E. U. Essien-Udom

Who is E. U. Essien-Udom?

Professor Essien Udosen Essien-Udom was born in Ikot Osong, Eastern Provinces, Nigeria, on 25 October 1928, the first son of Timothy and Adiaha Essien. He was educated in the local primary school and Holy Family College, Abak, Eastern Nigeria; Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio; and the University of Chicago.

He was a primary school teacher and later interpreter for the Eastern Provinces of Nigeria before receiving a Fulbright Travel Grant for undergraduate study in the United States. On completion of his studies in political science and international relations, he taught and held administrative offices in various universities: teaching assistant and research associate, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts; visiting lecturer, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont; assistant professor, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island,; lecturer/senior lecturer, University of Ibadan, where he became professor, head of department, and dean of the Faculty of the Social Sciences; Cadbury Visiting Professorial Fellow, University of Birmingham Center for West African Studies, Birmingham, UK; founding vice chancellor, University of Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria; visiting professor and head of department; dean, Faculty of Social Sciences and Director of the Center for Development Studies; and member of the Governing Council, all of the University of Cross River State, Uyo, Nigeria.