Samuel Okoye


Samuel Ejikeme Okoye was a Nigerian astrophysicist from Amawbia in Anambra State, Nigeria. He became a British citizen in 2005 and was the first black African to obtain a doctorate in Radio Astronomy.

Early life and education

Samuel was born in Umuahia, in the old eastern region of Nigeria, to Simeon and Agnes Okoye. He was the fifth of nine children. Simeon died late in 1949 when Samuel was just ten. He was raised by his mother and eldest brother.
Okoye obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of London and a doctorate degree in Radio Astronomy from Churchill College, Cambridge in the United Kingdom, making him the first black African to obtain a doctorate in Radio Astronomy.
Okoye was a fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science as well as the Royal Astronomical Society of the United Kingdom. He was a member of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, the New York Academy of Sciences, International Network of Engineers and Scientists for Global Responsibility and the International Astronomical Union.

Career

Okoye started teaching Physics at the University of Ibadan in 1965 and later transferred to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka just before the outbreak of the Nigerian civil war, where he founded the University’s Space Research Center in 1972. There, he was elevated to a professorship in physics in 1976. Between 1978 and 1989, Professor Okoye was appointed the Director, Division of General Studies, Head Department of Physics and Astronomy; Associate Dean and later Dean of the Faculty of Physical Sciences, and also acted during the summer of 1978 as Vice Chancellor of UNN. He was elected as Dean of the School of Post Graduate Studies in 1987.
Sam published numerous scientific papers on Ionosphere Physics, Solar Physics and the Theory of Extragalactic Radio Sources and Cosmology. He also published a monograph, Viable and Affordable Policy Objectives for a Nigerian Space Programme in the 1980s and co-edited two books: Basic Science Development in Nigeria: Problems and Prospects, and the World at the Cross-roads: Towards a Sustainable, Equitable and Liveable World.
Okoye served Nigeria in a number of capacities including:
At the international level, Samuel was a part-time consultant to the United Nations on the development of Space Science end Technology in developing countries. From 1990-93, he was appointed as a visiting Professor/Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Astronomy, and Fellow Commoner at Churchill College at the University of Cambridge. In December 1993, Sam was seconded from the University of Nigeria to the Federal Government as Director, initially at the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure Lagos, and subsequently the Nigerian Ministry of Science & Technology Abuja, where he also served as the pioneer Science attaché and Head of the Science and Technology Unit at the Nigerian High Commission, London.

Personal life

Samuel married Chinyere Ucheime Obioha in April, 1969. Chinyere was a native of Arondizuogu in Ideato North Local Government Area of Imo State. She was a Deputy Librarian at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and was later appointed Assistant Director of Library Services at the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Abuja. The couple have four children.
Okoye died in London on 18 November 2009.

Recognition

Books