It was glitz and blitz as the who is who in Nigeria ‘s academia and intellectual spectrum turned up at the famous Akin Deko Auditorium (Main Auditorium), University of Benin, Benin City, to celebrate the inauguration of Professor Edoba Bright Omoregie SAN as the 11th Vice Chancellor of the prestigious University of Benin.
From the successful and astute immediate past Vice Chancellor of the University -Professor Lilian Imuetinyan Salami, the representative of the Oba of Benin, led by Chief Obasogie ,the Obasogie of Benin Kingdom, to the first Alumnus of UNIBEN to be a Senior Advocate of Nigeria -Chief Charles Uwensuyi Edosomwan SAN, FCIarb UK, to a former Minister of National Planning and the current Director General of the National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies -Professor Suleiman Abubakar, to the Chairman of the Governing Council of the African Bar Association-Hannibal Uwaifo Esq, to elders and members of the Irowa / Omoregie Family led by Mr. Oghogho Omoregie and Henry Omoregie Esq., the President of the Benin Club , the A-List Attendees in the Inauguration is endless.
Professor Edo Bright Omoregie SAN has distinguished himself as an exemplar of fecund intellectualism, so much so that is not a co-incidence that is his middle name Bright, because he is actually very bright in intellectual elocution.
Professor Edoba Bright Omoregie , Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) is a successful litigation lawyer, law scholar, astute researcher, policy analyst and prolific writer of no mean repute.
Professor Edoba Bright Omoregie SAN means different things to different people. An astute researcher who is a stickler for details and an apostle of precision. Professor Omoregie SAN has cut his teeth at the prestigious Faculty of Law, University of Benin, where he is a Professor of Constitutional Law and has been Head of Department of Different Departments of the Law Faculty, as well as being a long standing member of the Faculty Board before his sabbatical to the National Institute of Legislative Studies, Abuja. He has been a member of the University Senate, as well as being a Board Member of different components of the University System.
He, indeed, is an expert in a concept associated with Federalism called “Subsidiarity “, a novel concept that expounds the basic elements of Federalism—dwelling on devolution and decentralisation of Power to component units of a Federal State .
Professor Edoba Bright Omoregie SAN is to subsidiarity in Nigeria what K. C. Wheare is to Federalism. It was therefore not surprising that Professor Omoregie SAN has been one of the eggheads, on sabbatical, at the research arm of the National Assembly of Nigeria. the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, in Abuja.At the National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies he distinguished himself in research, teaching, administration and giving intellectual support to the Committee Systems of the two the Bicameral Chambers of the National Assembly, for which he was appointed as the Director of Legislative Support Services of the National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies , Abuja.
A successful litigation lawyer, Professor Omoregie SAN has a thriving law firm in Benin; Edoba Omoregie & Co. The firm has churned out an array of successful Lawyers, including the writer and has handled many landmark cases. It in demonstration of his contribution to the development of Nigerian Law both as a Litigator and scholar that he was bestowed with the distinctive and distinguished rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
A rare breed of intellect given to benevolence, effervescence and generosity, Professor Edoba Bright Omoregie SAN is a good family man and a devout Christian-a Baptist, married to his delectable wife -Professor (Mrs.) Ehiwenma Omoregie, an intellectual in her own right. They are blessed with beautiful children, equally thriving in their respective studies and careers .
As we celebrate the appointment of the Sage, as the 11th substantive Vice Chancellor of the prestigious ivory tower -the University of Benin (UNIBEN), we are enthused that that the Learned Silk will improve on the great gains and giant strides of the outgoing Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin, the debonair and innovative Professor Lilian Imuetiyan Salami, who has had a successful and transformatory tenure as the Chief Executive of the Great UNIBEN.
We wish the distinguished Learned Silk a successful and rancour free stint as he administers the great citadel of learning for the next five years.
About the Author:
Douglas Ogbankwa Esq. is the immediate past Director of Strategic Communications of the African Bar Association is a former Student of Professor Edoba Bright Omoregie SAN at the Prestigious Faculty of Law, University of Benin and an Associate in the Law Firm called Omoregie and Omoregie.
