…recounts journey from Political Science to Law, student leadership and enduring friendships
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr. Monday Onyekachi Ubani, SAN, has described the University of Nigeria as an institution that profoundly shaped his intellectual development, character, friendships and eventual journey into law and public service.
Ubani made the remarks while sharing reminiscences of his university years at a gathering of the University of Nigeria Alumni Association, Abuja Chapter, where he delivered a reflective presentation titled “The University That Made Me: Reminiscences of My Sojourn at the University of Nigeria, 1983–1989.”
Taking his audience through a six-year journey spanning the Nsukka and Enugu campuses, the former Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) said his university experience went far beyond obtaining a degree.
“There are places we visit, places we live in, and places that live in us. For me, the University of Nigeria is not merely a place I attended between 1983 and 1989. It is a place that became part of my intellectual DNA,” he said.
From Political Science at Nsukka to Law at Enugu
According to him, studying Political Science exposed him to fundamental questions about power, government, institutions, ideology, development and the relationship between the governed and those who govern.
Beyond formal lectures, he recalled an intellectually vibrant campus environment where students debated politics, ideology, governance, football and Nigeria's future, developing the confidence to question conventional thinking and appreciate the transformative power of ideas.
His academic journey took a decisive turn in 1985 when he moved to the Enugu Campus to study Law.
Looking back at that transition, Ubani said Political Science taught him to understand power, while Law subsequently taught him how power ought to be restrained.
“Political Science introduced me to government and institutions. Law introduced me to rights, duties, justice and accountability. Political Science asked: Who governs? Law asked the more difficult question: By what authority do you govern, and within what limits?”
Student Politics and the Making of ‘Ubani CJ’
Ubani also recalled his active participation in student politics and leadership at the Enugu Campus.
In his first year, he was elected into the House of Representatives as the representative of a defined constituency. His involvement in student governance subsequently culminated in his emergence as Chief Judge of the University in 1988.
The position left an enduring mark on his university identity, as some of his classmates, he disclosed, still affectionately call him “Ubani CJ” decades later.
He noted that studying Law reinforced the importance of words, evidence, logic, precedent and responsible advocacy — disciplines that would later prove invaluable throughout his professional career.
‘The University Was a Laboratory of Life’
For Ubani, however, university education was not confined to classrooms, lecture notes and examinations.
He reminisced about hostel life, long walks, scarce finances, shared meals, borrowed books, examination anxieties, friendships and the youthful idealism that characterised university life in the 1980s.
With characteristic humour, he also recalled the romantic side of undergraduate life, joking:
“And, I don't know whether I fell in love with women. I have a right to remain silent, as anything said can be used as evidence against me!”
He described the university as a “laboratory of life”, where students learnt to coexist with people of different backgrounds, personalities and opinions.
While some friendships faded after graduation, he said others survived distance, marriage, professional advancement, family responsibilities and the passage of several decades.
Education Must Carry Responsibility
Reflecting on the Nigeria of his student years, Ubani said his generation entered adulthood with enormous optimism about the country's future and a conviction that education could become an instrument of national transformation.
According to him, the university prepared students not merely to earn livelihoods but to participate meaningfully in nation-building.
That philosophy, he said, remained relevant as graduates ventured into academia, medicine, engineering, politics, entrepreneurship, law and other professions.
Speaking from the perspective of a lawyer who subsequently attained the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria and participated extensively in professional and public affairs, Ubani said he could trace much of his intellectual formation to his experiences at Nsukka and Enugu.
“Education does not tell you exactly where you are going. It equips you for destinations you cannot yet see,” he observed.
‘AI Cannot Substitute for Character’
Turning his attention to contemporary university education, Ubani acknowledged that technology has fundamentally transformed how students access information.
He nevertheless maintained that the essential purpose of a university remains the cultivation of the human mind and the formation of character.
“Information can be obtained from a computer. Wisdom cannot. A search engine can provide answers. It cannot teach judgment. Artificial intelligence can process enormous quantities of information. It cannot substitute for character.”
He therefore urged universities to remain committed to producing not merely degree holders but men and women capable of critical thinking, leadership, questioning and service.
Message to Today's Students
Ubani advised today's students not to measure the value of their university experience exclusively by grades and certificates.
While acknowledging the importance of academic achievement and professional success, he identified character as an even more enduring asset.
He encouraged students to build meaningful friendships, read beyond their syllabuses, engage with contrary opinions, participate actively in university life, develop communication skills and cultivate independent thought.
“Do not leave the university merely with a certificate. Leave with a philosophy of life. Because eventually, the certificate will hang on a wall, but the character you develop will travel everywhere with you.”
Alumni Must Turn Memories into Responsibility
Ubani also challenged alumni associations to go beyond nostalgia and become vehicles for giving back to their institutions and supporting younger generations.
Describing an alumni association as a “second university,” he said while the first university gives knowledge, the second provides memory, fellowship and responsibility.
He challenged alumni to translate their affection for their alma mater into scholarships, mentorship, infrastructure, research support, professional networks and opportunities for succeeding generations.
“Reminiscence should not become nostalgia without responsibility. If we truly remember where we came from, then our memories should inspire service,” he said.
‘The University of Nigeria Was Part of the Making of Me’
Concluding his reflections, Ubani said his journey from Nsukka in 1983 to Enugu in 1989 represented far more than movement between two campuses.
Nsukka, he said, provided the intellectual foundation, while Enugu added another dimension through his legal education and exposure to student leadership.
He maintained that Political Science taught him to interrogate power and society, while Law taught him to interrogate authority, rights and justice — lessons he considers particularly relevant to contemporary Nigeria.
“I do not wish merely to say, ‘I attended the University of Nigeria.’ That would be too ordinary a statement. I would rather say: ‘The University of Nigeria was part of the making of me.’”
Ubani said he left the institution in 1989 not only with a degree, but with enduring friendships, memories, intellectual curiosity, a deeper appreciation of Nigeria and the conviction that knowledge imposes a responsibility to society.
He expressed gratitude to the University of Nigeria Alumni Association, Abuja Chapter, for providing a platform for former students to reconnect, celebrate their journeys and reflect collectively on the future.
“Thank you for the years. Thank you for the lessons. Thank you for the friendships. Thank you for the memories. And, most importantly, thank you for helping to make us who we became,” Ubani stated.
He concluded with a tribute to his alma mater and its enduring traditions:
“Long live the University of Nigeria. Long live the spirit of Lionism. And long live the enduring fellowship of the University of Nigeria Alumni Association, especially the Abuja Chapter.”
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