GREATEST OF IGBO PEOPLE SERIES 1
GREATEST OF IGBO PEOPLE SERIES 1
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PROFESSOR MARTINS OHAERI IJERE
This man helped to nurture the oldest department of Economics in Nigeria, right in the University of Nigeria.
This man founded the department of Agricultural Economics in the University of Nigeria.
This man founded the Centre for Rural Development and Cooperatives, now CEDR, in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Professor Martin Ohaeri Ijere was a distinguished academic and administrator born on July 4, 1929, in Nsu-Okigwe, Imo State, Nigeria. He was educated at Saint Anthony’s College (1943), St. Charles College (1948-1949), Fourah Bay College, and the University of Freiburg in Germany (1958-1961), where he earned his Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics.
Ijere’s academic career began as a lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (1961-1975), where he nurtured the Department of Economics. He later received an ILO fellowship for Labour Studies in Geneva (1966) and served as an Associate Professor at Claremont Colleges, California (1969-1971). Ijere founded the Department of Agricultural Economics within the Faculty of Agriculture and headed it from 1972 to 1982.
In addition to his academic roles, Ijere served as Commissioner of Cooperatives, Trade, and Transport for East Central State (1975-1976) and Commissioner of Agriculture and Natural Resources for Imo State (1976-1977). He founded the Centre for Rural Development and Cooperatives, promoting rural development and cooperatives. Ijere played integral roles in national programs like Operation Feed the Nation (OFN), Mamsa, Defri, and Better Life for Rural Women.
As a prolific writer, Professor Ijere authored 26 books in Agricultural Economics and 11 in related areas, alongside 48 scholarly articles. He frequently presented papers at national and international conferences. Ijere’s community impact was significant, as he elevated his village’s status to a recognized township, complete with a clinic and secondary school, and championed infrastructure maintenance and development.
Ijere’s achievements were recognized with several awards, including the Vice-Chancellor’s Research Leadership Prize from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (1989), and three chieftaincy titles: Agbawaodike-izu of Nsu (1981), Ugwu mba of Nwunwenkwo (1983), and Aha-eji aga mba of Iowa (1994).
In his personal life, Ijere married Muriel Udoka Ijere, a Swiss national and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Foreign Languages at the University of Nigeria, specializing in French. She penned articles on African literature and culture. Professor Ijere is a proud father of seven children.
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