Professor Christopher Amatobi dies in the US.
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It was pain, agony and grief last week among Akalites in the United States of America when the family of Professor Christopher Iwumene Amatobi announced the demise of the first indigenous professor of Umuaka extraction. According to the press statement the son of the professor, Mr Uche Amatobi issued to newsmen, from his United States base last week, the distinguished professor of entomology died after a brief illness in the United States.
During his years of service as a professor in Nigeria, the Ugbele born erudite Professor held several positions such as the dean, program manager and acting director among others in several institutions he helped to develop. Outside the university, the late professor was a top community leader, capacity builder, farmer, grad father and a Knight of St Mulumba in the Roman Catholic Church.
Born on the January 6th, 1939, the late professor is survived by his wife, Lady Beatrice Amatobi, Mr Uche Amatobi, Son. Engineer Chidi Amatobi, Son, Mr Chibuzo Amatobi Son, Mrs Chinyere Osuchukwu, daughter. Lolo Christina Nwaiwu, daughter and Mrs Chika Agwumezie, daughter.
Umuaka Times gathered that during the formative years of the versatile professor, he did his primary and secondary education in Kano and Okigwe respectively, after which he gained an admission with scholarship awards and proceeded to the famous University of Nigeria Nsukka. The Nigerian Biafran War altered his academic program and after the war, he proceeded to University of Ibadan where he finished his program.
During his university days, Amatobi was a lover of football and played for his community and school in his days. He was also conscripted into the Biafran Army where he rose to the position of a full lieutenant and commanding officer 3rd Brigade, Okigwe, during the war in the present day Imo State.
As a lecturer and professor, Professor Amatobi taught in Federal College of Education Kano, Bayero University Kano, and Ahmadu Bello University Zaria in Kaduna State. He did some of his research works in the United Kingdom for his Masters and PHD programs and finally became the first indigenous professor in Umuaka. As a man who picked interest in farming at his youthful days, the late professor decided to read agriculture and finally specialized in Entomology .
After his retirement from the university in Nigeria, Professor Amatobi moved to the United States and settled in Dallas Texas with his wife. He was in the United States until he took his final bow.
By his death, Umuaka community, Njaba LGA, Imo State and the Nigeria academia have lost a down to earth scholar and a top capacity builder. Details on his burial arrangements will later be announced by the family.
