SPEECH BY AMBASSADOR DR GODKNOWS BOLADEI IGALI, OON, NATIONAL CHAIRMAN, PANDEF AT THE 11TH FOUNDERS DAY/99TH POSTHUMOUS BIRTHDAY OF CHIEF EDWIN KIAGBODO CLARK, OFR, CON AT THE EDWIN CLARK UNIVERSITY, KIAGBODO, 25TH MAY, 2026.

SPEECH BY AMBASSADOR DR GODKNOWS BOLADEI IGALI, OON, NATIONAL CHAIRMAN, PANDEF AT THE 11TH FOUNDERS DAY/99TH POSTHUMOUS BIRTHDAY OF CHIEF EDWIN KIAGBODO CLARK, OFR, CON  AT THE EDWIN CLARK UNIVERSITY, KIAGBODO, 25TH MAY, 2026.

Wisdom Tide News / May 26, 2026

Your Excellencies,

Your Royal Majesties and Highnesses,

Our fathers in the Lord,

The Board Chairman of Edwin Clark Foundation The Pro-Chancellor and Members of the University Council,

The Vice Chancellor,

Members of Management and Faculty,

Illustrious Members of the Clark, Fuludu and Ambakederemo Family,

Members of the National Executive of PANDEF and State Chairmen and members,

Distinguished Guests,

Alumni, Staff, Students,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good morning, and welcome to Edwin Clark University's 11th Founder’s Day and celebration of the 99th heavenly birthday of our departed father, Chief Dr. EK Clark. 

As National Chairman of PANDEF, the apex socio-political body of the people of the South-South geopolitical zone and on behalf of the Board and leadership, it a distict privilege me to stand before you today as we honour 11 years of vision, sacrifice, and impact of our father, Gogorogo!

I specially thank the Vice Chancellor, Prof Samuel Wara and the authorities of this great citadel of learning and the Clark family for partnering with PANDEF for making this day a reality. We salute your commitment, sacrifices and resilience. I also welcome this array of leaders in all walks of life for lighting up the atmosphere of this ancient town of culture and knowledge, Kiagbodo. 

In the life of all institutions, an 11th anniversary is a quiet but powerful milestone. The truth is that the first decade is about survival and identity — proving that the dream can take root, survive the storms, and produce results. By year ten, when our father actually passed, he actually answered that question. So ECU exists, you graduate students, and you are known widely, indeed worldwide. But today, there is another reason to celebrate- the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) by collective will of all the political, traditional and spiritual leaders of the South-South geopolitical, led by this same sage, Chief EK Clark. 

Let me add that in many traditions, year ten represents completion and order. But beyond that, year eleven represents the first step beyond the known — the threshold between foundation and expansion. It is the point where an institution moves from asking _“Can we survive?”_ to asking _“How far can we go. 

To ECU,  this 11th anniversary is that transition. You are no longer proving your right to exist. You are now being called to shape the future of Nigeria’s and Africa’s higher education.

So this 99th posthumous birthday, we celebrate God's gift of a great national leader, seasoned politician, and unwavering advocate for the rights of the people the entire country, especially the Niger Delta. 

It is common knowledge that as a teacher, a lawyer, a Commissioner in old Midwest State, as a Senator during Second Republic and as Community leader, he spent his public life fighting for justice, equity, and the voice of the ordinary Nigerian in the corridors of power. He understood that political freedom without intellectual and economic empowerment is incomplete. So he founded this enviable university and PANDEF amongst other institutions to raise citizens who would defend democracy not just with votes, but with ideas, enterprise, and integrity.

As the influential American writer and poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once put it in:

> “Lives of great men all remind us

> We can make our lives sublime,

> And, departing, leave behind us

> Footprints on the sands of time.”

Undoubtedly, Pa Clarks life is one of those lives. He did not just occupy space in Nigeria of his time but pressed against it, and left footprints that we are still following. Those footprints are now etched in many heart and the firmament of our national life. 

If the first 10 years of PANDEF and 11 years of ECU were about building a foundation, the next decadebmust be about building influence and immeasurable impact. That is the real memorial to honour Chief Edwin Clark. 

In the past years, a national leader, politician, and advocate for the people turned his fight for justice into a fight for knowledge and regional development Today, that fight is a university and a great national body that none can suppress. Tomorrow,  these two institutions must be forces for total national transformation.

As we mark this 11th Founder’s Day, let me take you again to the words of Longfellow when he charged those immortal words that:

> _“Let us, then, be up and doing,

> With a heart for any fate;

> Still achieving, still pursuing,

> Learn to labor and to wait.

My leaders, our Children, Ladies and Gentlemen,

By God's mighty power and grace, may Edwin Clark University and our PANDEF continue to grow from strength to strength. May we thrive to produce leaders who will not only succeed in the Niger Delta, but all of Nigeria and within the global community but change it for good for the benefit of succeeding generations.  May Daddy Clarks vision that there must never be second class Nigerians become a reality under our watch.  May his dream that Nigeria must be built on the foundation of equity, fairness and justice be firmly realised through our efforts. May his demand for unity,  respects and fairness for the South-South become a reality through us.

For this, we must set aside all distractions and focus on the founders vision and mission.  We must run this university as a proper university following the laid down guidelines of NUC. At the same PANDEF must now run as a world class people's and community based organisation. These we must not derogate.

Let me announce that by next year 2026, this date 25th May, when we hope to celebrate Chief Edwin Clarks 100th Posthumous Birthday will become marked as  CHIEF EDWIN CLARK MEMORIAL DAY in the all of the South-South geopolitical zone. 

Thank you.