A Tribute to Dr Anshi Wang
michael atovigba
By Mike Atovigba (Written18/07/2011)
I met Dr. Anshi Martins Wang a few years ago while he was about going
for his PhD in Philosophy at Nsukka. I found him to be a brilliant
scholar and a forthright person. A prorific writer, Dr Wang
contributed philosophical thoughts to Daily Tigons pages and
encouraged his students to obtain copies of the newspaper.
As SSA to Gov. Gabriel Suswam, I and Govt House PS Gabriel Nyitse
began putting together this Suswamist philosophy and contacted Dr Wang
and Dr Ihuah for an inaugural lecture on Suswamism. We finally agreed
that Dr Ihuah would present the lead paper and Wang would be the
discussant, which Ihuah and Wang agreed honestly. Even long after Dr
Ihuah’s paper was not forthcoming, Dr Wang kept on encouraging me to
remind Ihuah to couple his work togetther so that the inaugural
lecture on Suswamism might hold. He longed to see the inaugural
lecture; it never came till he left the world.
Dr Wang believed Suswam’s principles and moves were worthy of being
projected and supported. He almost single handedly convinced Gov
Suswam to visit and parley with the BSU community, which was
successfully done and which has created a reasonable rapport between
Govt House and BSU.
Dr Wang has been very active at ASUU fora and was an able Secretary to
the BSU Congregation. He used to be ever ready to extend his hand of
support to anyone who sought him, without strings attached.
It was shocking to me this morning to hear that Dr Wang got to clinic
yesterday for an eye operation and ended up dying shortly after the
operation. He all along had been hale and hearty. Of course, he had an
accident last year but had reasonably recovered and has been driving
without problem.
May the gentle soul of Dr Anshi Matins Wang rest in the Lord’s bosom,
in Jesus’ name. Amen.
May God also rebuke His death angel to suspend the harvest of BSU
lecturers, which has been on in the past few weeks: Dr. Ameh
(Curriculum and Teaching, in May), Dr Fr. Moti (Religion and
Philosophy, May), Prof. Tamen (Psychology, June), Dr Okwori ( Col of
Health Sciences, June), Mr. Tor-Anyiin (Sociology, July) and now Dr
Wang, (Philosophy and Religion, July). This is death’s too many
visitations on BSU. May the souls of all our lecturers departed rest
in the Lord’s bosom, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Mike Atovigba
Dept. of Curriculum & Teaching
Faculty of Education
Benue State University, Makurdi.