Prof. Uche Cyprian Amalu

MBBS (Sydney), FRACS (Paediatric Surgery)

The Great American Senator, Honorable Senator Frank Carson must have had a man like Professor Uche Cyprian Amalu in mind when he said, “God and the world need men who will stand in the gap; men who are not for sale; men who are honest, sound from center to circumference, true to the heart’s core; men with consciences as steady as the needle to the pole; men who will stand for the right even if the heavens totter and the earth reels; men who can tell the truth and look the world in the eye; men who neither brag nor run; men who neither flag nor flinch; men who can have courage without shouting it; men in whom the courage of everlasting life runs still, deep, and strong; men who know their message and tell it; men who know their place and fill it; men who will not lie, shirk, or dodge; men who are not too lazy to work, nor too proud to be poor.” Professor Uche C. Amalu’s profile fits very well the Frank Carson’s description of “Great men”. Professor Amalu was born on 3rd January, 1957 and hails from Enugu state (the Coal city state) in the Central Eastern Nigeria. Professor Amalu holds a Division one grade, the General Certificate of Education (GCE) of the University of Cambridge, London(January, 1975), the West African School certificate (WASC), obtained in June, 1975). In 1980, Uche C. Amalu clinched an honours Bachelor of Agriculture (B. Agric. Hons) degree of the first indigenous and highly reputed University of Nigeria at Nsukka in the Second Class Upper Division grade. In 1982, Uche C. Amalu proceeded to yet another great University, the University of Ibadan, Ibadan where, in 1983 he obtained a Master of Science (M.Sc.) Degree in Agronomy (Crop Science option) and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Agronomy (1988) specializing in both Soil Fertility and Crop Nutrition. Professor Amalu has attended several post doctoral and professional development trainings culminating in the following certificates-Certificate in Agricultural Extension and Training (ARMTI, Ilorin), Certificate in Seed Technology (Jos), Certificate in Research Proposal and Data Management (CRUTECH), a Diploma and Certificate in Plant protection (PTF/ADP) and yet a Certificate in Computer Appreciation and literacy (World University, Arizona). Uche Cyprian Amalu is Professor of Agronomy, a Soil Science and Crop Nutrition expert, a Development Scientist and an International Agricultural Research and Extension specialist. Professor Amalu is a Fellow of the Soil Science Society of Nigeria. Professor Amalu is a Schweisfurth Foundation (Munich) Scholar and two-time Support Africa International (Germany) Award Winner for his researches respectively on Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture in Sub Saharan Africa. Prof. Amalu is also a Co-winner of the 2007 VIVAT Research Award for research on Inclusive Education in Sub-Saharan Africa. Professor Amalu’s working life has been one of both administrative and technical challenges. His first exposure was at the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR), Benin City, Edo State – Nigeria where he served the mandatory one year, (1980-1981) NYSC for Nigeria graduates. In 1981, NIFOR offered him a job as a Research Officer Grade II. He rose through Research Officer Grade 1 to attain the rank of a Principal Research Officer in 1990 before he transferred his services (October 1, 1990) to the University of Calabar, as Lecturer Grade 1. Between 1990 and 1999, then Dr. Amalu quickly moved ranks from lecturer I to Senior Lecturer in 1995, Associate Professor in 1998 and substantive Professor in October 1, 1999. He is currently serving as Deputy Vice Chancellor in Charge of Academic work in the University of Calabar. For three years (1992-1995), Professor Amalu served (on leave-of-absence) as Director of Agriculture in the World Bank – Assisted Enugu State Agriculture Development project. He has served two time periods (1996-1998 and 2000-2003) as Head of the Department of Soil Science, University of Calabar and membership of several administrative committees in the University. For another two years (2004-2006), he served as Visiting Professor of Agriculture, Dean of Faculty and Head of the Agriculture Campus of the Cross River University of Technology (CRUTECH), Obubra, Cross River State. In that position, he presented the young faculty and earned her NUC full accreditation on first outing. On his return to the University of Calabar, Prof. Amalu was elected, 2006-2008, as Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Wildlife Resources Management, University of Calabar, Calabar- Nigeria. During 2009 -2013, Professor Amalu was invited by the Senate of CRUTECH, Calabar to establish a Postgraduate School for the institution. He therefore served as Pioneer Dean of the Postgraduate School, CRUTECH. During his now thirty-fifth (37th) year of teaching and research experience, Professor Amalu has taught several courses at both undergraduate and post graduate levels and has to date successfully supervised 301 B. Agriculture, ten M.Sc. and four Ph. D. candidates. He has served the Cross River State as a Special Community Development Consultant at establishment of the Legendary Obudu Cattle Ranch. Professor Amalu belongs to several academic and Professional bodies in which he has served in Executive positions. His scholarly publications span over a wide spectrum and has to his credit a total of ninety (90 No) publications in international and national journals/bulletins and still counting. He is sole author of a book “Agricultural Research and Extension Delivery Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa”.; co-editor (with N. P. Ndalut of Kenya University in Nairobi) of an e-book “Non-Animal Protein Sources in Sub-Saharan Africa.”, a forth-coming manuscript (Hunger, Poverty and Environmental Degradation in Sub-Saharan Africa), and co-editor of four international and national agricultural conference proceedings, five book chapters and thirty one unpublished Consultancy reports. He has written three Book Reviews. Professor Amalu has served as Editor-in-Chief or Associate Editor of several Journal outfits and External Examiner to undergraduate and graduate students in several Nigerian Universities and External assessor of Professorial candidates in several Universities in Nigeria and Pakistan. He has travelled to all the continents of the world. In 2011, Professor Amalu was appointed Assistant Director (Africa) of Research Institute for Sub-Saharan Africa Studies (RISSAS) based in Nassau, Germany, and on the conclusion of his annual (since 2007) invitational Distinguished Lecture Series in Germany on 30th October, 2017, Professor Amalu was appointed Editor-in-Chief of “Studies in Sub-Saharan Africa.” a series publication Support Africa International (SAI), Germany. By the grace of God, Professor Amalu is both physically and emotionally stable, enjoying profound health which has enabled him, up till 2016, to play the Captain of University of Calabar Academic staff and St. Paul’s Catholic Church football teams. Besides foot-balling, his other hobbies include gardening and swimming. Professor Amalu is married to Dr. (Mrs.) Melvina N. Amalu, and the family is blessed with four children. .