Prof. Eni Njoku was the first Nigerian Professor of Botany as well as the first Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos. Professor Babatunde [Babs] Fafunwa was the first Nigerian Professor of Education and acted as Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria Nsukka. Both men also gave Nigeria daughters who excelled in sports.
Nnenna Njoku was at the Munich ’72 Olympic Games and took part in the High Jump and Shot Put events. Nigeria got a lone medal, bronze, in boxing through Isaac Ikhouria. It was her first Olympics and the experience helped as the country prepared to host the Second All Africa Games in Lagos where she lived with her dad from 1961 to 1965.
At the Lagos ’73 All Africa Games, Nnenna bagged a silver medal in the Shot Put with a throw of 12. 39 feet. The gold was won by team mate, Evelyn Okeke, who hit 13.59 feet. Cote D’ Ivoire picked the bronze medal through Brigitte Goze.
The Nigerian ladies won four gold medals equaling their record at the First All Africa Games, Brazzaville ’65. The Lagos champions were Modupe Oshikoya who clinched three gold in the 100 metres Hurdles, High Jump and Long Jump to add to the Shot Put won by Okeke. In 1965, the winners were Jumoke Bodunrin, 100 metres,, Amelia Okoli [later Mrs Okpalaoka] Discus, Helen Okwara, Javelin and the 4×100 metres team.
Nnenna ‘s silver was one of the eight won by Nigeria in Lagos. Beatrice Ewuzie, 200 metres, Rosalind Joshua, 800 metres, Emilia Edet, 100metres Hurdles, Agnes Aghagba, High Jump, M. Odafin, Long Jump, Adaobi Okoli, Discus and the 4×100 metres Relay quartet got the other seven. A lone bronze came through Okon Ufon Oko in the 100 metres.
READ ALSO: SPORTS FLAKES: DAN ANYIAM’S FLYING FORD TAUNUS
At Brazzaville ’65, two silver medals were won by Regina Okafor in the 100 metres and Angelina Osuagwu in the 400 metres. Anyikwa and Obayemi left with bronze medals in the Javelin and 100 metres Hurdles respectively.
Nnenna Njoku and Evelyn Okeke became the first African medalists in the Shot Put event which was introduced in 1973. Before them, Discus reigned and history was made in that event. Amelia Okoli won gold at the First All Africa Games while Adaobi Okoli grabbed silver in 1973. They were sisters and had an elder sibling, Edith Okoli [later Mrs Mojekwu] who also represented Nigeria.
Edith was a student of Archdeacon Crowther Memorial Secondary School, Elelenwo near Port Harcourt while Amelia attended St. Catherine’s Secondary School, Nkwerre. Both sisters took part in the Cardiff ’58 Commonwealth Games. In 1964, Amelia and Clarence Ahanotu [later Mrs Edeh] became the first Nigerian female Olympians.
Sherifat Fafunwa was a good swimmer who wore national colours. She came after Nnenna had left the scene. It was after Sherifat that stars like Valerie Oloyede, Ngozi Enunwuzo, Ikaghoemi Joshua, Obia Inyinginyikabo, Ngozi Monu, Titi and Dele Masha emerged.
Professors Njoku and Fafunwa married white women and had something to do with the University of Nigeria Nsukka after suffering persecution. Eni Njoku was forced out of the University of Lagos because of his tribal background. He relocated to the University of Nigeria Nsukka as Vice Chancellor in 1966. When crisis emerged, Njoku was VC Of University of Biafra, Nsukka.
Babs Fafunwa obtained PhD in Education from New York University in 1955 but could only find a place at Ahmadiyyah College Agege as tutor.
His American degree did not smell sweet before British colonial masters. He moved to Ahmadiyyah Teachers College,Ojokoro as principal before joining Esso Oil as Public Relations Manager.
In 1961, UNN brightened the weather with an offer. Fafunwa joined as a Senior Lecturer. He later became a Professor, Dean Faculty of Education and Acting Vice Chancellor before the war forced him to relocate to University of Ife, Ile Ife[now Obafemi Awolowo University]. At Ife, Fafunwa also became Acting VC.
Sherifat took her father back to Igbo land when she got married to Okey Ndibe in 1993. As an Isale Eko man, the wedding took place in Lagos.
The former swimmer is today a professor of Art History. Her father wrote a book on the History of Education in Nigeria. Ndibe stayed in Biafra while his future in-law left for Nigeria. He is now a professor in the United States to the delight of Mama Ndibe who was a teacher when her son was born in Yola.
Nnenna Njoku lives in Seattle, Washington. Her brother, Dr. Eni Njoku, jnr. is also doing well in the United States. With first and post graduate degrees from Cambridge and Massachusetts Institute of Technology [MIT] respectively, he bagged an Exceptional Service Medal from the United States National Aeronautic and Space Agency[NASA] in 1985.
Eni Njoku, from Ebem, Ohafia, was one of the top Biafran leaders who stayed put to discuss surrender terms with Col. Olusegun Obasanjo in January 1970. He was removed as VC of UNN after the war. Babs Fafunwa was Education minister under President IbrahimBabangida between 1990 and 1993. He was blamed by President for discrepancies in the 6-3-3-4 school system.