Unilag Consult Launches Book On Governor Douye Diri, Establishes Professorial Chair On Leadership

Yinka Olatunbosun

It was a day of colour, celebration, and reflection at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) on Wednesday, November 5, as UNILAG Consult Limited officially unveiled the book “Leadership Chronicles of Governor Douye Diri” and announced the establishment of a Professorial Chair in Leadership and Good Governance in honour of the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri.

The event, held at the Tayo Aderinokun Lecture Theatre, drew a distinguished audience of political leaders, academics, and dignitaries from across the country. The hall was packed with guests, including Bayelsa indigenes clad in colourful traditional attires who turned out in large numbers to celebrate their governor.

Among those present were the Guest Speaker and Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang; Chairman of the occasion, Vice President Kashim Shettima, GCON, represented by Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; and the Guest of Honour, Governor Douye Diri himself. Also in attendance were the Managing Director of UNILAG Consult, Dr. John Lekan Oyefara; Professor Hope Eghagha; Professor Gabriel Olatunde Babawale, Mr. Sola Ojewusi; and High Chief Emonena Victor Wayles Egukawhore (JP) among others.

Reviewed by Mr. Babajide Kolade-Otitoju, Public Analyst, TVC, the 312-page publication, compiled by the UNILAG Consult team and edited by Prof. Hope Eghagha and Mr. Sola Ojewusi, offers a detailed chronicle of Governor Diri’s six years in office. It highlights his administration’s strides in healthcare, education, housing, agriculture, and technological innovation supported by photographs and independent research carried out by the UNILAG team in Bayelsa State.

In her welcome address, UNILAG Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, described the event as more than a book launch, but “a reminder that leadership, when anchored on knowledge and guided by values, remains the surest path to sustainable development.”

She added that the newly endowed Professorial Chair would serve as “a structured platform for research, teaching, and mentorship in leadership and governance,” stressing the importance of cultivating integrity, accountability, and service among Nigeria’s future leaders.

Vice President Shettima, in his goodwill message, commended Governor Diri and the people of Bayelsa State, emphasising the importance of documenting history. “The important thing is to document our history for our children and the next generation,” he said.

Guest Speaker, Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State, hailed Diri as a leader who shares in the pains and passions of his people. “Leadership is about touching people’s lives and using public resources to make life better. I have seen Governor Diri demonstrate that in spirit and in action,” he said.

He praised UNILAG for documenting Diri’s leadership journey, describing it as “an unfashionable but noble effort to record the stories of our heroes present, not just our heroes past.”

Also speaking, former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Timi Alaigbe, said the documentation of Diri’s leadership style was “a significant step in institutionalising real-time leadership assessment in Nigeria.” He commended UNILAG Consult for setting a new standard in academic documentation of governance practices.

Governor Diri, who was visibly moved by the recognition, expressed gratitude to the university and the people of Bayelsa for their support, pledging to remain committed to policies that promote peace, unity, and sustainable development in the Niger Delta.

The event concluded with the formal presentation of the book and the signing of documents establishing the Professorial Chair, symbolising a lasting collaboration between the University of Lagos and the Bayelsa State Government in the pursuit of knowledge-driven leadership.