UNILAG Consult to Honour Governor Duoye Diri with Book Launch, International Lecture, and Professorial Chair in Leadership

The University of Lagos Consultancy Services (UNILAG Consult Ltd.) has announced plans to honour the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Duoye Diri, with a triple landmark event — a book launch, an international public lecture, and the inauguration of a Professorial Chair in Leadership and Good Governance.

The announcement was made by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of UNILAG Consult Ltd., Professor John Lekan Oyefara, during a press briefing held on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, at the UNILAG Consult Building, Akoka.

The triple celebration is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, at the J.F. Ade-Ajayi Auditorium, UNILAG, and will feature:

• Book Launch: Presentation of Leadership Chronicles of Governor Duoye Diri, a book highlighting the governor’s leadership ideals and governance philosophy.
• International Public Lecture: A thought-provoking lecture featuring distinguished speakers from within and beyond Nigeria.
• Professorial Chair Inauguration: Formal establishment of a Professorial Chair in Leadership and Good Governance in honour of Governor Diri.

Speaking at the briefing, Professor Oyefara described Governor Diri as one of Nigeria’s most exemplary leaders, noting that his commitment to technology-driven governance, national unity, and inclusiveness reflects a deep sense of public service. He explained that the initiative aims to institutionalize the governor’s leadership legacy through scholarship and policy research.

He added that the Professorial Chair would serve as a living academic platform to advance teaching, research, and policy dialogue on ethics, transparency, and people-centered governance. “Through this Chair, we seek to inspire rigorous inquiry into the dynamics of leadership and good governance across Africa,” he said.

During the interactive session that followed, Professor Hope Eghagha, General Editor of the UNILAG Consult Leadership Series, clarified that the choice of Governor Diri as the subject of the publication was based on empirical evidence. He explained that the decision followed a comprehensive study of the governor’s innovative governance practices, including the use of drone technology for delivering medical supplies to remote communities in Bayelsa State.

He noted that the Professorial Chair is not a personal endowment for Governor Diri but a platform financed through his support for advancing academic work in leadership and governance studies.

Project Consultant, Mr. Sola Odewusi, reaffirmed that the publication series reflects UNILAG Consult’s commitment to evidence-based research and documentation of impactful leadership in Nigeria. He revealed that similar studies focusing on other notable figures in governance are currently underway.

Professor Oyefara concluded by inviting scholars, policymakers, members of the diplomatic corps, and the public to participate in the November 5 event, describing it as “a celebration of purposeful leadership and an enduring investment in the intellectual heritage of governance in Nigeria.”