Professor Ochapa Onazi was more than a Vice-Chancellor; he was a master builder of institutions. His life’s work, spanning over four decades, was dedicated to laying the intellectual and administrative foundations for higher education across Nigeria. From groundbreaking research in agricultural science to shaping the very structures of universities, he was a quiet but monumental force in the nation’s academic landscape.
A Scholar’s Foundation
On November 20, 1936, Professor Ochapa Chico Onazi was born in Igumale, which is now part of the Ado Local Government Area. He commenced his education in 1943 at Methodist Central Primary School, Igumale, and eventually left in 1949. In 1950, he moved on to the Boys’ Secondary School, Gindiri where he obtained a Cambridge School Certificate.
Onazi left Gindiri in 1955 and was accepted into the Nigerian College of Arts, Science, and Technology, Zaria, in 1956. He passed the Higher School Certificate Examination in 1958, which at the time was a requirement for attending college.
Onazi entered University College London in 1960 and earned a Bsc in Zoology there in 1964.
In 1966, Onazi returned to London to pursue a postgraduate degree in Applied Entomology at Imperial College. He completed his studies there in 1967, earning both a Diploma of the Imperial College (DIC) and an Msc from the University of London. This made him the first Idoma graduate of the esteemed Imperial College (since the college was a part of the University in the 1960s, Imperial awarded its postgraduate students both a Diploma of the College and a University of London degree).
Never one to rest on his laurels, Onazi completed his PhD in Agricultural Education from Kansas State University in 1973 with support from Ahmadu Bello University and the US Agency for International Development (USAID). His doctoral dissertation was entitled “Comparative Analysis of the Training Needs of Potential Agricultural Extension Workers and Principal Problems of Extension in Northern States of Nigeria” In October 1985, Professor Onazi was appointed the third substantive Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jos, serving until 1989. His tenure marked a significant milestone, as he was the first person from Idoma Land to become a Vice-Chancellor in Nigeria.
His leadership was marked by a series of national roles where his expertise was trusted to build and guide new and existing institutions:
1. Bayero University, Kano: Pro-Chancellor & Chairman, Governing Council (2000–2004)
2. Benue State University, Makurdi: Pro-Chancellor & Chairman, Governing Council (1996–2004)
3. Plateau State University, Bokkos: Pro-Chancellor & Chairman, Governing Council (2006–2007)
4. Nasarawa State University, Keffi: Chairman, Planning Committee (2000–2002)
5. Karl Kumm University, Vom: Pro-Chancellor & Chairman, Governing Council (until 2024)
National Influence and Final Chapters
Professor Onazi’s influence extended far beyond university campuses:
In 2003, he was awarded the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) by President Olusegun Obasanjo for his service to education. In 2014, he was also a recipient of the National Universities Distinguished Professor Award.
His career was a tapestry of significant appointments, including serving on the board of the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), acting as an FAO consultant in Uganda, and contributing to numerous national agricultural and policy initiatives.
Professor Onazi passed away on August 1, 2024, at the age of 87, just days after actively participating in meetings for the university he helped establish. He is survived by hi