U.S Varsity to Confer Honorary Doctorates on Glory Ekah Effiong, Hamisu Mohammed, Christopher Audu , Ugochukwu Joseph, Kemi Nicholas and others
ABUJA - In an intellectually grounded and symbolically profound recognition of leadership, governance excellence, and humanitarian service, the British American Open University (BAOUC), California, has announced the conferment of Honorary Doctorate Degrees on some distinguished Nigerian public figures whose careers exemplify the ideals of ethical administration, societal advancement, and transformational impact.
The conferment ceremony will take place at the illustrious National Merit Award House, Maitama, Abuja, on Saturday, 20th December 2025, to formally honor distinguished Nigerian personalities whose exemplary leadership, governance excellence, and humanitarian contributions have earned them this prestigious academic recognition, in a ceremony befitting the dignity, prestige, and global significance of the awards.
The announcement, released in an official statement jointly authorized by the Vice-Chancellor of BAOUC, Professor David Bruce Day, and the Country Director, Prof. Paul Godwin Udofia, was formally communicated through Mr. Leonard Papee Onuchukwu, a key member of the Planning and Mobilization Committee. The statement described the honorees as “leaders whose footprints in governance and humanitarian service align with the university’s global philosophy of knowledge applied to human progress.”
Foremost among the awardees is Hon. Dcns. Glory Ekah Effiong, Executive Chairman of Ibeno Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, who will be decorated with the Honorary Doctorate Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters (D.Hum.Litt.). BAOUC noted that the award reflects her people-centered leadership ethos, advocacy for social equity, and sustained commitment to community-driven development within Nigeria’s coastal and oil-producing communities.
Similarly honored is Alhaji Hamisu Mohammed Anani, Executive Chairman of Wase Local Government Council, Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Plateau State, and National Publicity Secretary of ALGON. He is to receive the Honorary Doctorate Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters (D.Hum.Litt.), in recognition of his intellectual contribution to local government advocacy, policy communication, and the strategic repositioning of grassroots governance within Nigeria’s democratic architecture.
The academic spotlight will also beam on Hon. Christopher Audu Manship, Executive Chairman of Qua’an-Pan Local Government Area, Plateau State, who is to be conferred with an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Administration and Management. According to BAOUC, the honor acknowledges his administrative acumen, systems-oriented leadership, and measurable strides in institutional management and public sector efficiency.
In the humanitarian spectrum, Chief Ugochukwu Joseph Igbo emerges as a recipient of the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters (D.Hum.Litt.). The university described him as a community icon whose philanthropic interventions, human capacity investments, and moral leadership have translated compassion into concrete social outcomes.
Rounding off the distinguished list is Hon. Kemi Nicholas Nshe, Executive Chairman of Shendam Local Government Council, Plateau State, who will receive the Honorary Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Local Government Administration. BAOUC emphasized that his recognition is rooted in governance reforms, participatory administrative models, and a scholarly approach to grassroots leadership and sustainable development.
In its concluding remarks, the British American Open University (BAOUC), California, reiterated that honorary doctorate degrees are not ceremonial embellishments but academic recognitions reserved for individuals whose life work reflects intellectual leadership, ethical governance, and enduring service to humanity. The forthcoming conferment ceremony is expected to attract an elite convergence of academics, policymakers, traditional authorities, and international development stakeholders.
Beyond individual distinction, the awards underscore the rising global acknowledgment of Nigerian leaders whose governance philosophies and humanitarian commitments resonate with international academic values and the universal pursuit of societal progress.
