It was a convergence of royalty, intellect, faith and family on Sunday as Abuja celebrated the official retirement of Sarah Olanrewaju Anyanwu,Professor of Development Economics at the University of Abuja, who bowed out of the Nigerian university system after over three decades of meritorious service.Any
From the early hours of the day, the venue wore a festive toga as dignitaries streamed in from across the country in what could easily pass for a mini-summit of Nigeria’s academic, traditional and political elite.
The atmosphere crackled with excitement, punctuated by praise chants, hymns and the ceaseless click of camera shutters as guests jostled to catch a glimpse of the celebrant — the pride of Omupoland.
In a dramatic show of honour, a high-powered delegation from Omupo, led personally by the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Omupo Descendants Union, Alhaji Kola Adesina, stormed the venue on behalf of His Royal Majesty, Oba Muhammed-Yakubu Adebayo Buari II, the Olomu of Omupo.
Also in the entourage was the revered Islamic cleric, Sheikh Tijani Muhammed-Lawal, whose presence lent a spiritual gravitas to the already colourful gathering.
The delegation’s entry drew loud ovations from the congregation, with traditional greetings of “Kabiyesi o!” rending the air as the Omupo contingent took their seats in a carefully arranged row of honour.
ENCOMIUMS GALORE
The service was an unbroken cascade of tributes. Colleagues from the Nigerian Economic Society, the University of Abuja, family members, mentees and friends took turns to shower encomiums on the celebrant, painting the portrait of a woman whose scholarship is matched only by her compassion, humility and generosity of spirit.
Speaker after speaker recalled Professor Anyanwu’s sterling contributions to development economics, gender advocacy and mentorship, with several younger academics openly declaring that their careers would not have been the same without her guiding hand.
KABIYESI’S POWERFUL GOODWILL MESSAGE
The high point of the ceremony came when the goodwill message of HRM Oba Muhammed-Yakubu Adebayo Buari II was delivered on behalf of the entire Olomu Aperan community.
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The monarch, in glowing terms, saluted the celebrant’s remarkable career, singling out two landmark achievements — her appointment in 2010 as Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Gender and Development Issues in the Office of the Chief Economic Adviser to the President, and her historic emergence in 2019 as the first female President of the Nigerian Economic Society.
“You have been an invaluable mother, daughter and sister to your family and all of us here at home in Omupo. Of particular joy to us is your untiring contributions and commitment to the development of Omupoland. This has been inspirational to all of us in Omupo,” Kabiyesi declared in the widely applauded message.
The monarch went further to commend Professor Anyanwu for never losing touch with her roots despite scaling the dizzying heights of academia and public service — a virtue he described as “rare and worthy of emulation.”
A NEW CHAPTER BECKONS
On behalf of the entire sons and daughters of Olomu Aperan, Kabiyesi wished the retiring professor a happy retirement and a new journey of life brimming with happiness, fulfillment and continued impact.
As the curtains came down on the star-studded event, guests departed with the unmistakable feeling of having witnessed history — the graceful exit of a scholar, stateswoman and daughter of Omupo who has left indelible footprints on the sands of Nigerian academia.
For Omupoland, it was more than a retirement — it was a moment of collective pride.
Profile in Service
Professor (Mrs.) Sarah Olanrewaju Anyanwu is a Professor of Development Economics in the Department of Economics, University of Abuja, where she has built a distinguished career spanning over three decades in the university system. A former Director of the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development at the University of Abuja, she has earned a strong scholarly reputation through numerous publications in national and international journals.
Her research interests are broad and deeply rooted in development issues, covering macroeconomic analysis, poverty reduction, public sector economics, gender and education issues, programme and project monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment, trade promotion, strategic planning, public financial management, human resource and industrial economics, and service delivery.
Beyond academia, Prof. Anyanwu is an active figure in the professional community. She is a former Vice President and now Life Member of the Nigerian Economic Society and a member of the Nigerian Institute of Management, the African Institute of Applied Economics and the Nigerian Economic Summit Group. Her expertise has been sought by prominent institutions, having served as consultant to the British Council, the World Bank, the International Labour Organization,the European Union and various ministries, departments and agencies of government.
Her contributions to national policy are equally notable. She participated in the landmark study on Meeting the Employment Creation Challenges and Opportunities in Nigeria, presented findings at the High-Level Experts Meeting of the National Employment Summit, and contributed to the preparation of the National Employment Action Plan for Nigeria (2009), co-organized by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity and the ILO. She also played a role in the preparation of the National Action Plan for Youth Employment in Nigeria, organized by the Federal Ministry of Youth Development.
At the highest level of public service, Prof. Anyanwu served as Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck E. Jonathan on Gender and Development Issues, in the Office of the Chief Economic Adviser to the President, from November 2010 to May 2011.
Prof. Anyanwu is happily married and a devoted mother of five. In her leisure, she enjoys reading, travelling, table tennis, and project supervision.
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