As a renowned academic and authority on science education, Professor Zephrinus Chiduben Njoku takes a turn this week to speak on pedagogical approaches to reduce difficulties in learning Chemistry at the 182nd Inaugural Lecture of the University of Nigeria Nsukka, June 22, 2023.
By Tobs Agbaegbu
By 1 pm, on Thursday, June 22, this week, Zephrinus Chidubem Njoku, Professor of Science Education at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, will mount the rostrum at Princess Alexandria Auditorium and Unity Hall, in the vicinity of the university in Nsukka town, Enugu State, to deliver the 182nd inaugural lecture of the university. He will speak on ‘’abstractions and misconceptions: pedagogical approaches towards reducing students’ learning difficulties in school chemistry.’’
Expectations are high that Professor Njoku will truly roar, academically speaking, like a lion, the logo of the University. The Vice Chancellor of the UNN, Professor Charles A. Igwe said in an invitation notice which he circulated widely, that the event will be chaired by Professor Bennett C, Nwanguma, Chairman of the University’s Senate Ceremonials Committee.
Zeph Njoku is a lecturer at the UNN’s Faculty of Education. A renowned scholar, from Amuzi town in Ahiazu Mbaise Local government of Imo State and alumnus of the great ‘78 set of the Community Secondary School, Amuzi, from where he was admitted to UNN for his university education, Njoku has been a success story in his academic and professional life. He has presented a number of other public lectures in recent past, among them, the Diamond Jubilee Lecture of his Secondary , last year.
Professor Njoku will further be casting his name in the academic marble and hall of fame of the UNN and global academic community at the end of his awaited erudite presentation. What he is about to do has been an exercise on reserve for academic giants and philosophers.
At the UNN, the great entre of academic excellence in the South East of Nigeria, founded in 1955 by the first President of Nigeria, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, men and women of exceptional academic capacity, are regularly chosen to speak on their chosen professions and competence, as a matter of policy. The University explained in its portal that inaugural lecture at the UNN ‘’ is a way of letting people know what academic /research activities a professor has done over the years and what his/her future research interest is’’. The university explained also that the purpose is to ‘’synthesize one’s scholarship and the scholars’ contribution to knowledge.’’
The first UNN inaugural lecture was held in 1976 by of the edited scholars Nigeria has produced from Igbo land, Professor k. Nzimiro . The world is waiting to hear Professor Zephrinus Njoku speak, and thus, formally, thereafter, register in the league of academic giants in Nigeria, following the footstep of Nzimiro amd others .The success story of Njoku, will also be another way of restoring the dignity of man, as UNN professes. Nigerians are waiting.
