The family of Professor Frank Nwachukwu Ndili has announced the passing of the head of the family.
His demise occurred on Monday, February 13, 2024, at the age of 89. He was born on October 6, 1934, in his hometown, Asaba, Delta State.
Ndili was the 7th Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), succeeding Prof. Umaru Shehu. He served between 1980 and 1985 when he was ousted by forces within the system.
Ndili’s tenure as the UNN VC was characterised by advancement and growth as chroniclers of the university’s history recognise him as the first to rebuild the institution after the ruins of the Nigeria-Biafra War.
A Wikipedia reference of the Ndili days in UNN as the chief executive noted that: “During Professor Ndili’s Vice-Chancellorship, effort was undertaken for the first time to rebuild and refurbish the University of Nigeria following its devastation by the Nigerian Civil War.
“Ndili envisioned that the University would be destined for world-class status and designed a Master Plan to that effect. Today, the grand University entryway, the Nnamdi Azikiwe Library, the School of General Studies, and the Faculty of Arts Complex stand as testimony to his grand vision.”
Ndili was a professor of nuclear physics and reputed as the first Nigerian scholar to be a professor in the field.
He is survived by his wife and six children.
