Chike Obi
Encyclopedia
Chike Obi was a Nigerian politician, mathematician and professor.
The African Mathematics Union suggests that he was the first sub-Saharan African to hold a doctorate in mathematics.
Obi is the author of several books and journals on mathematics and Nigerian politics.
before reading mathematics
as an external student of the University of London
. Immediately after his first degree, he won a scholarship to do research study at Pembroke College, Cambridge
, followed by doctoral studies at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
in Cambridge, Massachusetts
, United States
, becoming in 1950, the first Nigerian to receive a PhD in mathematics.
. He was soon diverted from this by political activities. After the war, he returned to lecture in 1970 at the University of Lagos
where he quickly rose to the senior academic role of a professor.
He left Lagos
to return to his root in the city of Onitsha
, establishing the Nanna Institute for Scientific Studies.
Obi had won the Sigvard Ecklund Prize for original work in differential equation from the International Centre for Theoretical Physics. He was a university
teacher until his retirement as an Emeritus
Professor
in 1985.
In 1997, Obi claimed to have found an elementary proof to Fermat’s Last Theorem. This work was carried out at his Nanna Institute for Scientific Studies in Onitsha
, Eastern Nigeria and published in Algebras, Groups and Geometries. A review of this proof published in Mathematical Reviews
claims that Obi's proof is a previously-known false proof. Fermat’s Last Theorem had already been solved in 1994 by Andrew Wiles
and Richard Taylor
.
After Nigeria
’s independence
from Britain in 1960, Obi was elected a legislator
in the Eastern House of Assembly in 1960, he refused to vacate his seat in the national legislature in Lagos, the Speaker of the regional house ordered that Obi be physically removed by security agents. This order was obeyed and Obi decided to commit himself to regional affairs.
In 1962, Obi was arrested and charged with treason
in a closed trial organized by the then national civilian government, who accused him and others, including the main opposition leader at the time, Obafemi Awolowo
, of plotting to overthrow the government. He was later released for “want of evidence.”
When the Nigerian Civil War
broke out in 1966, Obi sided with Biafran, working for the rebel leader Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu
. For a brief period in the 1970s when he served in the National Revenue Mobilization Commission.
Obi derided religion
and ethnic extremism
, and the culture of corruption
pervading the Nigerian political class. He was a national newspaper columnist in the 1980s, writing under the title, "I speak For the People."
, USA, the University of Jos
, Nigeria, and the Chinese Academy of Science, Obi was a recipient of the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) and a Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science.
The African Mathematics Union suggests that he was the first sub-Saharan African to hold a doctorate in mathematics.
Obi is the author of several books and journals on mathematics and Nigerian politics.
Early life and education
Obi was educated in various parts of NigeriaNigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
before reading mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
as an external student of the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. Immediately after his first degree, he won a scholarship to do research study at Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college has over seven hundred students and fellows, and is the third oldest college of the university. Physically, it is one of the university's larger colleges, with buildings from almost every century since its...
, followed by doctoral studies at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, becoming in 1950, the first Nigerian to receive a PhD in mathematics.
Career as mathematician
Obi returned to lecture at the premier Nigerian University of IbadanUniversity of Ibadan
The University of Ibadan is the oldest Nigerian university, and is located five miles from the centre of the major city of Ibadan in Western Nigeria...
. He was soon diverted from this by political activities. After the war, he returned to lecture in 1970 at the University of Lagos
University of Lagos
The University of Lagos - popularly known as Unilag - is a federal government university with a main campus located at Akoka, Yaba and a college of medicine located at Idi-Araba, all in Lagos, Lagos State, southern Nigeria...
where he quickly rose to the senior academic role of a professor.
He left Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
to return to his root in the city of Onitsha
Onitsha
Onitsha is a city, a commercial, educational, and religious center and river port on the eastern bank of the Niger river in Anambra State, southeastern Nigeria....
, establishing the Nanna Institute for Scientific Studies.
