World-acclaimed Nigerian scholar, Peter Ekeh, dies at 83

• Urhobo Mourn loss of cultural activist

ACCLAIMED Nigerian Professor of Political Science, Peter Ekeh, is dead.

Born on August 8, 1937, in present day Delta state, Ekeh died on Tuesday morning, aged 83.

The scholar is globally acknowledged for his academic work, Colonialism and the Two Publics in Africa: A Theoretical Statement. First published in 1975, it is one of the most cited works in the field of African, political and sociological studies in universities across the world.

Ekeh taught in several African, American and Japanese universities.

He was chair of the department of African-American studies at Buffalo University from 1993 to 2001. He was also the Chair of the Department of Political Science at the University of Ibadan (1978-1983) and Chairman of the Ibadan University Press (1983-1988). 

Some universities where Professor Ekeh taught include University of California, Riverside (1970-73); Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1973-74); and University of Ibadan (1974-1989).

Ekeh earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Ibadan (1961-64) and his graduate degrees in sociology from Stanford University (1965-66) and the University of California, Berkeley (1966-70), respectively.

In 1974, Ekeh published Social Exchange Theory: The Two Traditions (1974).

He was a Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars, Washington, D.C. (1988-89) where he earned various research and scholarship awards. He also led and piloted global research in the field of political science and sociology. And he was a Rockefeller Foundation Scholar for his graduate studies.

Later in his career, Ekeh founded the  Urhobo Historical Society whose influential web site URHOBO WAADO he edited for several years.

Ekeh hailed from Okpara Inland of Agbon Kingdom, Ethiope East Local Government Area in Delta State. He was also a chief of the Palace in Agbon until his death.

Some members of the Urhobo Renaissance Society (URS) have mourned the ‘Urhobo Cultural Activist’ on the group’s WhatsApp group.

“Professor Peter Ekeh envisioned a future for the Urhobo Historical Society (UHS),” wrote Dr. Sunny Awhefeada of the Delta State University, Abraka.

“He resigned as President last year and Dr. Aruegodore Oyiborhoro took over as President. The Secretary is Engr. Onoavware Edevbie. The UHS also has a Board of Trustees with Chiefs Moses Taiga and Simeon Ohwofa as chairman and secretary respectively. Prof. Ekeh endowed UHS with a headquarters at Okpara which also serves as a research centre which I oversee.”

Awhefeada revealed that the UHS is planning a conference to focus on Udu and Ughievwen.

 “We will miss Prof and his numerous contributions to Urhobo historical developments,” wrote Ighoyota Amori, an Urhobo indigene, member of URS and Delta politician.