Acclaimed Professor of Economics and Public Policy, Akpan Hogan Ekpo, has been appointed the first Emeritus Professor by the University of Uyo in Akwa Ibom State.

A letter of notification signed by the University Registrar, Mrs Blossom E. Okorie, says that the conferment is based on Ekpo?s ?track record of service to the university and humanity in general?.

?It is hoped that this honour would not only serve as recognition to your personality and modest efforts at human development, but also as a platform for further contributions to the advancement of our University and the Nation,? the letter stated.

The formal conferment of the award on Prof Akpan Ekpo, also a former Vice Chancellor at the University of Uyo, which was approved by the University Senate at its 131st meeting held on Wednesday, September 25, is slated for Saturday, November 9, 2024.

Currently chairman of the Foundation for Economic Research and Training (FERT), Lagos, Ekpo, 70, was also director general, West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM), Lagos, May 2009-December 2018. He is also pioneer Vice Chancellor, Akwa Ibom University of Technology and a former director at the Central Bank of Nigeria.

After his secondary education at the United Christian Secondary School, Apapa, Lagos in 1969, Ekpo received a Federal Government scholarship to study in the United States of America. He graduated from Howard University, Washington in 1976 with a Bachelor?s degree (Cum laude with honours) in Economics and obtained a Masters in Economics from the same university.

He was on the Dean?s List of the university throughout his undergraduate studies and on full scholarship based on his academic performance. In 1975 as the best and honours student, he won the American Economic Association Fellowship to study briefly at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. In 1980 and 1983, he bagged the MA and PhD degrees in Economics from the University of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.

In his Valedictory Lecture delivered at the University of Uyo last June titled, ?NIGERIA: THE ECONOMICS OF POTENTIALS AND THE POTENTIALS IN ECONOMICS?, Ekpo whose works are published in several publications, books and journals, argued that, ?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. Hence, development goes beyond high growth rates to include structural changes, freedom as well as closing the inequality gap.?

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