Obi had won the Sigvard Ecklund Prize for original work in differential equation from the International Centre for Theoretical Physics. He was a university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
teacher until his retirement as an Emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
in 1985.
In 1997, Obi claimed to have found an elementary proof to Fermat’s Last Theorem. This work was carried out at his Nanna Institute for Scientific Studies in Onitsha
Onitsha
Onitsha is a city, a commercial, educational, and religious center and river port on the eastern bank of the Niger river in Anambra State, southeastern Nigeria....
, Eastern Nigeria and published in Algebras, Groups and Geometries. A review of this proof published in Mathematical Reviews
Mathematical Reviews
Mathematical Reviews is a journal and online database published by the American Mathematical Society that contains brief synopses of many articles in mathematics, statistics and theoretical computer science.- Reviews :...
claims that Obi's proof is a previously-known false proof. Fermat’s Last Theorem had already been solved in 1994 by Andrew Wiles
Andrew Wiles
Sir Andrew John Wiles KBE FRS is a British mathematician and a Royal Society Research Professor at Oxford University, specializing in number theory...
and Richard Taylor
Richard Taylor (mathematician)
-External links:**...
.
Career in politics and activism
Obi helped form the Dynamic Party of Nigeria, of which he served as its first secretary-general. After the party merged with the larger National Council of Nigerian and Cameroon, Obi was elected as part of the Nigerian delegation that negotiated the country’s path to self rule at two London conferences in 1957 and 1958.After Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
’s independence
Independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
from Britain in 1960, Obi was elected a legislator
Legislator
A legislator is a person who writes and passes laws, especially someone who is a member of a legislature. Legislators are usually politicians and are often elected by the people...
in the Eastern House of Assembly in 1960, he refused to vacate his seat in the national legislature in Lagos, the Speaker of the regional house ordered that Obi be physically removed by security agents. This order was obeyed and Obi decided to commit himself to regional affairs.
In 1962, Obi was arrested and charged with treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
in a closed trial organized by the then national civilian government, who accused him and others, including the main opposition leader at the time, Obafemi Awolowo
Obafemi Awolowo
Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo was a Nigerian politician, trade unionist, author and statesman. A Yoruba and native of Ikenne in Ogun State of Nigeria, he started his career as a regional political leader like most of his pre-independence contemporaries and was responsible for much of the progressive...
, of plotting to overthrow the government. He was later released for “want of evidence.”
When the Nigerian Civil War
Nigerian Civil War
The Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Nigerian-Biafran War, 6 July 1967–15 January 1970, was a political conflict caused by the attempted secession of the southeastern provinces of Nigeria as the self-proclaimed Republic of Biafra...
broke out in 1966, Obi sided with Biafran, working for the rebel leader Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu was a Nigerian military officer and politician.Ojukwu served as the military governor of the Eastern Region of Nigeria in 1966, the leader of the breakaway Republic of Biafra from 1967 to 1970 and a leading Nigerian politician from 1983 to 2011, when he died, aged...
. For a brief period in the 1970s when he served in the National Revenue Mobilization Commission.
Obi derided religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
and ethnic extremism
Extremism
Extremism is any ideology or political act far outside the perceived political center of a society; or otherwise claimed to violate common moral standards...
, and the culture of corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
pervading the Nigerian political class. He was a national newspaper columnist in the 1980s, writing under the title, "I speak For the People."
Awards
A visiting professor to the University of Rhode IslandUniversity of Rhode Island
The University of Rhode Island is the principal public research university in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Its main campus is located in Kingston. Additional campuses include the Feinstein Campus in Providence, the Narragansett Bay Campus in Narragansett, and the W. Alton Jones Campus in West...
, USA, the University of Jos
University of Jos
The University of Jos, abbreviated as Unijos, is a federal university in Jos, Plateau State, central Nigeria. The school offers courses in law, medicine, pharmacy, natural sciences, social sciences, the built environment as well as arts and humanities....
, Nigeria, and the Chinese Academy of Science, Obi was a recipient of the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) and a Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science.