Eminent Nigerian leaders yesterday paid glowing tributes to the late Professor of Political Science and President of the Institute of Governance and Social Research, Prof. Jonah Isawa Elaigwu, especially his research on leadership and the Nigerian polity.
The dignitaries described the late scholar as a ‘lost gem,’ stressing that the ‘global academic community has been dealt a heavy blow’.
Former Heads of State, Generals Yakubu Gowon, Ibrahim Babangida, and Abdulsalami Abubakar; former Senate President and National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark; former Senate President Iyorchia Ayu; and former governor of Plateau State, Senator Joshua Dariye, were among the dignitaries who honoured the late scholar on Friday night in Abuja at a Night of Tributes held in his memory.
Born on March 10, 1948, in Otukpo, Benue State, Professor Elaigwu died Tuesday, July 22, 2025 at the age of 77.
General Gowon lamented that he lost a dear friend when Prof. Elaigwu passed away in July, nearly 47 years after their first meeting in August 1978.
Gowon, who was represented by Solomon Asemota (SAN), said: ‘August 1978 was three years after the end of my tenure as Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. At that time, I had resolved to stop granting interviews, particularly in the wake of my becoming the target of a government witch-hunt which sought to implicate me in the failed coup of February 13, 1976, in which my successor was killed.
‘Prof. Elaigwu, having recently completed his PhD at Stanford University in the United States, returned to Nigeria eager to continue his research on leadership and the Nigerian polity. Perhaps the circumstances surrounding my ouster from office piqued his intellectual curiosity and led to our introduction.
‘He was determined to get me to speak, whereas I was determined to keep my counsel. Through the intervention of my close friend, the late Prof. Ishaya Audu, he eventually secured the interview that resulted in his critically acclaimed book, Gowon: A Scholarly Biography of a Soldier-Statesman.’
Gowon said Prof. Elaigwu thoroughly deserved his reputation as an ‘elder of the political science discipline’ and the ‘foremost authority on comparative federalism and civil-military relations’.
He added that beyond the classroom, the late scholar also served Nigeria in various capacities, including as Director-General of the National Council on Inter-Governmental Relations, and through the Institute of Governance and Social Research, which he founded in Jos – institutions that remain his enduring legacy.
Babangida described the late Prof. Elaigwu as an exemplary patriot, an intellectual giant, and a truly international colossus in the field of political science.
Reflecting on their association, Babangida said Elaigwu had a fulfilling career as a scholar, teacher and researcher in universities and institutions around the world, noting that his sterling reputation was what brought them together.
The former Nigerian leader, who was represented by Ambassador Godwin Adama, at the event, said: ‘It was his reputation that brought me into contact with him as a major intellectual powerhouse. I am proud to recall that when I had the privilege of leading our nation, Prof. Elaigwu was one of those whom I invited to join us in the Presidential Advisory Committee, which we set up to enlarge the intellectual horizon of our policy framework for national governance.
‘The PAC became the intellectual powerhouse and sounding board for our various reforms and governance policies. In that context, Prof. Elaigwu became an invaluable resource in matters of federalism, political science, and democratic experimentation. Since our political reform process involved a lot of experimentation with various forms of elections and constituency management strategies, Prof. Elaigwu collaborated effectively with his political science colleagues to strengthen our administration.
He added that the late Prof. Elaigwu was an easy-going, candid, and down-to-earth colleague who approached every task with calmness and camaraderie.
‘He was always where we needed him and discharged the obligations attached to his functions with compulsive equanimity and delightful camaraderie,’ he said.
Babangida noted that even after retiring from academia, Elaigwu continued to play a leading role in his field, serving as President of the Institute of Governance and Social Research and maintaining his position as an international expert on federalism’.
Abubakar described the late professor as a distinguished scholar whose contributions to constitutional democracy, the economy, and federalism remain indelible.
The former Head of State, whose tribute was delivered by Ambassador Nicholas Ella, noted that the late Prof. Elaigwu had served on several presidential committees and boards of educational institutions, and provided policy guidance to multilateral institutions such as the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, and the United States Agency for International Development.
He said: ‘The late Professor Elaigwu was patriotic and passionate about research, teaching, and training throughout his lifetime. I found him to be courageous, dedicated, and loyal – a true educationist who gave all his life to serving his country, the education sector, and humanity.’.
Also, Senate Mark said Prof. Elaigwu had created a deep void not only in academia but also in Nigeria’s intellectual landscape.
He described the late scholar as a pathfinder, a leading light, and an inspirational figure in Benue State and across Nigeria, noting that his intellectual depth, clarity of thought and passion for nation-building inspired generations of scholars and leaders.
Mark said: ‘A consummate academic, visionary thinker, and community leader, Prof. Elaigwu dedicated his life to the pursuit of an egalitarian and just society. His works and teachings transcended the walls of the university, influencing governance, policy and the broader quest for national unity. His departure is a monumental loss, coming at a time when humanity most needs his voice and wisdom.
‘As we mourn his passing, we celebrate a life well spent in service to knowledge, humanity and country. May the Almighty grant eternal rest to his soul.’
A former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Iyorchia Ayu, recalled that Prof. Elaigwu joined the University of Jos, where he was lecturing at the time, from Zaria in 1979.
He described the late scholar as a hardworking and erudite scholar who imparted knowledge without prejudice.
‘He didn’t care whether you were a Yoruba, Tiv, Hausa, or Igbo; he mentored people across all backgrounds and related well with everyone,’ Ayu said.
He advised the Institute of Governance and Social Research to compile all of Prof. Elaigwu’s works in political science into a comprehensive collection, adding: ‘They will become invaluable source books not only for political science but for the social sciences in Nigeria.’
Also, Senator Dariye described the late Prof. Elaigwu’s contributions to knowledge and nation-building as immense and invaluable, especially through the promotion of research on Nigeria and Africa’s socio-economic and political challenges via the Institute of Governance and Social Research, which he established.
He said: ‘Nigeria and humanity have lost a gem. The global academic community has been dealt a heavy blow. Prof., you were a foremost authority in comparative federalism and civil-military relations, apart from being a towering figure in political science.
‘You were a man of robust intellect, an erudite scholar and a cerebral author. Indeed, you were credited with writing the concept paper for the National Council on Inter-Governmental Relations, of which you became the pioneer Director-General.
‘You were a patriot who believed in a great nation called Nigeria. When I was Governor of Plateau State, you were an invaluable consultant to us. At a personal level, you supported me like a younger brother – unassuming and God-fearing.’