As Professional Bodies send tributes
The Director General, Nigeria Geological Survey Agency, Dr. Abdulrazaq Garba has described the transition of the pioneer Director General of the Agency, Prof Siyan Malomo as a very sad loss, not only to the Agency, but to the mineral sector and the nation at large, stating that Malomo was first appointed to head the Agency in 2003 before the bill establishing NGSA was passed into law in 2006.
Following the passage of the bill into law, Prof Malomo was appointed Director General of the Agency in 2006, a position he held until 2013, during which he laid a solid foundation for the development of the Agency.
‘We are mourning, we are grieving, so sad that we lost Prof Malomo, an intellectual and patriot who made daring sacrifices for the development of the mining sector and the nation at large,’ Dr. Garba said, in a statement on Tuesday.
The statement, which was personally signed by the Director-General, commiserated with his family, the Nigerian mining sector, the academic community and the nation over Prof Malomo’s death, saying that his legacy lives-on.
Dr. Garba, who also commiserated with his friends and well wishers prayed for the repose of his soul, saying that Prof Malomo’s life exemplified sacrifice to nation.
According to family sources, the highly regarded Professor of Geology passed-on in London on Monday June 26, 2023, during a protracted illness.
Malomo, a Fellow of the Geological Society of London, made indelible marks in the development of the mineral sector and the country at large.
In the same vein, the 32nd President of the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS), Prof Akinade Olatunji has commiserated with the family and Nigeria mining sector over the loss.
While describing Prof. Malomo, as “a quintessential Geologist, teacher, mentor and a worthy ambassador of the NMGS through his life,” the NMGS President said Malomo was a reformist, who brought his wealth of experience to bear on the resuscitation and refocusing of the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency, making the NGSA to become an enviable government Agency it now is.
“The NMGS acknowledges his dedication to the course of the Society, while alive, and we will miss him sorely.”
“We pray for the repose of his soul and for the comfort of the immediate family of Prof Malomo and the extended professional family at the NGSA and NMGS,” the 32nd President added.
Also, the President of the Geological Society of Nigeria (GSN), Mr. U. S. Malami in a statement expressed grief over the passing-on of Prof Malomo.
The statement said: “It is with heavy hearts that the Geological Society of Nigeria (GSN) joins the Mining sector, family and nation to mourn the transition of Prof. Siyan Malomo, evidently one of the finest geologists ever produced by our dear country, Nigeria.”
According to the GSN, “Malomo’s invaluable contributions to the growth of the geosciences and the Geology profession stands very tall in the students he has produced, and his leadership of the NGSA where he served meritoriously as Director-General.”
“May his soul rest in peace even as we await information on the schedule of his interment,” the Geological Society of Nigeria added.
