Uchenna Ikonne was a Nigerian professor of

optometry Optometry is a specialized health care profession that involves examining the eyes and related structures for defects or abnormalities. Optometrists are health care professionals who typically provide comprehensive primary eye care. In the Uni ...

. In December 2015, he became the 7th Substantive Vice-Chancellor of

Abia State University Abia State University Uturu (ABSU) is a Nigerian public university. It is one of the state owned universities in Nigeria. These state academic institutions were created to expand admissions and bring professional skills, expertise and modern rese ...

. having previously served as the Rector,

Abia State Polytechnic Abia State Polytechnic is a state government owned Polytechnic established in 1992 and located in Aba, Abia State, Nigeria. The Polytechnic is composed of different schools, such as the School of Science & Engineering and the School of Business Adm ...

, Aba – (on Rescue Mission) 2014–2015.

Professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who pr ...

Ikonne took Abia State

University A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

from 93rd position, on assumption of Office in 2015, to 27th and 2nd Best State University in Nigeria in the 2020 Nigerian University Ranking. Uche Ikonne was the gubernatorial candidate of the People's Democratic Party in

Abia State Abia State ( ig, Ȯha Abia) is a state in the South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, it is bordered to the north and northeast by the states of Enugu, and Ebonyi, Imo State to the west, Cross River State to the east, Akwa Ibom State to the ...

. He died at the

National Hospital, Abuja National Hospital Abuja is a hospital in Abuja, FCT, Nigeria. The hospital was founded under the Family Support Programme initiative and was formally established under Decree 36 of 1999 (Act 36 of 1999). Abdulsalami Abubakar commissioned the ho ...

, around 4 am on January 25, 2023, after suffering from multiple cardiac arrests.

Early life and education

Ikonne was born in Agburuike, Nsulu in

Isiala Ngwa North Isiala-Ngwa North is a Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria. Its headquarter is in the town of Okpuala-Ngwa. It has an area of 283 km and a population of 153,734 at the 2006 census. The postal code of the area is 451. Famous people f ...

, Abia State. After attending

Ngwa High School Ngwa High School is a secondary school for boys in Aba. It located in Abayi, a town in Osisioma Ngwa. History The school was established in 1954 with 29 boys. The school was supposed to be in Umuocham but was relocated to Abayi due to the s ...

in Aba of Abia State, he studied optometry at

Manila Central University The Manila Central University also referred to by its acronym MCU, and formerly named as the ''Escuela de Farmacia del Liceo de Manila'') is a private, non-sectarian, stock basic and higher education institution located on EDSA, Caloocan, Phil ...

, Philippines. He also graduated from a specialist master's degree programme in

Hospital Administration Health administration, healthcare administration, healthcare management or hospital management is the field relating to leadership, management, and administration of public health systems, health care systems, hospitals, and hospital network ...

at St. Jude College, also in the Philippines, and on his return to Nigeria in 1985, served as consulting

optometrist Optometry is a specialized health care profession that involves examining the eyes and related structures for defects or abnormalities. Optometrists are health care professionals who typically provide comprehensive primary eye care. In the Uni ...

at the Park Lane General Hospital, Enugu, and obtained a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Environmental Health Science from Abia State University.

Career

From 2010 to 2014, Ikonne served as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) of Abia State University after then serving as Rector of Abia State Polytechnic, Aba – (on Rescue Mission). He became the 7th Substantive Vice-Chancellor of Abia State University in December 2015. He also served as the Head of the Department of Optometry in the same institution. While at Abia State University, he served as the acting dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and deputy provost of the College of Medicine & Health Sciences. In 1993, he was appointed as a member of the Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Registration Board of Nigeria. He was also subsequently appointed chairman of the education committee in Abia State. In 2019, he was appointed Chairman of the Governing Board of the Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Registration Board of Nigeria (ODORBN) and served on the board till 2022. Ikonne won the African Optometric Educator Award of the year 2003 and the Distinguished Merit Award of the Nigerian Optometric Association 2006.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ikonne, Uchenna Living people Nigerian optometrists Nigerian male writers Academic staff of Abia State University Igbo academics Vice-Chancellors of Abia State University Uturu Year of birth missing (living people)