Barely a week after the sudden death of notable Nigerian political scientist, Prof Jonah Isawa Elaigwu, another one has followed. He is Uganda – born Prof Okello Oculi, a remarkable Pan-Africanist.
Prof Oculi died earlier today according to a family statement from his in-law, John Ogazuma, a relation of Mrs Debra Ogazuma, the wife. The statement is declaring the family’s acceptance “of the will of our Lord” and asking for solidarity prayers over this time of grief. It promises further announcements about arrangements.
What Intervention is learning is that Prof Oculi must have died late evening today (July 26th, 2025). Being very strong as a former athlete, it was difficult to know his state of being till the last days. He kept up his appearances at major civil society events, including the 2025 session on two of his beloved younger Pan-Africanists, Dr Tajudeen Abdulraheem and Prof Abubakar Momoh which took place June 25th, 2025.
The day Prof Oculi dies can only be a sad day for Pan-Africanists all over the world. He studied Pan-Africanism, taught it and lived it. Pan-Africanism can be said to be why he landed in Nigeria after a PhD from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in the United States. Prof Crawford Young, his supervisor asked him to stay back. He said he could already see himself in Nigeria. Prof Crawford asked why Nigeria? Oculi replied: that is where the future of Africa is taking shape.
He landed at the Department of Political Science at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and was a key player in the festival of ideas that the world heard about from that campus some decades ago.
When he had to leave ABU, Zaria in the whirlwind of “teachers not teaching what they were paid to teach” and related repression, he settled in Abuja, formed and ran Africa Vision 525. It was the Oculiseque speak on May 25th which has passed into history as Africa Day.
One remarkable innovation to his credit in Zaria was the Mock-OAU Summit which simulated that very defunct OAU’s process. The ABU, Zaria Mock-Summit soared beyond Nigeria as student-presidents and prime ministers dramatised African leaders at every Mock-Summit. The Nigerian Television bought into it and it was a must watch at all layers of power.
On settling in Abuja, Prof Oculi replicated it but with young boys and girls in selected secondary schools. With the help of former president Olusegun Obasanjo, Dr. Dlamini-Zuma of South Africa and ex-AfDB President, Dr. Akin Adewumi, the eaglet presidents once performed at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa
Below is the poetic text he sent to another Professor of Political Science who was his student in Zaria years back exactly six days ago today.
Good Sunday morning Prof.
A young person has just helped me chat with a new phone that is lately imposed upon me.
Please accept my deep CONGRATS for your novel initiative at Bingham University. I suspect that a BAOBAB tree stands as a model in your vision for the growth of Bingham University.
We are working towards the FOURTH annual presentation of a “SIMULATION AFRICAN UNION ASSEMBLY” by members of Pan-Africa Club @ AGGS on 23/09/2025. It is held at NTA ARENA.
We hope that this little stream will also flow into big rivers like MOCK OAU by Bingham University
Be well.
Okello
Oculi’s death is a development that will reverberate across Africa, the black world and the West where he schooled, from the UK to the US. He attended Makerere University where he met and became friend with the late legendary Prof Ali Mazrui.
Prof Okello Oculi’s death brings to five very senior political scientists who have died of late. Three others – Prof Ayo Dunmoye, Prof Nuhu Yaqub and Prof Jonah Elaigwu went before him.
He was not only a poet, athlete but also in literature, teaching a now rested course unit “Literature and Politics” in ABU, Zaria in those days. It goes without saying that he is the author of numerous essays, many of them ground breaking.
He is survived by two sons and a widow, the ex-NTA dame, Debra Ogazuma.
