Profile of Professor Blessing Chimezie Didia - What You Need To Know

The man, Professor Blessing Chimezie Didia, was born on April 20, 1952. He hails from Omugwere-Omopi, Omerelu in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State. He started his educational sojourn at the Saint Stephen’s State School, Omerelu, from 1956-1963 where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate. He proceeded to the famous County Grammar School, Ikwerre-Etche, for his secondary education from 1964-1971 and obtained the West African Ordinary School Certificate.

 Not deterred by the Nigeria civil war that raged from 1967-1970, he went on to the then College of Science and Technology, now Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt for higher studies and earned an advanced Level General Certificate of Education. He continued in this light to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1974-1976), University of Benin, Benin City (1976-1979), where he obtained MB. BS and finally University of Port Harcourt, Choba (1997-2003) where he crowned his educational achievements with a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree.

He is a fellow of the Dentist Society of Nigeria and Society of Experimental and Clinical Anatomists of Nigeria. He is also a member, Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research, USA; Anatomical Society of Nigeria, Nigeria Medical Association and Applied Research Ethics National Association in the USA.

He had worked briefly as a tutor in County Grammar School, Ikwerre-Etche in 1972, he was also a House Officer in the then Port Harcourt General Hospital from 1979-1980. He was a Senior House Officer in Surgery at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital and was later appointed Lecturer II in the Department of Anatomy in 1981 where he works till date as a professor of clinical anatomy. He has over ninety (90) publications in Learned Journals, over forty (40) Conference papers national and international and about eleven (11) Researches that are ongoing.

Prof. Blessing Chimezie Didia has held several positions both within and outside the University and has been external examiner to eleven (11) Universities. He was acting Head, Department of Human Anatomy, College of Health Sciences in the University of Port Harcourt form 1995-2005, Member of Council of the same University (Representing Congregation), Dean, Faculty of Basic Sciences, University of Port Harcourt (2007), Provost, College of Health Sciences and Member of Board, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, 2007-2011.

He has also been Executive Chairman, Ikwerre Local Government Area from 1991-1993, Member, Ikwerre Local Government Community Development Committee, (CDC) 1990-1991 and Chairman of Nigerian Red Cross Society, Rivers State Branch.

He has supervised five Masters’ thesis and nine Doctoral dissertation and belongs to several professional bodies both in Nigeria and the United States of America. He is also a member of Editorial Board of Medical Journals in both Nigeria and other countries.

Prof. Blessing Chimezie Didia, is not only a Medical Doctor but also a sports personality. In recognition of his interest in sports, he was the Team Manager of the University of Port Harcourt Football Team for the Nigerian University Games, NUGA, for 1988, Match Commissioner for the Nigerian Football Federation since 1986, Chairman, Rivers State Football Association (1993-1995), Member, Local Organising committee for Junior World Cup in Nigeria (Nigeria ‘99), Member, Marketing Committee, Nigeria Football Association 1996-1997 and Member, Sharks’ Football Management Committee 2002-2003.

Prof. Didia is happily married to Mrs. Priscilla C. Didia and has four children-two males and two females. He is presently the acting Vice Chancellor of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, a position he assumed on Monday, August 3, 2015, following the expiration of the tenure of the then Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. B. B. Fakae on Friday, July, 31, 2015.