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The life of Dr. Justin Udie is an inspiration to a lot of Nigerian youths globally. And, on the occasion of his 4oth birthday anniversary, there is a need to chronicle a brief profile of the native of Kakum in Obudu Local Government Area of Cross River State.
Born in his native Kakum, he started his educational pursuit at St Theresa’s Primary School, Ipong where he obtained his FSLC before proceeding to Government Science School, Ipong and later Government Science School, Akamkpa where he sat for the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) in 2001. He was admitted into the University of Calabar (UNICAL) to study for a Bachelor of Science (BSC) degree in Genetics and Biotechnology. Upon graduation, he answered the clarion call to serve his country in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) where he was posted to Niger State in 2010.
While in Niger, he embarked on and discharged several personal Community Development Service projects to the benefit of his host community and Nigeria in general. As a result, he was nominated and screened for the President’s NYSC Honors Award. As part of the award, Justin and a few other youths who demonstrated excellence in community development received a Presidential handshake, a medal of honor, cash prize, automatic employment into the Federal Civil Service and a joint post graduate scholarship for master’s and doctorate from President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GCFR).
Following the award, Justin proceeded to the United Kingdom where he obtained a Master of Science (M.Sc.) degree in Oil and Gas Management from Coventry University in 2013 and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Climate Change from the Institute of Sustainable Development, De Montfort University.
As part of his personal and professional development, Dr. Justin obtained a second Bachelor’s of Art (BA) degree in Global Business Management from Bournemouth University, a postgraduate diploma in Academic Professional Apprenticeship, and a postgraduate certificate in academic practice, offered by Advance HE, UK. Furthermore, he obtained a professional certificate in Strategic Business Management as part of his professional development endeavor from Harvard University Extension School, Boston, USA.
Educational And Societal Contributions
Dr. Justin has contributed and applied his knowledge to the development of both Nigeria and the UK. He was first recruited as an Assistant Route Commander in the Nigerian Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC); an appointment he would later resign to pursue the packages of his NYSC award. As a result, he joined the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation as Scientific Officer.
In the UK, Dr. Justin lectured at the Leicester Castle Business School, before resigning to join Nottingham Business School, Nottingham Trent University as Lecturer and later Senior Lecturer in Management. He recently resigned from that role to join ATKINS Global as Senior Consultant, Climate and Net Zero Advisory – Atkins SNC-Lavalin, London is one of the global leaders in engineering, design, project management and consulting company, based in London.
Dr Justin is also putting his entrepreneurial skills to work across different sectors. He is the Founder of Nottingham Development College (NDC), Nigeria and Global Entrepreneurship Hub (GEHUB), UK. According to him, these are consultancy and training platforms aimed at advancing the development of students, graduates, and early career’s professionals.
While some may see that as not so sterling, the passion that drives Dr. Justin did not start overnight, which is why before his national NYSC honors, he received a traditional title from the Nupe Community as “Dan Wakili Nupe.” That did not come as a surprise to the people who followed his activities as a youth corps member serving in Niger State, where, among other things, he renovated a borehole and built a water tap at Kwangila, Minna, saving the community from the water crisis it usually suffered during the peak of the dry season.
He sponsored the birth registration of about 250 children with the National Population Commission, to support the planning policy of the Niger State Government. He formed the NYSC Sanitation Club in Kwangila which engaged in monthly sanitation exercises in the community for eight months. To support this, he carried out intensive sensitization of the people on healthy living and the need for positive response to government sanitation initiative; donated tools to facilitate and sustain the sanitation exercise; distributed disposable waste bags and liaised with the State’s Environmental Protection Agency (NISEPA) for waste evacuation from Kwangila.
He carried out a sensitization program on “Fire and Fire incidence Management” at the Niger State Hospital Management Board, General Hospital, Minna where experts demonstrated practical fire fighting approach in a hospital setting and donated a 2 kg gas refillable fire extinguisher to the hospital.
On education, he donated food items, detergents and writing materials to the children at the Government Orphanage Home, Minna. He designed a bespoke handout on computer appreciation and trained nine children of the Orphanage in ICT from February to April 2011. Also, he organized a sensitization campaign on the “Dangers of Social vices and Examination Malpractices” for SS III students at Government Day Secondary school ‘A’ & ‘B’ sections and donated one hundred copies of a book “Campus Nightmares” to the students and the school library.
Furthermore, he organized free practical biology lessons for the SS III students at Government Day Secondary School ‘B’ section till the commencement of their WAEC examination in May 2011. Justin authored a book titled Contemporary Issues on HIV/AIDS & Health Education during the 12 months of the NYSC scheme to the shock of the leaders of the scheme. With the book, he staged a public campaign against HIV/AIDS in public Schools in Minna. 1,000 copies of this book were distributed free to vulnerable students at most major secondary schools in Minna.
A reserved person, he is married to his beautiful wife, Eucharia and their union is blessed with children.
Dr. Justin Udie is a Cross Riverian and writes from Nottingham University, United Kingdom.
N/B: Opinions expressed in this article are strictly attributable to the author, Dr. Justin Udie, and do not represent the opinion of CrossRiverWatch or any other organization the author works for/with.
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