Prof Siyanbola MalomoThe Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) on Tuesday, celebrated the life and times of the Pioneer Director-General of the Agency, Professor Siyanbola Malomo, who passed on in London on June 26, 2023 after a brief illness.
While he administered the NGSA as its first Director-General, Malomo worked closely with four Ministers of Solid Minerals Development including Dr. Obi Ezekwesili and Arc. Musa Muhammed Sada. Both former Ministers made presence at the Farewell Night of Tributes where the family and friends of Malomo, academia, well-wishers and industry professionals convened to honor the sage.
Malomo, who died at 73, is popularly regarded as a public intellectual of note whose immense contribution to the development of mining and geosciences continues to impact discourses for the advancement of the geosciences in Nigeria and around the world.
In his eulogy on behalf of the Management of the NGSA, the Director-General of the Agency, Dr. Abdulrazaq Garba commiserated with the Malomo family, saying that the ‘NGSA family is deeply saddened by the sudden demise of one of her greatest transformers cum builder whose wealth of knowledge and experience moved the Agency from an analogue based to a digital status.’
He described Malomo as one of the few geologists that crisscrossed the geological world through the academia, public sphere and policy making bodies across the globe.
While saying that Prof Malomo’s tenure as the Director-General of NGSA spanned from 2004 to 2013 under the headship of four ministers, namely Elder Ugbesia, Dr Obi Ezekwesili, Mrs Deziani Alison Madueke and Arc. Musa Muhammed Sada, Dr. Garba noted that Malomo’s contributions will continue to impact the intellectual space in the mineral sector and appraise infrastructure needs for fastidious growth, while yielding huge results in generation of geo-scientific data for wealth creation.
Further eulogizing Malomo, Dr. Garba noted that it was Prof Malomo who developed the first-ever roadmap adopted in the sector which distinctively re-positioned and guided it in areas of Mineral Exploration (Geochemical mapping, Geological mapping and Geophysical mapping).
‘Malomo also initiated wide reaching reforms in using cutting edge technology in the Agency and expanded the scope and capacity building of staff across cadres for smart and result oriented service delivery.’
According to Dr. Garba, ‘it was Prof Malomo who initiated SERVICOM to the public sphere and domiciled the ethics and policies in the Agency,’ stating that the pioneer Director-General also supervised the acquisition of the airborne geophysical survey data and its interpretation across the country in eight (8) Blocks flown on 500m.
‘Prof Malomo produced Nigeria’s Geological and Mineral resources map on a scale of 1: 2,000,000, and initiated the hosting the Agency’s website showing its products and services.’
Discussing other gains instituted by Prof Malomo, Dr. Garba explained that he spearheaded the recruitment and training of young geoscientists across various disciplines to bring them at par with their counterparts from different Geological Survey Organizations across the globe, stating that the production of Regional Geological and Mineral resources maps of different geopolitical zones of Nigeria was also to his credit.
Under his able watch, NGSA produced geological and mineral maps on a scale of 1: 250,000 for 36 States and the FCT, Dr. Garba said.
He said Nigeria will always remember that it was Prof Malomo who led the NGSA to the discovery and occurrences of some Nigeria’s 34 world class minerals, adding that he also built six state-of-de-art zonal offices across the six geopolitical zones of the country while also creating four Research Centres of excellence in the Agency.
‘As a scholar, he had over 33 off-shore publications to his name. Aside his above mentioned achievements, Prof. Siyan’s years in the Agency were characterized with mentorship-mentee relationship, as he always created opportunities for all members of staff to develop their skills.
‘He created conducive environment for people to pursue academic excellence in their fields of endeavor. He was empathic, charismatic and humane in his dispositions to his staff.’
‘Prof. Siyan Malomo was an asset and a great Nigerian who will forever be remembered for his various contributions in the engineering and geology fields, as well as the Nigerian Mineral and Mining Sector.
‘Our heart goes to his immediate family, friends, the academic circle and colleagues in this moment of grief.’
A former Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Obi Ezekwesili said the quality of life Malomo lived calls for celebration even though it is sad that he is no longer here with us, stating that Prof. Malomo fulfilled his purpose on earth.
Discussing Malomo’s versatility in the extractive industry, the former Minister recalled how Prof Malomo brought her books and also tutored her on the solid minerals sector; a gesture she said enabled her to make informed decisions on sensitive technical issues of the mining sector while she was in office as Minister of Solid Minerals.
