Prof. Iyorwuese Hagher to chair Verbatim Magazine’s ‘Ethics and Integrity Awards,’ lecture
The management of Verbatim news magazine, an Abuja based publication by former editors of the iconic Newswatch magazine has announced distinguished Nigerian scholar, statesman, diplomat and author, Professor Iyorwuese Harry Hagher, OON, as Chairman of maiden edition of ‘Ethics and Integrity’ Award event being planned by it, in partnership with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to hold next week, Tuesday, September 29, 2026 in Abuja .
The magazine said in a press statement issued by Tobs Agbaegbu, the Editor in Chief that the award program is meant to honour and celebrate the first set of top 100 federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in Nigeria listed in the report of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard (EICS) 2025.
Giving greater insight about the event, Agbaegbu stated that it will also feature a Public Lecture on Ethics, Integrity and National Development, ‘’bringing together senior government officials, heads of MDAs, members of the diplomatic community, academics, civil-society representatives, business leaders and the media.
He also announced that the lecture will be delivered by the Chairman of the ICPC , Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu,SAN, adding that ‘’the event is part of Verbatim’s broader developmental journalism initiative, aimed at documenting institutional performance, leadership and governance while encouraging public discourse around ethical standards and national development.
On the choice of the chairman for the event, he explained that Professor Hagher is ‘’a unique personality who will bring to the occasion, a distinguished career spanning academia, public administration, politics, diplomacy, literature and leadership development’’.
He explained that Hagher is a Professor of Theatre and Drama for Development, who studied at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he obtained his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, including a Ph.D. in Drama. ‘’He subsequently, taught and researched at Nigerian universities, rising to the rank of Professor and becoming particularly recognised for his scholarship on Kwagh-hir, the indigenous Tiv theatre tradition, and Theatre for Development, Agbaegbu said.
Hagher’s public-service career, reportedly also, include service as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and participation in the 1994–95 Constitutional Conference. He subsequently served as Minister of State for Power and Steel and Minister of State for Health.
Hagher later ,represented Nigeria as Ambassador to Mexico, with concurrent accreditation to Panama, Costa Rica and Guatemala, and subsequently as Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Canada.
His contribution to higher education and leadership development has included service as Pro-Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, as well as leadership roles in initiatives devoted to leadership education and African development.
An accomplished author, Professor Hagher is also known to have written extensively on leadership, governance, corruption, citizenship, conflict, culture and national development. His works include Beyond Hate and Violence, The Kwagh-hir Theatre, Corruption in Africa: Fifteen Plays, Nigeria after the Nightmare, Leadership and Governance in Nigeria and ‘’Leading Africa out of Chaos’’, among others. He is a recipient of the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) and has received other academic, literary and professional distinctions.
