Recently, the iconic professor of English Literature, Professor David Iornonge Ker clocked the graceful age of 70, a feat which his friends had planned to mark with a Thanksgiving and shindig in his honour. They were his friends, especially in the academia, most of them leading lights in the literary world, many of them, giants in their own rights. They are to be found especially at the University of Ibadan, the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, the Benue State University, Makurdi, the Veritas University, Abuja and the National Universities Commission, Abuja.
Given that life expectancy of men, especially in Nigeria, had been pegged at 45years, the attainment of the age of 70, which is way beyond the projected 45,is something worth acknowledging.
It is worthy of note that even at creation, the Almighty God, who had given the original Man longevity, had, out of the shortcomings of Man, shortened life expectancy to three decades and a score, which is 70 years, describing even this as a gracious offer.
With this at the back of their minds, friends and associates of the iconic Professor David Iornongo Ker, literary scholar and teacher, product of Mount Saint Michael’s Secondary School, Aliade, alumnus of the University of Ibadan, former professor of English Literature at the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, second vice Chancellor of the Benue State University Makurdi, former commissioner of Education in Benue State, former vice Chancellor of Veritas University, Abuja and director at the National Universities Commission, Abuja and indigene of Gwer Local Government Area of Benue State. The friends surely did roll out the drums on Sunday,June,27,2021 to show appreciation to God for the gracious endowments in this monumental achiever whose tenure as vice Chancellor of the Benue State University Makurdi was said to be the defining moment for the institution as he was said to have standardized the third generation university as a centre of excellence now reckoned with internationally.
A highly detribalised Nigerian whose friends cut across tribal lines, he is successfully married to Professor Mrs Beatrice Ker of Idoma extraction. She is also a professor of English and Literary Studies, currently at the Benue State University Makurdi. Their marriage is fruitful.
Prof David Iornonge Ker, the first professor of Masev extraction from the MINDA Geo political axis, a former member of the board of directors of the defunct Benue Printing and Publishing Corporation, Makurdi, is a renowned author who has numerous literary works in his name in books and literary journals locally and internationally. Prof Ker has supervised numerous doctoral students and assessed various associate professor s and readers for confirmation as full professor s in various Universities.
Even with his busy schedules, he makes out time to play Tennis to exercise the body and he is a member of the Benue State University Makurdi Club and the Makurdi Club among others. One of the virtues that had been found endearing in Professor Ker is that he is a cheerful sharer of his benefits of opportunity with those who are less fortunate. He reaches out to others when ever opportunity presents itself.
During his foray into politics, albeit short, when he aspired for the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party for the 2019 gubernatorial election, a failed bid though, he became the rallying point for other failed aspirants who teamed up to work assiduously for the successful re-election bid of incumbent Governor Samuel Ortom in 2019.
It is heartening to note that while as education commissioner he liberalized the state government scholarship scheme such that many indigent students in higher institutions of learning could access their bursaries on time to enable them to face their studies seriously, just as when he was the vice Chancellor of the Benue State University Makurdi, he was said to have upscaled security in the institution and a harmonious relationship between the students and school administration flourished, just as the academic and non academic staff unions enjoyed a robust relationship with the school authorities.
Let us all doff our hats to the iconic Professor David Iornonge Ker at 70. Congratulations and 70 hearty cheers and still going strong. God bless and increase you on all sides as you grow in wisdom, good health and vision.