By Professor Omowumi O. Iledare
PREAMBLE:
It is with deep admiration and heartfelt gratitude that I pen this tribute to honour an exemplary academician, a transformational leader, and my great benefactor, Professor Joseph Atubokiki Ajienka (PJAA). This op-ed aims to acclaim the illustrious career of my cherished friend, JAA and in the process, to espouse the leadership qualities, which made him unique, legendary, and iconic as the Inaugural Director of the Institute of Petroleum Studies (IPS), the 7th Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Vice Chairman and later Chairman of Committee the University Vice Chancellors at the Nigerian University Commission (NUC). Serving as the Emmanuel Egbogah Chair in Petroleum Engineering, the Vice Chairman, Emmanuel Egbogah Foundation, the Managing Partner and CEO, of PetroNet-Africa, a Network of Petroleum and Energy Experts dedicated to building capacity for the Energy Sector in Africa, the Chairman of the Governing Council of NIPetE, Chairman Advisory Council, FUPRE Energy Business School, Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, PJAA displayed a leadership mindset that is extraordinary, authoritative but not authoritarian, and passionately vision oriented.
PJAA LEADERSHIP MINDSETS
Transformational: Leadership, they say, is the ability to inspire others to do more, become more, and achieve more. In this regard, Professor Ajienka stands tall as an emblem of transformational leadership. His tenure as Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt was not merely a chapter in the institution’s history, it was a renaissance. He championed innovations, academic excellence, and institutional growth, elevating Uniport to a distinguished position in global academia. His transformative vision was matched by an unyielding commitment to empowering students, faculty, and the community to thrive in the face of challenges.
Gratefulness: The mark of a truly wise soul is gratefulness. PJAA’s leadership mindset is a masterclass in this virtue. He approached every milestone with a heart full of thankfulness, acknowledging the support of colleagues, family, and collaborators. His ability to recognize and celebrate the contributions of others not only endeared him to many but also fostered an enduring spirit of camaraderie and collective achievement.
Nobility: In a world where noble leadership is increasingly rare, Professor Ajienka has been a shining beacon of hope. His tenure in various capacities—both within academia and beyond—was underpinned by a deep sense of justice, fairness, and ethical responsibility. He exemplified the ideals of servant leadership, consistently placing the needs of others above personal ambition. His nobility was not in titles but in deeds, and his legacy will remain a testament to his principled approach to life and leadership.
Collaborative: PJAA’s intellectual prowess and problem-solving acumen are well-recognized in the fields of Petroleum Production and beyond. He tackled challenges collaboratively with a rare combination of analytical rigour and creative insight, delivering solutions that were not only effective but also sustainable. For his students, peers, and the industry at large, he was a lighthouse guiding presence whose wisdom illuminated the path forward even in turbulent times with shared visions.
Tranquillity: One of PJAA’s most admirable qualities is his embodiment of contentment, which drives tranquillity. The ingredients enabling serenity in PJAA Leadership Academy are contentment and gratitude. In a world often driven by insatiable desires, he demonstrated that a life of purpose and gratitude is the highest form of wealth. He taught us that true fulfilment comes not from the accumulation of accolades or material possessions but from the joy of positively impacting others and living in alignment with one’s values. He embraces the mantra of our benefactor, Dr. Emmanuel Egbogah, OON that prosperity without posterity is worthless. The purpose of living is to add value to others.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
As Professor Atubokiki Ajienka transitions into the professorial retirement phase of life, having arrived at the 7th floor of the elevator of life, Professor Emeritus Omowumi Iledare (PEWI), celebrates not just the accolades that PJAA has amassed but the legacy of excellence, humility, and humanity he leaves behind in the academic community in Nigeria and worldwide. His journey is an inspiration to all who have had the privilege of knowing him as the pioneer of the adoption of the Tripple Helix Plus model for graduate education in Nigeria.
The influence of PJAA will continue to resonate far beyond the corridors of the University of Port Harcourt, where during his tenure as the 7th Vice Chancellor, Uniport ranked sixth in Africa and first in Nigeria even ahead of his Alma Matar, the great UI. He is indeed a personified transformational leader and an advocate for changes in the leadership mindset from transactional to transformational for nation building. PJAA disavowed the transactional leadership mindset. Even though authoritative, PJAA was not authoritarian. His desire to change the mindset of University Administrators for nation building in Nigeria shall happen and the academia shall rise again to lead the nation to prosperity with posterity in view.
Professor Joseph Atubokiki Ajienka deserves a national honour for a life of service lived to enhance knowledge, with a transformational leadership mindset for the greater good of Nigeria. The academic community knows your worth as an enabler of postgraduate education in oil and gas studies for intergenerational connections. May the retirement of PJAA be as enriching and fulfilling as the legacy he so graciously bestowed upon us all. PEWI, on behalf of all the beneficiaries of PJAA’s decades of service in academia, wishes PJAA grace upon grace and everything wonderful in his new phase of life!
OMOWUMI O. ILEDARE, PhD, Sr.
Fellow USAEE, Fellow NIPetE, Fellow
EI, Professor Emeritus, Louisiana
State University, Baton Rouge, USA
& Executive Director, Emmanuel Egbogah Foundation, Abuja, Nigeria