First, let me salute all great-IT-minds, beneficiaries and everyone out there, as we prepare to celebrate a cerebral digital colossus out of Africa and sending forth a renowned Professor of Computing on planet Earth. As we prepare to assemble on Thursday, 4th of June 2026, to celebrate over 40 years of incredible IT service from Professor Charles Onuwa Uwadia to the world, it is imperative and indeed to acknowledge that he has been teaching and impacting computing science knowledge to the world audience since computers still needed their own zip code to operate!

When the master IT-Mind Emeritus started his digital journey at the computer faculty, debugging literally meant pulling out a pair of tweezers. At that time, Prof. Uwadia was busy explaining digital recursion before most students had seen a computer that was bigger than the size of a small vehicle. But ridding the haze he was able to transmit digital wisdom magically made punch cards sound exciting at the insightful speed of skill transmission. It is instructive to be reminded that at that time, there were no Websites! That translates to delivering digital magic – seamlessly.

Through the decades, Prof. Uwadia have watched the IT ecosystem migrate from room-sized mainframes to phones stronger than the machines that sent people to the moon. Many trends emerged, and eclipsed out, making us remember best game in town, when everyone was sure object-oriented programming would solve everything! Today, we are better informed, because you kept teaching us the IT fundamentals that outlast every trend. Because you knew that languages and frameworks change, but clear digital logic endures – it does not change at the face of the so-called new technologies. Not surprising, his middle name “Onuwa” means ‘The voice of the World’! His works contributed immensely to the drafting of the National Information Technology Policy and establishment of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), where he served as a Pioneer Board Member.

The above is significant, because Prof. Charles Uwadia’s students will always remember his analogy of the digital brainbox! Indeed, the digital mastermind at Prof. Uwadia had a special way of making the impossible look like a straightforward problem, if you attempt to break it down into bits and bytes. Though, experience shows that his lectures were tough, but logically fair to all who invest in the technical patience to listen carefully. That was justified because made codes drive the process. Because he knew that it would matter when those students built real systems. Above all, as if he had foreseen the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) he instructed his students never to forget that the user on the other end of the screen is a human, not an abstract image!

Professor Charles Onuwa Uwadia’s digital legacy is evidenced by what he built for the faculty. Most significant are the courses he designed, which still represent the core of the program. The lab he created trained researchers who now lead their own groups. And the standard he was vigorously involved in setting, remains an impressive backbone. That is why the faculty has retained a reputation for producing first class digital engineers who understand why code works, not just that it can run.

What moving on means to Prof. Charles Onuwa Uwadia: If related to the light minds, retirement means no more 8.am lectures and no more fighting with the overhead projector that never quite focuses. But not with Prof. Uwadia – the IT voice and cerebral catalyst of our Universe @UNILAG. His world is digital! Above all, he possesses the moral compass with abundant resilience – not only to influence the global digital landscape but to subdue it to obey the equilibrium of sanity. What a gift! Indeed, every graduate who writes cleaner code, asks better questions, and thinks about edge cases first is carrying a piece of Prof. Uwadia’s cerebral Muse and Emeritus teaching ingenuity forward. This piece would not be complete without recongising and paying tribute to Prof. Charles Onuwa Uwadia’s humility which keeps everyone that has encountered his ethical leadership in awe!

He is, to state the least, an incredible personality and qualifies as a stainless human character, cultured and Godfearing. Everyone who had encountered him would testify that: “He can not hurt a fly!”

I and the entire streams and tributes of IT Nigeria that had the rare opportunity and continues to drink from the cerebral digital Ocean of Prof. Uwadia join the Faculty of Computing Science, the University of Lagos, and the millions of alumni who learned under him to thank, celebrate and congratulate him for his enigmatic accomplishments in the digital ecosystem.

Prof. sir, we all thank you for your patience, your rigor, and for making Nigeria’s and indeed, Africa’s computing trajectory an incredible and extraordinary achievement long before it became fashionable. The IT-World owes you an irredeemable debt and abundant gratitude for the Quantum digital knowledge you have impacted unto the world over the decades.

Please join me in wishing Professor Charles Onuwa Uwadia – the enigmatic gentle Angel of IT global – to wish him and hid amazing first-lady/wife and children, all the very best in this next chapter of digital conquest. Remember: your Professorship adventure has just begun @the speed of supercharged Ai, propelled by Quantum Computing. So, help you God.

About Professor Charles Onuwa Uwadia

He is a distinguished Nigerian professor of Computer Science at the University of Lagos (UNILAG). Born on June 7, 1956, he is a highly respected scholar and a pioneer in Nigeria’s Information Technology (IT) ecosystem. Over several decades, he has significantly shaped Nigeria’s national IT frameworks, academic curriculum, and software development industry. His works contributed immensely to the drafting of the National Information Technology Policy and establishment of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), where he served as a Pioneer Board Member.

Academic Profile and Background

Educational Foundation: He obtained his Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Computer Science with honours from the University of Ibadan in 1979.

Advanced Degrees: He later earned his Master of Science (M.Sc.) in 1983 and his Doctorate (Ph.D.) in Computer Science in 1990, both from UNILAG.

Core Specializations: His primary research fields include Software Engineering, Computer Architecture, Systems Software, and Communications/Networking Systems.

Professorial Rank: He joined UNILAG as an Assistant Lecturer in 1983 and rose through the ranks to be appointed a full Professor in October 2004.

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Institutional Leadership at UNILAG

Professor Uwadia has served the University of Lagos in numerous high-level administrative roles, helping to modernize its digital and academic footprints:

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Head of Department: Served as Acting Head (1996–1998) and substantive Head of the Department of Computer Sciences (2013–2016).

Center Management: Acted as Director of the Computer Centre from 2003 to 2005.

Director of CITS: He led the Center for Information Technology and Systems (CITS) between 2005 and 2013, spearheading institutional IT infrastructure upgrades.

National IT Leadership & Professional Roles

Beyond academia, Professor Uwadia has piloted the apex bodies governing the computational and IT workforce in Nigeria:

President of NCS: He served as the National President of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) from 2007 to 2011, leveraging his tenure to push for professional best practices and advocacy.

Chairman-in-Council of CPN: He was elected President and Chairman-in-Council of the Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN) for two terms, serving from June 2017 to June 2021.

Eko-Konnect: He is the Chair of the Eko-Konnect Research and Education Initiative, which fosters collaboration and digital infrastructure for research communities.

Research, Fellowships, and Advocacy

Publications: He has authored over 100 academic papers published in recognized local and international journals.

Global Exposure: He has traveled extensively as a visiting Fellow to universities across the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Australia.

Policy & Industry Advocacy: He remains a vocal advocate for indigenous software development. During his notable 2011 inaugural lecture, “Software Systems: The Driving Force Behind the e-Revolution,” he famously campaigned for the Central Bank of Nigeria and commercial banks to implement dedicated startup funding for local software developers.

Professional Distinctions: He is a Fellow of the Nigeria Computer Society (FNCS) and an active member of both the IEEE and the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).

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Prof. Uwadia’s IT research publications, and his contributions to the National IT Policy, are boundless and represent his intellectual foresight and incredible dept in the conquest of the digital atmosphere – at the speed of Quantum Computing.