UI longest serving lecturer, Nigel Henry dies at 71

The longest-serving lecturer at the University of Ibadan, Mr. Nigel Henry, is dead.

He was a lecturer in the Department of Classics until his passing.

Mr. Henry won various prizes and published different works. His outstanding unpublished work, “Do something before you die”, was a novel of 233 pages. He said the first publisher failed him but he had looked somewhere else.

News of his demise was announced on Sunday in a statement by the Department of Classics in the University.

The statement read in part, “With a deep sense of sorrow the Department of Classics announces the passing of Mr. Nigel Henry which regrettable event occurred on the night of 30 January, 2021, at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.

“Mr. Henry, our longest-serving academic member of staff, who spent over four decades nurturing students in the various sub-disciplines of Classics, especially in Greek and Latin languages and literature, was an outstanding student of the highest order.

“He took the M.A. (Classics) with First Class Honours (1969 – 73) from the University of St. Andrews, and the B. Phil in Classics (1973 – 75) from the University of Oxford.

“Mr. Henry brought to Ibadan the best traditions of Classical scholarship, having been taught by such eminently acclaimed scholars like Sir Kenneth Dover and Prof. Hugh Lloyd- Jones.

“Every current member of staff of the Department is a former student of Mr. Henry.”