The National Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Godknows Boladei Igali, has announced that May 25 will henceforth be marked as “Chief Edwin Clark Memorial Day” across the South-South geopolitical zone beginning from 2027.
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Igali made the declaration during the 11th Founder’s Day and 99th posthumous birthday celebration of elder statesman, Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, held at Edwin Clark University on Monday.
Delivering his keynote address, the PANDEF Chairman described the late Clark as a national icon whose legacies in education, justice, equity, and regional development would continue to inspire generations across Nigeria and beyond.
“By next year, 2027, this date, May 25, when we hope to celebrate Chief Edwin Clark’s 100th posthumous birthday, will become marked as Chief Edwin Clark Memorial Day in all of the South-South geopolitical zone,” Igali declared.
He said the anniversary celebration was not only a reflection on the growth of Edwin Clark University but also a reminder of the enduring impact of PANDEF, both institutions founded under the leadership and vision of the late Niger Delta patriarch.
According to him, the university had moved beyond the stage of survival and was now positioned to shape the future of higher education in Nigeria and Africa.
“In the life of all institutions, the first decade is about survival and identity — proving that the dream can take root, survive the storms, and produce results,” he stated.
“Today, ECU is no longer proving its right to exist. It is now being called to shape the future of Nigeria’s and Africa’s higher education.”
Igali praised the management of the institution led by Vice Chancellor, Prof. Samuel Wara, as well as the Clark family, for sustaining the founder’s vision through commitment and sacrifice.
He noted that the late Clark dedicated his entire public life to the pursuit of justice, fairness, and equal opportunities for all Nigerians, particularly the people of the Niger Delta.
“As a teacher, lawyer, commissioner, senator, and community leader, Pa Clark spent his public life fighting for justice, equity, and the voice of the ordinary Nigerian in the corridors of power,” he said.
“He understood that political freedom without intellectual and economic empowerment is incomplete. That is why he founded this enviable university and PANDEF to raise citizens who would defend democracy not just with votes, but with ideas, enterprise, and integrity.”
Quoting renowned American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Igali said the late nationalist left indelible footprints in Nigeria’s history through his courage and selfless leadership.
“Pa Clark’s life is one of those lives. He did not just occupy space in Nigeria of his time but pressed against it and left footprints that we are still following,” he remarked.
The PANDEF leader further charged both the university and the regional socio-political body to remain focused on excellence, institutional discipline, and the founding ideals of the late statesman.
“We must run this university as a proper university following the laid down guidelines of the National Universities Commission (NUC),” he said.
“At the same time, PANDEF must now run as a world-class people’s and community-based organisation. These we must not derogate.”
He urged leaders and youths of the Niger Delta to uphold Clark’s vision of a Nigeria founded on justice, equity, fairness, and unity, stressing that there should never be “second-class Nigerians” under the nation’s democratic system.
The event attracted political leaders, traditional rulers, academics, clergy, students, and stakeholders from across the South-South region who gathered in Kiagbodo to celebrate the life and enduring legacies of the late elder statesman.
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