SYNW MOURNS PROF. JERRY AGADA’S DEATH
The President of the Society of Young
Nigerian Writers (SYNW), Wole Adedoyin has expressed shock over the death of
Prof. Jerry Agada, a renowned educationist and former President of the
Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA).
Adedoyin said in a statement issued by
the publicity directorate of the Society that “Nigeria has lost one of its
finest citizens who distinguished himself as an accomplished author,
educationist and administrator par excellence.”
SYNW described the deceased as a “Mentor
and Father to many young writers across the country”.
Prof. Jerry Agada was an energetic,
dogged and a committed writer and book promoter who used his political
positions to fight for the rights of Nigerian writers. I am particularly pained
that we lost an elder statesman and an accomplished author who can be described
as the heartbeat of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Adedoyin said.
He added that Benue State had lost one
of its most illustrious sons, who served not only the state, but Nigeria
meritoriously in various capacities, including as Minister of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria.
He condoled with Governor Samuel Ortom,
the immediate family of the deceased, and his friends and associates.
While urging his family members,
colleagues and the entire members of the pen profession to take solace in the
fact that Prof. Jerry Agada lived an eventful and impactful lifetime, Adedoyin
prayed the Almighty God to forgive his shortcomings and grant him Paradise, as
well as give the family the courage and fortitude to bear the great loss.
Adedoyin finally called on Gov. Samuel
Ortom of Benue state to immortalize the great author to ensure that he did not
die in vain.
Born on 11 November 1952 at Orokam in
Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State, Jerry Agada started his
educational journey at Joseph's Primary School, Orokam, Benue State from 1959
to 1965 and to St. Francis Secondary School, Otukpo Benue State between 1966
and 1970. He proceeded to Kaduna Polytechnic, C.A.B.S Kaduna State in 1971 and
after graduating from there in 1973 he attended the National Technical Teachers
College, Yaba, Lagos State between 1973
and 1974 for the Technical Teacher's Certificate in Commerce. He was also at
the University of Exeter (MARJONS),
Plymouth, United Kingdom between 1979 and 1981 where he obtained a Bachelor of
Education (English). He also grabbed a Master of Commerce in Marketing from the
University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland in 1984 and a
Doctor of Philosophy in Public Sector Management from the Post Graduate School,
Staton University, Tampa, Florida, United States in 2003. He was also at the University of Birmingham, School of Public Policy in October
2003 for the Certificate in Management Contracting & Partnership for
Service Delivery.
He started his career in 1974 as
classroom teacher in charge of Business Education subjects in Government College,
Keffi. He was there
until 1977 when he relocated to Government College, Makurdi in 1977
following the creation of Benue State[citation needed].
He served as Commissionaire with the Nigerian High Commission, London between
1982 and 1983. Upon his return to Nigeria, he was posted to Army Day Secondary
School, Abakpa, Enugu for the National Youth Service Corps. He returned to Government College,
Makurdi in 1985 as Head, Business Studies. By 1987, he had become Vice
Principal (Administration) of the college. He also acted as the Principal of
the College between 1987 and 1988 when he was formally appointed Principal of
the College. He was in that position until 1992 when he was elevated to the
position of Guidance Counselor and Principal Special Grade at the Headquarters
of the Benue State Teaching Service Board. He was transferred to Government
College, Utonkon in 1993 as Principal Special Grade. He held that position
until 1996 when he was appointed the Executive Secretary, Benue State
Examinations Board.
By 1999, Jerry Anthony Agada was again
elevated to the position of Permanent Secretary, Benue State Ministry of
Information, Youth, Sports and Culture. He also served in the same capacity in
the Ministry of Education, Benue State Ministry of Local Government and
Chieftaincy Affairs and the Benue State Bureau of Political Affairs. Upon his
retirement from the Civil Service of Benue State, he joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and sought election to the
office of the Governor of Benue State. He lost the bid however, he later
emerged as the Minister of State for Education, Federal Republic of Nigeria in
July 2007. He left the Ministerial position in October 2008 but by March 2009,
he was appointed as the chairman, Governing Board of the National Commission
for Colleges of Education, (NCCE) Abuja.
In 2013, the European American
University, Commonwealth of Dominica now an affiliate of the Western Orthodox
University, appointed him as a Visiting Professor in Education. He has also
been the chairman, Advisory Board, Presidential Schools Debate, Nigeria since
2013, Vice-Chairman, Advisory Board of the Nigeria Prize for Literature of the Nigeria LNG NLNG since 2009
and chairman, Governing Council, Eastern Polytechnic, Port Harcourt since
August 2015. In 2016 he was appointed Member Governing Council, Fidei
Polytechnic Gboko, Benue State. In November 2016, he was appointed Chairman of
the Benue State Civil Service Commission.
Jerry Anthony Agada was a Fellow,
British Society of Commerce, Member, Institute of Marketing and Member, Nigeria
Association of Business Educators, Member, Nigeria Association of Educational
Administration and Planning. He is also a Fellow, Association of Nigerian
Authors, Member, Nigeria Institute of Management and Member, Institute of
Industrialist and Corporate Administration. In February 2012, he was selected
as one of fifty men of integrity in Nigeria by the editorial board of the
Guardian Newspaper of Nigeria. On 17 August 2017, he was honoured with the
title of Africa's Patriotic Personality of the Year by the African Students
Union Parliament, (ASUP).
Jerry Anthony Agada has held several
other positions in government and associations. He was the Chairman of the
Benue State Petroleum Monitoring Committee between 1999 and 2000 and Member of
the Benue State Reform Team between 2001 and 2006. He was also the Secretary
General, National Orokam-Aroji Summit from 1992 to 1999 and chairman of the
boardof Zion Micro-Finance Bank, Makurdi between 2006 and 2008. He is a past
National President of the Association of Nigerian Authors, (ANA) and patron of
its branch in Benue State. In November 2015, his Orokam Community in Ogbadibo
LGA, honoured him with the Chieftaincy title of the Oyalobu 1 of Orokam –
meaning "The Pacesetter'’ within the Community. He was also conferred with
the title of "Omachi Onu Egume of Egume by the Igala Area Traditional council
in 2008.
Selected
books
- The Secret Deal and Other Stories (1998)
- Rage and Tears
(2002)
- The Soothsayer
(2003)
- The Secret Deal
(2003)
- The Honourable Chairman (2003)
- The Magic Year: (a Poetry in Prose and Rhymes)
- The Successors
(2007)
