TRIBUTE TO PROF. EBENEZER LAING

BY THE UNIVERSITY OF GHANA

The University community started Monday 20th April, 2015, with the very sad news of the passing away of Professor Emeritus Ebenezer Laing on Sunday, 19th April, 2015.

Almost immediately after the announcement of his death was issued by the Registrar, the University’s email platform was overflowing with an unprecedented number of tributes from all categories of employees, in memory of someone we had all come to love, admire and respect.

Professor Ebenezer Laing graduated with a first class honours degree from the then University College of the Gold Coast at a time when the University’s degrees were awarded by the University of London. After completing a research degree (PhD) in Botany (Cyto-Genetics) on a college postgraduate scholarship at Cambridge University, Prof. Laing was engaged at the University College of the Gold Coast as a Temporary Lecturer in January, 1958. On 1st October of that same year, he was confirmed as an Associate Lecturer. Thus, he was one of the first group of West Africans who were appointed to the University College of the Gold Coast since it was founded in 1948.

According to University records, Professor Laing was instrumental in the discourse that led to West-Africans receiving the same privileges, conditions and terms of service accorded their non-West-African counterparts.

Professor Laing was promoted to the rank of Senior Lecturer at the Department of Botany in April 1963, Associate Professor in November, 1972 and Professor in June, 1978.

Professor Laing was an excellent Lecturer and taught various aspects of Genetics and Biometry to both undergraduate and post-graduate students with passion and discipline. He was a mentor, not only to his students who affectionately called him “Uncle Yoosi”, but to his colleagues and students in other disciplines. It is worthy to note his exceptional attention to the welfare and growth of female academics in the sciences. He played a significant role in mentoring the University of Ghana’s first female Professor in the Sciences, the late Professor Marian Ewurama Addy.

Professor Laing held several administrative positions within and outside the University. He was assigned as a Fellow to Legon Hall on 11th February, 1958, where he served as Hall Tutor, Senior Hall Tutor and was ultimately appointed the Hall Master on 1st October 1973.

He was appointed Head of the Department of Botany on three occasions - in March, 1965, January, 1972 and November, 1982. He was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Science from October 1975 to September 1978 and it was during this tenure that he was appointed to the high office of Pro-Vice Chancellor, University of Ghana, in 1976 until December 1978.

Professor Laing served the community in other capacities including Chairman of the Volta River Basin Research Project, Chairman of the University’s Research Committee and Chairman of the Management Board of the Institute of Aquatic Biology, Member of the Board of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Member of the University’s Financial Board. He was the distinguished speaker at the CSIR’s Silver Jubilee lecture in 1984. In 1985, he was nominated as Ghana’s alternate member to the Scientific Council of Africa.

Professor Laing retired from the University in October, 1991. However the University could not do without his depth of knowledge and expertise and recalled him on post-retirement contract as Professor from October 1991 to September, 1993. He was re-appointed until December 1995. After this, he served in a part-time capacity.

In recognition of his exceptional academic career at the University, the University conferred on him the status of Emeritus Professor of Botany in November, 1996.

Professor Ebenezer Laing was an outstanding and quintessential scholar with a remarkable personality; “a fine gentleman, approachable, humane, sociable, simple, genuine”; to quote a few of the adjectives used in the many tributes that poured out for him from the University community. Indeed we cannot remember him without making mention of one of his favourite pastimes: photography! We shall miss the sight of Professor Laing with his camera around his neck taking pictures at various University functions.

Professor Laing’s association with University of Ghana has spanned more than 55 years. Until only the last few months that illness kept him away from activities of the University, he had been an integral part of this University’s journey from being the University College of the Gold Coast to its present state. He was a true Renaissance Man. We shall miss him sorely.

Rest in perfect peace Professor Ebenezer Laing.