Rivers State loses an astute educationist and academician, Dr. Onengiyeofori Georgewill

Posted by admin Education, Headlines, Rivers, State News Sunday, April 25th, 2021

Dr. Onengiyeofori Georgewill

(NNP) The academic community in Rivers State has been thrown into mourning with the sudden death of Dr. Onengiyeofori Moses Douglas Georgewill, the immediate past Rector of ken Beeson Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, formerly known as Rivers State Polytechnic. The former Rector who was an engineer by training, died on April 24, while exercising at his home in Port-Harcourt at the age of 55. Friends, colleagues and former classmates have described Dr. Georgewill as a respected administrator who performed his duties with the utmost integrity to maintain high academic standard. Dr. Georgewill was a staunch advocate for academic integrity and probity and held many faculty members accountable for their actions while he served as Rector.

In a case of sex-for-grade scheme that claimed the headlines in 2019, Dr. Georgewill told newsmen that no less than ten faculty members have been dismissed for their role in the scheme. He stated, “They are so many. I cannot give you the exact number but I know they are so many. I can tell you that as we speak, I am not very sure but not less than 10 lecturers have been sacked. He further stated, “And as I speak with you, about seven more are on suspension. I can’t give the exact figure but just about that.”

Dr. Georgewill with former classmates

Dr. Georgewill was committed to personal fitness and health and according to his former secondary school classmates, had a home gym where he religiously worked out to remain fit. Dr. Georgewill who was known as “Black Moses” while in secondary school, was a 1982 graduate of Enitonna High School, the premier (oldest) secondary school in Rivers State that included the old Rivers (before the division that created Bayelsa), located in the Borokiri neighbourhood of Port-Harcourt. The institution was founded in 1932. Dr. Georgewill has been a very loyal supporter of projects involving his alma mater.

An announcement of his death by the President of Enitonna High School Old Students Association (EHSOSA), Ipalibo West, threw the old students into mourning with many expressing shock and some recounting on the association’s Whatsapp group platform a recent social event he hosted for some of his former classmates at his hotel. At that event, according to multiple sources, former classmates experienced his generosity as he spoiled them with food, drinks and assorted treats. A former classmate remarked that even when they were full, he insisted that they should have more food and drinks and personally served them. Another former classmate noted, “It was as if he knew the end was coming. This was his way of saying ‘goodbye’.” NewNigerianPolitics was unable to reach ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic for reaction.

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