Governor Peter Mbah, Bishop Callistus Onaga and other dignitaries celebrate renowned law professor Christian Nwachukwu Okeke and his contributions to legal education.
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev. Callistus Onaga, and other dignitaries have celebrated renowned international law scholar, Professor Christian Nwachukwu Okeke, as he marked his 85th birthday.
The celebration, held on Friday at the Law Auditorium of Godfrey Okoye University (GOUNI), Enugu, also featured the presentation and launch of a Festschrift titled International and Comparative Law in Honour of Okeke.
Okeke, who is the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of GOUNI, is a professor of International Law, Jurisprudence and Comparative Law. He is also associated with Golden Gate University School of Law in San Francisco, where he serves as Director of the Sompong Sucharitkul Center for Advanced International Legal Studies and Director of its LL.M. and S.J.D. programmes in international legal studies.
The university’s records show that Okeke previously served as pioneer Dean and Professor of Law at Nnamdi Azikiwe University and Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), as well as Deputy Vice-Chancellor of ESUT. He also practised as a solicitor and advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
The event attracted academics, legal practitioners, traditional rulers, government officials, clergy, former students and associates of the celebrant, who gathered to honour his contributions to legal education, international law and community development.
Bishop Onaga described Okeke as a committed academic and a man deeply connected to the people, recalling his contributions to the establishment and growth of GOUNI.
He commended the celebrant for remaining faithful to the vision and mission of the university from its formative years, noting that while establishing an institution was difficult, sustaining it required commitment and dedication.
The bishop congratulated Okeke on attaining 85 and urged him to bring the same wisdom and commitment to his responsibilities as a traditional ruler.
“My prayer for you is that God, who chose you, will always be by you as you rule the people and take care of them,” he said.
Onaga also urged traditional and political leaders to protect the people rather than use them as shields, stressing the importance of truth, justice and responsible leadership.
Representing Governor Mbah, the Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, described Okeke as a personal friend of the governor whose contributions had positively influenced Enugu State.
Mbah said the development of Enugu State could not be discussed without acknowledging Okeke’s contributions in various areas.
The governor described the celebrant as a symbol of “strength, kindness and humility,” noting that despite his accomplishments, Okeke remained approachable and unassuming.
“Nobody meets you and leaves without you sowing a seed in their life and you don’t do it with arrogance. That’s where humility comes in,” he said.
Mbah also praised Okeke’s mentoring qualities, describing him as an “effortless mentor” whose influence had left lasting positive impressions on the lives of those around him.
The Vice-Chancellor of GOUNI, Rev. Fr. Prof. Christian Anieke, said the unusual nature of the celebration reflected the multifaceted personality of the celebrant.
Anieke said the occasion was more than a birthday celebration, describing it as an academic tribute to a man whose life had been shaped by scholarship, traditional leadership, religion, culture and service to society.
He recalled meeting Okeke as a young student in Austria after writing to him. According to Anieke, Okeke responded to his letter and later travelled by train from Stuttgart, Germany, to Austria to visit him, an encounter that helped establish a lasting relationship.
The vice-chancellor also acknowledged Okeke’s contributions to GOUNI, saying his wisdom had helped guide the institution through different stages of its development and policy formulation.
The Editor-in-Chief of Renaissance Law Publications Ltd., Prof. Agu Gab Agu, described Okeke as a “pillar of legal education” whose academic credentials and accomplishments had made a lasting impact on the legal profession.
Agu said the publishing company remained committed to celebrating distinguished personalities in the academia, Bar and Bench and documenting their contributions to the development of law.
He highlighted Okeke’s career in legal education, including his service at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, and his leadership roles at Nnamdi Azikiwe University and ESUT.
The Chairman of the occasion and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of GOUNI, Prof. Barth Okolo, described the Festschrift as particularly significant because many of its contributors were former students of Okeke who had gone on to become accomplished legal scholars in different parts of the world.
He described the publication as a monument to Okeke’s lifetime of scholarship and inspiration, noting that its chapters examined critical issues in international and comparative law.
The reviewer of the Festschrift, Prof. Sam Nwatu, said almost all the contributors were former students of Okeke, including himself. He described the volume as a gift of scholarship from accomplished academics to their former teacher.
Responding on behalf of the celebrant, legal practitioner Mr. Ifeanyi Okoli, expressed appreciation to Governor Mbah for his support towards the success of the event.
He also commended the management of GOUNI and other sister institutions, as well as dignitaries who travelled from different parts of the world to honour the celebrant.
“The honour bestowed on His Royal Majesty would not be taken for granted,” he said.
Okeke’s long-standing contribution to international and comparative law has also been recognised through previous scholarly tributes. In 2009, a major Festschrift, Contemporary Issues on Public International and Comparative Law: Essays in Honor of Professor Dr. Christian Nwachukwu Okeke, was published in his honour, featuring contributions from international law scholars.
His academic profile and institutional contributions are also documented by GOUNI, which describes him as a widely published scholar with works spanning international law, comparative law and international relations.
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