The Governing Council of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State will on Saturday 19th of October honour five distinguished personalities, with honorary doctorate awards at the 22nd Convocation Ceremony of the University.
The awards will be held at the Cordelia Agbebaku Auditorium of the institution, according to a special invite sent to the awardees by the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor I.A. Onimawo, on behalf of Council, Senate, Staff and Students of the University.
The awardees to be conferred with the Doctor of Public Administration (DPA) Honoris Causa are: President of the Republic of Gambia, His Excellency, Adama Barrow, and the Ex-Military Governor of Rivers State and Former Minister of Information, Federal Republic of Nigeria, General Anthony Ukpo (Rtd).
Mr. Emmanuel Ikazoboh is to be honored with Doctor of Business Administration(DBA) Honoris Causa as well as the duo of Chief (Dr.) E.A. Ainabe, Ojomo of Ekpoma, Chairman of Zeek Group of Companies and Dr. Dorry Afe Okojie, CEO/MD of DAF Homes & Estate Ltd, Lagos. All these three individuals will be conferred with Doctor of Business Administration(DBA) Honoris Causa.
It would be recalled that President Barrow won the 2016 presidential election with 43.34 per cent of the vote, defeating long-time incumbent Yahya Jammeh . Jammeh initially accepted the result, but later reneged on this, and Barrow was forced to flee to neighbouring Senegal. He was inaugurated at the Gambian embassy in Senegal on 19 January 2017, and Jammeh was forced to leave the Gambia and go into exile on 21 January. Barrow returned to the Gambia on 26 January.
The awardees conferment will be taking place at the convocation ceremony for the installation of the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Award of Diplomas/Degrees, Prizes, launching of Endowment Fund, and conferment of Higher Degrees as well as Honorary Degrees, during a week-long event which began on Monday, October 14.
Mr. Ikazoboh, a renowned chartered accountant and auditor, who is the current Chairman of Ecobank Plc, the Pan-African banking group, has more than 25 years’ experience in senior management roles in Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire and Cameroon. He is also one of the directors of Dangote Cement Plc.
Previously, he was the Managing Partner for Francophone offices in Cote d’Ivoire and Cameroon and later became the Managing Partner/CEO of Deloitte West and Central Africa until 2009. He was appointed Chairman of ARM Pension Managers in May 2014 after several years on the board as an Independent Director.
Mr. Ikazoboh was appointed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as an Administrator to carry out capital market reforms of the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) and the CSCS. He managed the Nigerian Stock Exchange from 2010 to 2011 and completed the assignment by restructuring the management, equities market, stockbrokerage processes and Corporate Governance structure of both entities thus putting in place an enviable Stock Exchange in Africa.
He serves on several corporate boards as the Chairman or Non-Executive Director.