.A.E.Orhue stood up and challenged the illegality in the appointment of the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin and subsequently led a walk out of the red Chambers. His voice and action were amplified by the vigilant Press and it became a defining moment to either acquiesce to illegality or vanquish it in the University of Benin. His name became synonymous with the struggle to demolish official deceit and restore law to its pride of place in our University.
It was in the cool evening Dr Festus Iyayi as he then was invited me to see him at his private office located in the same building then with Omega Restaurant. Seated with him was a gentleman I had never meant in my life. It was a moment of ecstasy for me as Dr Iyayi said, “this is Professor Orhue .” That encounter was priceless as I found an older and more illustrious version of myself in pursuit of justice!
He had volunteered to use the law to challenge the illegally imposed Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin. He demonstrated thus that he had the courage of his conviction.
As a personal friend of the substantive Vice-Chancellor that eventually emerged after the struggle, he served with distinction in helping the Vice-Chancellor to navigate many slippery terrains which space will not permit me to enumerate; he also helped to mediate without hypocrisy to resolve issues that would have embarrassed the University.
He was a man in whose life divinity intervened to rescue from disgrace. His Inaugural lecture which was cancelled for frivolous reason(s) with some court jesters revelling in the unkind act became a reality as the 70 years retirement law came into effect on 11/5/2012 and was announced on the very night 14/5/2012 he was deemed to have retired from the services of the University.
The Brutus sword was used to assail his unblemished career by those who served unabashedly in a Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee who sought to please an emperor Vice-Chancellor who pretended to have the power of life and death. The legal victory he secured for the wrongful compulsory termination of his appointment though after his retirement date, imposed punitive fines on the University for the poor and unacceptable conduct towards this great man.
The sacrifices made by him whereby for seven years he headed the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology when all his contemporaries left for greener pastures in the Middle East, preserved that Department and as a testament to his influence, on his 75th birthday, his former students who are authorities in the Medical Field in their own rights organised a lavish birthday party in his honour.
This Emeritus Professor sought to bring succour to women who were called barren and in the course of his research activities discovered that he could not succeed without the almighty God. Thus in the course of the Invitro Fertilisation (IVF) procedures, a vital component was a praise, worship, bible study and prayer session that lasted an hour. The results he got were astounding and reassuring. He was indeed a true Knight of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
He was a man of large heart, generous, dependable, loyal to a worthy cause and friend.
In the midst of my travails in the hands of the University authorities in October 2014, he left his house at Ugbor Road at 8:00pm in the night to visit me at Ugbowo Police Station to secure my bail though he was unsuccessful due to the resistance by the Divisional Police Officer acting the script of the powers that were. When my official residence was broken into and all my property were confiscated, he visited the scene of the incident and donated handsomely to enable me begin the purchase of household items anew.
Space would fail me to eulogise this great man of many distinctions who served God and humanity with his knowledge and skills, who was villified vigorously, but emerged victorious always, a dependable ally, a courageous soul , a leader of worthy causes, a love slave of truth, a teacher extraordinary, a repository of knowledge, a defender of the weak, a philanthropist and a worthy ambassador of Heaven.
The earth was enriched indeed by your presence and we celebrate your passage as a true hero.
Adieu Emeritus Professor and Knight of St John International.
Emmanuel E.I.Irabor, PhD
Professor of Industrial Chemistry
University of Benin
