UNILAG honors Bayelsa Governor, Diri – THISAGE

The University of Lagos Consultancy Services (UNILAG Consult) has announced plans to honor the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, for his exemplary leadership style.

According to Professor John Lekan Oyefara, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of UNILAG Consult Limited, in a press conference held at the boardroom of UNILAG Consult in Lagos on Wednesday, said the honor is in recognition of the visionary, inclusive and transparent leadership of Governor Diri.

The triple event, scheduled for Wednesday, November 5, 2025 at the Main Auditorium of the University of Lagos, will include the public launch of a new book titled “Leadership Chronicles of Governor Douye Diri”, an international public lecture and the launch of a professorship on good governance.

The professorship will serve as a living academic legacy, promoting teaching, policy dialogue and research that advance the principles of good governance and leadership excellence in Nigeria and across Africa.

Governor Diri, fondly called the “Miracle Governor” of Bayelsa State, has been widely praised for his commitment to transparency, participatory governance and the use of technology to promote sustainable development in the health and education sectors. The book, “Leadership Chronicles of Governor Douye Diri”, documents the governor’s journey, philosophy and impact, while the international public conference will bring together renowned scholars, politicians and diplomats to examine the future of governance and leadership in Africa.

Distinguished guests expected at the event include the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who will serve as the chief guest.

Also expected is Mudashiru Obasa, Speaker of the Lagos State Assembly, among other dignitaries within and outside Nigeria.

Professor Oyefara highlighted that through this initiative, UNILAG Consult aims to document and preserve the lessons of transformational leadership for generations to come. He said governance rooted in integrity, inclusion and accountability remains the foundation of national progress.

Professor Hope Oghenerukevbe Eghagha, distinguished professor of English at the university and general editor of the book, noted that the event aims to highlight the University’s ongoing commitment to bridging the gap between academia, politics and leadership practice, while using research and dialogue to strengthen democratic governance across Africa.

He said Governor Diri’s focus on education, infrastructure, peacebuilding and youth empowerment has positioned Bayelsa as a model of inclusive governance in the Niger Delta. Professor Eghagha is a playwright, poet, novelist and newspaper columnist who has served as Head of the English Department and Delta State Commissioner for Higher Education.

Also, the consultant on the project, Sola Ojewusi, said the governor had made great strides in several areas. He said the governor had improved healthcare in the state with the delivery of medicines to remote areas of Bayelsa State via drones. He noted that this innovative approach to healthcare delivery has saved lives and ensured rapid access to medical care for people in dire circumstances.

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