‘He was my teacher, adviser and counselor on a lot of things that had to do with running the sector, and I learnt and began to understand the sector,’ she said.
‘Malomo was outstandingly intelligent, so voracious and diverse in knowledge,’ she said, adding that his intellect was not limited to the geological sciences alone. She eulogized him for his commitment to promoting knowledge and policies that led to the establishment of the NGSA as a world class autonomous agency.
Arc. Musa Muhammad Sada who succeeded Dr. Obi Ezekwesili as Minister, described Prof Malomo as ‘a school in himself, a humane public intellectual who was steadfastly committed to entrenching professionalism in mining and the geosciences.’ According to the former minister, Malomo was remarkably hardworking and selfless, and was willing to make sacrifices for others at his own peril.
‘If you work with Malomo, you will not only learn about mining and geosciences, but you will also learn about life itself,’ Arc. Sada added.
Arc. Sada discussed Malomo’s commitment to progress at all times, saying: ‘Malomo would always prefer to come to my office by 8pm, and would come with several files, some of which are issues that concerned staff of his agency, not himself,’ noting that he had zero tolerance for decisions that contravened rules of professional engagement in the sector.
‘Malomo was a man who protected the sector from any decision that will not place professionals in the lead, his life was about service, he served the industry and the nation, and he also served humanity,’ the former minister added.
National President, Women In Mining in Nigeria, Engr. Janet Adeyemi who was a student of the Professor Emeritus at the University of Ife, described him as ‘my very friendly, hardworking teacher who always works late,’ adding that Malomo’s commitment to excellence was never in doubt.
Adeyemi, a Fellow the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society said Prof Malomo was very willing to share knowledge and would leave his books to students so that they can read and learn. ‘I remember him as one man we could always approach for books on Engineering Geology, and he would always willingly share,’ she added.
Former Clerk of the National Assembly Committee on Solid Minerals, Alh Saleh Katsina said Malomo made indelible mark on the industry and will always be remembered as a progressive pioneer.
Immediate past Director-General of the National Steel Raw Materials Exploration Agency, Engr Umar Hassan eulogized Malomo, saying: ‘Prof was a nice man, a very nice man, a complete gentleman who was hardworking. He stood stood tall as an example to all of us. He was a gifted technocrat. I was so shocked at the news of his demise.’
Director-General, Mining Cadasre Office, Engr. Obadiah Nkom described Malomo as a wonderful gentleman who mentored the younger generation of extractive industry professionals. ‘One thing I know very well about Prof Malomo is that he knows all of us by our names and he took personal interest in the progress of everyone around him,’ Nkom added.
The Agency, in a brief account of Professor Malomo’s sojourn, described him as an intellectual who had a successful career in Scientific Research, Institutional Development and Administration, International Project Management, Strategic Planning, Policy Analysis, and University Teaching. He has been involved in Mineral Policy Development, Geoscience Project Management, Water Resources Management, Geological Engineering and Geohydrology, Innovation Promotion, formulation of Science and Technology Policy, Technology Transfer, Science and Technology for Development and Ocean Management.
Malomo, who served meritoriously as pioneer Director-General of the NGSA is regarded as a nationalist who was responsible for the new shift of the economy to the development of the solid minerals resources of Nigeria.
According to the Agency, he established a remarkable turnaround of moribund institution (the Geological Survey Department of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development) and made it an enviable one (the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency). The NGSA is not recognized as the primary agency for geoscience research and is comparable to others in the world.
Famously described as an honest, transparent intellectual with deep commitment to the development of geosciences and the Nigerian State, Malomo was the past Chairman of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI.
He was a Professor of the Department of Applied Geology at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), where he teaches courses in Advanced Engineering Geology and supervises M.Sc and PhD students.
He was a distinguished national and international scientist who has published more than thirty-five widely-cited papers, eight books/monographs and co-edited two books.
He has been external examiner to several universities in Nigeria and France, and has produced numerous postgraduate students, some of whom are now professors.
He was active in research within and outside the NGSA.
Malomo was happily married to Mrs. Jibola Malomo and they are blessed with three wonderful children.
He was a Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science, Fellow, Nigeran Mining and Geoscience Society, Member, New York Academy of Science, Fellow, Geological Society of London, and Winner of Ogun State Award in 2006.
Professor Siyanbola Malomo will be very much missed by the industry, academia and all men of goodwill.
