The pioneer Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, Prof. Jonathan Ndagi, has died at the age of 96.
The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the university’s Governing Council, Dr Mohammed K. Santuraki, announced his death in a statement on Saturday.
Santuraki said the deceased’s family broke the news to him early in the morning.
In his tribute, he described the late professor as a “distinguished scholar, visionary administrator and pioneer whose contributions helped lay the foundation of the institution.”
He said Ndagi belonged to a generation of institution builders whose vision, dedication and sacrifices continue to shape generations long after their pioneering work.
The Pro-Chancellor recalled visiting the late professor on November 8, 2024, as chairman of the Governing Council. He described the visit as “an opportunity to pay his respects to a scholar whose contributions to the institution remained significant.”
According to him, Ndagi’s legacy reaches beyond the university to the many lives he touched during his career.
“Professor Ndagi leaves behind something far more enduring than longevity: a legacy of service, scholarship and institution building,” Santuraki said.
He extended his condolences to the late professor’s children, family, friends, former colleagues, the university’s management and Governing Council, and the entire FUT Minna community.
Santuraki said he hopes the family will find comfort in the knowledge that Ndagi lived a long, purposeful and fulfilled life.
“His passing is an occasion for grief, certainly, but even more importantly, an occasion to celebrate a life well lived and a legacy that will endure,” he said.
He prayed for the repose of the deceased and for strength for his family and all those affected by the loss.
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