Renowned Abia State University lecturer and political scientist, Professor Ajah Akpuru Ajah is dead.
Aged 66, Ajah died after a brief illness on Saturday.
Professor Aja Akpuru Aja was born in 1958 in his native town of Okposi Okwu, in the Ohaozara LGA and completed primary school in 1971. He gained admission into Government College Afikpo for secondary education and completed it in 1976.
When he completed his secondary education with flying colours, he went to the University of Port Harcourt where he obtained a second class honours (upper division) in History in 1982. Moving to the University of Ife, Ile Ife, he completed in 1984 the M.Sc. programme in International Relations and Strategic Studies. Returning to Port Harcourt, he enrolled in their PhD programme, which he completed in 1996 with a specialisation in Policy and Strategic Studies.
For the most part of his career, Professor Aja has been in the academics and related areas of occupation. His teaching career started in 1990, when he joined the Abia State University as Assistant Lecturer. He was promoted to Lecturer II in 1991, Lecturer I in 1994, Senior Lecturer in 1997 and Reader in 2003. He achieved the pinnacle of academic career in 2007 when he was promoted to Professor. He has been on the employ of NIPSS since 2009 as Directing Staff in the Studies Department.
In his 19-year teaching career at Abia State University he has held several administrative positions such as HOD, Dean, Coordinator and Director. He has combined that administrative experience with sterling academic output. He has published ten books, 21 chapter contributions, three monographs and 18 articles in local and international journals. In addition, he has served as External Examiner for seven universities and has sat on the editorial boards of four refereed journals in Nigeria. His scholarly works earned him the acknowledgements of two international personalities โ Former US President Bill Clinton and former U.N. Secretary General, Kofi Annan.
He is survived by his wife, children and relatives.
