Opinion
By Valentine Obienyem
YESTERDAY was a day to celebrate some of the people I hold in the highest esteem. Among them were Archbishop Valerian Okeke and Dr Chioma Awuzie, who received well-deserved honours in recognition of their outstanding contributions. Also honoured was our own Prof. Stella Chinyere Okunna, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Paul University, Awka, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the fifth edition of the prestigious AMTY Awards. It was a fitting recognition for a woman whose life has been dedicated to scholarship, journalism, education and the service of humanity.
I had assured Prof. Okunna that I would be there. If I could report events involving others live, why would I not do even more for someone who has shown more than a passing interest in my life and in the lives of countless others? Like Erasmus, she is a humanist in the finest sense of the word – a lover of learning who believes that education should cultivate not only knowledge but also moral character, sound judgement and critical thinking. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned, and I arrived only as the programme was drawing to a close. Nevertheless, I was delighted that she received the recognition she so richly deserves.
Indeed, yesterday was not simply about an award; it was about celebrating an extraordinary person. Awards sometimes confer distinction, but in Prof. Okunna’s case, the distinction had long existed. The honour merely affirmed what generations of her students, colleagues and admirers have always known.
I admire her naturalness, her commitment and her matter-of-fact disposition. She carries herself with a refreshing simplicity that is free from pretence, yet commands respect wherever she goes. She is the same person in public as she is in private – sincere, approachable and authentic.
Her commitment to excellence has never been in doubt. Whether as a teacher, scholar, administrator or mentor, she gives herself wholeheartedly to every responsibility entrusted to her. She believes that whatever is worth doing is worth doing well, and she has consistently led by example.
Perhaps what I admire most is her candour. She says things as they are – not to offend, but to enlighten. Her honesty is tempered by wisdom, her criticisms are constructive, and her counsel is always motivated by a genuine desire to help others grow. She neither flatters nor discourages; instead, she inspires people to become better versions of themselves.
These qualities, more than the numerous awards and accolades she has received over the years, define who she is. They explain why she enjoys the admiration of colleagues, the affection of students and the gratitude of all those whose lives she has quietly but profoundly influenced. Yesterday’s Lifetime Achievement Award was therefore not merely a celebration of past accomplishments; it was a recognition of a life that continues to shape minds and transform lives.
In my over 50 decades of life on earth, I have been privileged to encounter a number of exceptional people who genuinely desired the best for me. Immediately after we left government, the late Prof. Amobi Ilika, Mr Peter Obi’s Commissioner for Health, invited me to his house. His message was simple: “Val, I do not know what your plans are now. I have seen and appreciate your intelligence. This is the time for you to improve yourself through further education.” He was pleased when I told him that I had deliberately set aside the next ten years of my life for that purpose.
Around the same period, my boss, Mr Peter Obi, was attending executive programmes at different universities. On one occasion, Prof. Okey Ikechukwu visited him in his hotel room in Abuja and, with his characteristic warmth and humour, observed: “Your Excellency, you have commendably continued to improve yourself through these courses. Has it not occurred to you that Val also deserves similar opportunities for self-improvement?”
I stood there, pleasantly embarrassed but deeply grateful that from Obi’s reply both of them were thinking alike. It was a simple but thoughtful remark, and that conversation has remained with me as a reminder of the value of encouragement and mentorship.
It was in that same spirit that Prof. Stella Okunna intervened in my own life. When Paul University introduced its Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism, she invited me to her house and said:“Val, you write exceptionally well. I am proud of you as a journalist, but you are, in a sense, an untrained journalist. I want you to enrol for this Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism so that your natural talent will be strengthened by professional training. I want a situation where, whenever journalists are invited, you will confidently step forward without anyone questioning your credentials.”
That advice altered the course of my academic and professional life. Encouraged by her, I earned a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism and another Postgraduate Diploma in Media Studies, qualifications that strengthened the foundation upon which I have continued to build.
As I have progressed in life, I have never forgotten those who laid bricks in the edifice that Valentine Obienyem represents today. Prof. Stella Okunna is one of those builders. That is why it meant so much to me to be present, however briefly, at the ceremony honouring her.
Prof. Okunna is a consummate professional who has left an indelible mark on scholarship, journalism and communication studies in Nigeria. She has mentored generations of students and inspired countless professionals.
I often wonder what she was like in the halcyon days of the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu, before joining Nnamdi Azikiwe University. Was she another Novella? I do not know. Perhaps only her former students—Dr Tony Onyima, Dr. Uche Nworah, Ike Abonyi, Victor Agusiobo, Jude Atupulazi and many others, now distinguished veterans themselves – can tell that story. We were told that Novella was so beautiful and so knowledgeable in Canon Law that, while she lectured, “a little curtain was drawn before her face, lest her beauty should distract the attention of the students.”
Whether Prof. Okunna inspired similar stories in those days, I cannot say. What I know with certainty is the remarkable woman she is today.
Permit me to recount an incident that captures her character. On Friday, 17 July, Prof. told me how exhausted she was after attending two board meetings, among other activities. One of them was that of Immaculate Heart Sisters’ Hospital. She explained that the board had just been dissolved. I remarked that I was certain they would not allow her to leave because of the value she brought to the institution. She smiled and told me that, almost immediately after dissolving the board, they handed her another letter reappointing her to the newly constituted board.
What struck me most was this: Prof. Okunna is an Anglican, while the Immaculate Heart Sisters are a Catholic congregation. Yet she serves them with complete dedication and affection. When one of their hospitals in Enugu was gutted by fire, she persistently urged Mr Peter Obi to assist them. Listening to her speak with the Mother General, one would easily assume she belonged to the congregation herself.
When she retired from UNIZIK, many institutions sought to benefit from her wealth of experience and expertise. She chose Paul University because of the advantage of its location within the town, particularly at a time when insecurity remains a major challenge in our country.
That is a lesson for all of us. Genuine service to humanity transcends denominational, ethnic and every other artificial boundary. It is rooted in compassion, selflessness and commitment to the common good. This is one of the reasons I called her a humanist.
For these reasons, and many more, I believe Prof. Stella Chinyere Okunna is eminently deserving of every honour bestowed upon her. Some awards merely decorate their recipients; others simply recognise what everyone already know. The Lifetime Achievement Award conferred on her yesterday belongs to the latter category. It is a recognition not merely of what she has done, but of who she is.
Your life continues to inspire, your scholarship continues to enlighten, your loyalty continues to strengthen relationships, and your generosity continues to shape lives. Through your intellectual contributions, mentorship, and service to humanity, you have left an enduring legacy.
May Almighty God grant you many more years of good health, joy, and fruitful service to humanity.
A.I
July 20, 2026
Tags: Archbishop Valerian Okeke Dr Chioma Awuzie Dr Tony Onyima Dr. Uche Nworah Ike Abonyi Jude Atupulazi Prof. Stella Chinyere Okunna Valentine Obienyem Victor Agusiobo