The 6th annual birthday lecture series in honor of Professor Akpan Hogan Ekpo, a distinguished former Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, is set to be delivered by Professor Pius Oladeji Olarenwaju, the President of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN). This significant event will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 24th, 2025, at the 1,000-seater auditorium of the University of Uyo, located in Akwa Ibom State. Professor Olarenwaju, an esteemed Professor of Banking Law at Babcock University, Ilishan, Ogun State, will address the critical theme: “The Economic Crises In Nigeria: The Way Forward.” The invitation, extended by the Governing Board of the Prof Akpan H. Ekpo Centre for Public Policy at the University of Uyo, also confirms that the institution’s current Vice Chancellor, Professor Nyaudoh Ndaeyo, will serve as the chief host.

Professor Olarenwaju brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his role as the keynote speaker. Sworn in as President and Chairman of the Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) in May 2024, he is recognized as a thoroughbred professional and a seasoned academic. His extensive professional affiliations include being a Fellow of the CIBN, a Fellow of the Institute of Capital Market Registrars, a Fellow of the Institute of Management and Administrative Technology, and a Fellow of the Enterprise Risk Management Professionals. Throughout his career, spanning over 30 years, Professor Olarenwaju has traversed various sectors of the economy, including banking, legal consultancy, management, and academia. An undisputed expert in Banking and Commercial Law, he currently holds the prestigious position of Provost/Dean of Law at the School of Law and Security Studies, Babcock University, Ilisan.

The lecture celebrates Professor Akpan Hogan Ekpo, an acclaimed Professor of Economics and Public Policy, who was formally conferred with the Emeritus Professorship by the University of Uyo on Saturday, November 9th, 2024. This made him the first individual to be appointed Emeritus Professor by the institution. A letter of notification signed by the University Registrar, Mrs. Blossom E. Okorie, highlighted that the conferment was a direct recognition of Professor Ekpo’s “track record of service to the university and humanity in general,” expressing hope that this honor would serve as a platform for his continued contributions to the advancement of both the University and the Nation.

Professor Ekpo, who will turn 71 on Thursday, June 26th, has held numerous influential positions throughout his distinguished career. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Foundation for Economic Research and Training (FERT) in Lagos. From May 2009 to December 2018, he was the Director General of the West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM) in Lagos. His impactful career also includes being a pioneer Vice Chancellor of the Akwa Ibom University of Technology and a former director at the Central Bank of Nigeria.

His academic journey is equally impressive. After completing his secondary education at the United Christian Secondary School, Apapa, Lagos, in 1969, Professor Ekpo received a Federal Government scholarship to pursue higher studies in the United States of America. He graduated from Howard University, Washington, in 1976 with a Bachelor’s degree (Cum laude with honors) in Economics and subsequently obtained a Master’s in Economics from the same university. His exceptional academic performance saw him consistently on the Dean’s List and receiving full scholarships throughout his undergraduate studies. In 1975, as the top honors student, he was awarded the American Economic Association Fellowship, which allowed him to briefly study at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. He furthered his education at the University of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, earning his MA in Economics in 1980 and his PhD in Economics in 1983.

In his valedictory lecture, delivered at the University of Uyo in June 2024, titled “NIGERIA: THE ECONOMICS OF POTENTIALS AND THE POTENTIALS IN ECONOMICS,” Professor Ekpo, whose works are extensively published in various publications, books, and learned journals, passionately argued that true development extends far beyond mere high growth rates. He posited, “A country can be experiencing high growth rates yet 80-85% of her citizens cannot provide or have access to the basic necessities of life.” He emphasized that genuine development necessitates structural changes, the fostering of freedom, and critically, the closing of the inequality gap, underscoring a holistic approach to national progress.