By Prof Hassan A. Saliu
On the August 3rd, 2024 when my phone vibrated, indicating that I had a message, I hesitated before picking it up. This was because I thought that it could be from one of the numerous callers who have mastered the trick of deceiving Nigerians by using foreign telephone numbers that often suggest that such calls or messages are from locations outside Nigeria. There are others who scam unsuspecting Nigerians through phony invitations to meetings through text messages and codes.
Alas, this time around, the WhatsApp message I had received was from an honest and responsible member of our association, Prof. Franklin Sanubi, the former Chair of the South-South Zone of the NPSA. Upon opening the message, I discovered that it was about the passing of our member, a dedicated one for that matter, Prof. Atare Otite. No narrative was given except his picture that was flashed. Below it was the epitaph, Rest in Peace. What killed him? What were the circumstances? These were questions that ran through my mind. After remaining speechless for some minutes, my finger struck the keyboards to ask the question: How did he die? I put the question across to Prof. Sanubi.
He too was in a state of shock as it took him sometime before he could wire a reply to me. The substance of his reply left me dumbfounded. He had given a narration on how the deceased came back from a journey hale and hearty. Prof. Otete even volunteered to go to the hospital himself after feeling unwell in his body but he never returned alive. What an irony of life! I must say that the news of his death hit me like a thunderbolt as it was least expected. I was then waiting and hoping to hear that he had been revived but the news never came. It is not that I have any iota of doubt in Prof. Sanubi, the source of the information. I was just wishing that it was not true. Rather, Prof. Sanubi is someone I have discovered to be forthright on issues pertaining to our association. He could not therefore have passed the information that he was not sure of to me. My state of disbelief was subsequently erased when the Financial Secretary of our association, Prof. Robert Dode, responded to my post on the exco platform about the passing of our colleague, Prof. Otite. He, instead of refuting the news item, further authenticated it by referencing the Head of Department at Abraka who also confirmed the death of the member in his department. Earlier, when the Secretary of the NPSA delayed the posting of the sad news on other platforms of the NPSA, I had thought that he was in possession of a contrary piece of information, refuting the one I had passed on to him on the unfortunate incident. Nothing, however, changed the initial information I had received about his death.
In one scholarly outing
Truly, we have lost Prof. Atare Otite, a gentleman scholar, lover of truth and unrelenting researcher, who died from complications arising from his strong commitment to scholarship. He was an alumnus of the University of Ibadan where he obtained both his B.Sc and M.Sc degrees from. For his doctoral degree, he got it from DELSU where he ended up teaching Political Science before his death. Until his demise, he was a star lecturer teaching various courses and making his impact felt through well-informed analyses that culminated in his ultimate decoration as a Professor in 2014. Prof. Otite was everything in his University (DELSU) except occupying the office of the Vice-Chancellor; he was HOD, Dean, Member of the Governing Council and the 93rd Inaugural Lecturer of his University on August 25th, 2022. The title of his Inaugural Lecture is on Gender Disparity in the Formulation and Implementation of Policies: Are Women Actually Marginalized? He had equally served in some important administrative committees of his University. Prof. Otite had the benefit of comparing universities across Nigeria because he was a regular face in NUC’s accreditation programmes. For instance, he was with us in Ilorin on account of being a member of the accreditation team that visited UNILORIN in 2021.
He was known more for his engagement with gender issues, development studies and issues around democracy, all from the angle of the liberal school of thought. I recall the conference of the NPSA, South-South Zone, that was hosted by the Igbinedion University, Okada, where he was the Lead Speaker on democracy. His paper on that occasion and that of Prof. Augustine Ikelegbe were so engaging that they later served as the fulcrum around which the communique of the conference was crafted. I was at the Igbinnedon University for the conference as the representative of the then President of the NPSA, Prof. A. M. Okolie, being the Vice-President at the time. He was also at the Niger Delta University at another occasion of his region’s conference where he gave inspiration to the younger ones as the Chairman of the conference.
Based on his commitment to scholarship, he was widely respected by Political Scientists and others who have benefited from his fountain of knowledge. He was a mentor with unquantifiable levels of patience and endurance. He thus warmed himself to the hearts of many through his careful planning and execution of tasks coupled with a high level of integrity that he displayed when he was alive.
He was a regular attendee of our association’s flagship programme, the NPSA Platform during which he made valuable contribution to the discussions. For instance, He was a discussant when we engaged Nigeria’s democracy in February this year. He was scheduled to discuss the paper presented by Prof. Yusuf Zoaka on the Civil Service and Traditional Institutions and he did not disappoint. He was also on duty, serving the NPSA, in May this year when he chaired a session on impact of democracy in Jigawa State. With his death, the NPSA has indeed lost a gentleman, conscientious man, consummate activist and a strong pillar of the Association.
Prof. Otite was a very calm person who was ever ready to succumb to the weight of superior arguments. This, he demonstrated during one of our online programmes when he shared the information he had about our conference that held in Abakaliki in 2018. I politely corrected him about what had happened, especially on the issue of 10m Naira that was given to the association to offset the transport cost of the conference attendees by the immediate past Governor of Ebonyi State, who is now a Minister, Chief Dave Omahi. He assimilated the information that I gave on the occasion and he immediately erased his initial notion without feeling hurt about it. If I recall correctly, he even apologized afterwards for sharing incorrect pieces of information on funding for the conference.
On another occasion in 2023, he gave me a call to protest about the decision of the exco to embark on online mode of registration for our members. He cited the past manual registration he had done and asked about what would happen to it? I responded to him as I have always done that without any records on past registrations, it would be difficult for me to respond to any enquiries on the registered members if I was asked. I went further to remark that but with the migration to e-registration, our association would develop a credible database with all the associated benefits. He agreed with me and moved to do the needful. He later called to inform me about his new registration status, while exuding satisfaction for doing so, especially with his membership certificate and number that were generated online in the comfort of his office. That was the stuff that our dear Prof. was made of. He was ever willing to follow the superior arguments no matter the inconveniences that went them.
Prof. Otite was a household name among Political Scientists in Nigeria, especially his native region and the adjoining South East region where he had made his legendary contributions by tendering students on the right academic path. In the course of doing that, he maintained a simple life, remained friendly with staff and students and kept his peace with all. A week before his death, he was at the Chukwu Emeka Ojukwu University in Igbariam to examine PhD students. The day he died was the very day his paper was taken in the ongoing examinations at the school where he was serving for his second sabbatical leave, UNIDELTA, Agbor. He was personally on ground to oversee the examination and collect the scripts before driving back to Abraka and later, Eku, his base. On that day, he was unusually jovial, sharing jokes with everyone as if he knew he was going to die that day, the 2nd of August, 2024. He was once at the Anyigba campus for his first sabbatical leave (2015-2016) where he also made his impact.
At a personal level, he was one of those who have encouraged me whenever I expressed the concern about the attitude of some of our members. He would say to me: ‘’Mr. President, keep up your good work. Do not be distracted. We are with you’’. I report here that he walked the talk. He was absent at our conference in Lokoja in April this year (2024) but he made sure that he fulfilled his financial obligations to the NPSA before the conference. One can then see why It is an understatement when I say that I am personally touched with his exit from the world of living. However, I take solace in the fact that he did his best and left behind worthy legacies while on this planet earth. May his best be good enough in the sight of our Creator. As for the dependents he has left behind, I pray that God comfort and give them the strength to bear the irreparable loss of a bread winner. The family of Political Scientists indeed mourns and celebrates him for a life well-spent. On behalf of the NPSA EXCO, I bid Prof. Otite good night.
The author is President, NPSA
