Prof Ibiang Oden Ewa Was Grandfather of Intellectual Property, Says Sandy Onor
By Judex OKORO and Benjamin GBOR
Senator Sandy Onor has described the late Prof. Ibiang Oden Ewa as “grandfather of intellectual property” whose influence shaped lives far beyond the walls of the University of Calabar.
Speaking during a tribute to the late scholar, Onor, recalled meeting Oden Ewa in 1985 while studying history. At the time, the young lecturer had just graduated top of his class and returned to teach under a departmental policy that brought back the best students as lecturers.
“He came to class without a single note or pen, yet delivered a detailed lecture for over an hour. Every word was correct,” Onor said. “It was so inspiring that I promised myself I’d be like him.”
Three years later, Onor also graduated top of his class, returned to teach, and adopted Oden Ewa’s same confident, note-free style. He said the professor’s mentorship created a chain of inspiration that has touched countless lives.
Sharing a personal story, Onor recalled meeting a young lawyer in Abuja who credited him for his success. “What he didn’t know was that the real credit belonged to his intellectual grandfather, Ibiang Oden Ewa,” he said.
The senator also praised Oden Ewa’s devotion to family, noting that he and his wife worked tirelessly to raise their children into successful adults. “He came, he saw, he conquered,” Onor said. “He raised a great family, contributed to knowledge, and left a mark that cannot be erased.”
Professor Ibiang Oden Ewa is remembered not just as a teacher, but as an enduring source of inspiration, whose intellectual legacy lives on in the lives he touched.
