UNILAG to Honor Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri, Launches Professorial Chair on Good Governance
The University of Lagos Consultancy Services (UNILAG Consult) has announced plans to honor Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, for his exemplary leadership, which it described as visionary, inclusive, and transparent.
The triple-event tribute is scheduled for Wednesday, November 5, 2025, at the University of Lagos Main Auditorium. It will feature the public presentation of a new book on the governor, an International Public Lecture, and the official launch of a Professorial Chair on Good Governance.
According to Professor John Lekan Oyefara, Managing Director and CEO of UNILAG Consult Limited, the Professorial Chair will serve as a lasting academic legacy aimed at promoting research, policy dialogue, and teaching focused on advancing good governance across Nigeria and Africa.
Celebrating the “Miracle Governor”
Governor Diri, often called the “Miracle Governor,” is being recognized for his commitment to transparency, participatory governance, and leveraging technology to drive sustainable development, particularly in the health and education sectors.
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The book, Leadership Chronicles of Governor Douye Diri, documents the governor’s journey, philosophy, and impact. The international public lecture will bring together policymakers, diplomats, and renowned scholars to examine the future of leadership in Africa.
Professor Hope Oghenerukevbe Eghagha, the book’s General Editor, noted that the event underscores the university’s commitment to bridging the gap between academia, policy, and practice. Professor Eghagha praised Governor Diri’s focus on education, infrastructure, peace-building, and youth empowerment, positioning Bayelsa as a model of inclusive governance in the Niger Delta.
Project consultant Mr. Sola Ojewusi highlighted the governor’s innovative use of technology, noting that the state upgraded healthcare by using drones to deliver drugs to remote areas of Bayelsa, an approach that has saved lives.
High-Profile Guests Expected
The event is expected to draw major political figures, including the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, and the Chief Host, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. Also expected is Mudashiru Obasa, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, alongside other dignitaries from within and outside Nigeria.
Professor Oyefara stressed that the initiative aims to document and preserve the lessons of transformational leadership for future generations, asserting that governance rooted in integrity, inclusiveness, and accountability remains the foundation for national progress.
