A tribute to Professor Amagh Nduka, who died December 26, 2019 and
will be laid to rest in his hometown on Saturday March 21, 2020.
Science has witnessed
many monumental shifts in history. But only a few of these shifts can be called
a revolution. For the record, three revolutions have been witnessed in science.
The first is the Newtonian Revolution. It flourished from late 17th
Century to date and is based on the assumption that the speed of light is
infinite and geometry, euclidean. The second, being the Einstenian Revolution,
flourished from early 20th Century to date and is based on the
assumption that the speed of light is finite and geometry, pseudo-euclidean. It
was expected that these theories should explain both causal and non-causal
phenomena, but this was not so as both theories only explained causal
phenomena. This then becomes apposite: what theory explains non-causal
phenomena?
Within the
first decade of the 21st Century, Professor Amagh Nduka,
world-renowned Professor of Theoretical Physics and Applied Mathematics, and
former Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Owerri, made a
giant stride in science by creating a non-causal (chaotic) theory of natural
phenomena called the Third Revolution Science. With this geometrical theory (quantum geometro-dynamics),
Professor Amagh Nduka explained and constructed all of nature – including those
things his colleagues and predecessors could not do for the past 200 years.
Come
to think of it, who was Professor Amagh?
Born October
12 1942 in Amankalu, Igbere, in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, he
attended Igbere Primary School and Hope Waddle Training Institution (Calabar)
for his primary and secondary school education respectively. And through an
American scholarship, he proceeded to the Western world, where he obtained
Bachelor of Science degree (University of California, Berkerly, 1965); Masters
of Science (Stanford University, 1967), and Doctorate degree in physics, under
the supervision of Physics Nobel Laureate – Professor Subramanyan Chandrasekhar
(University of Chicago, 1971).
Professor
Nduka, who could not stand the colour discrimination in the West, against the
wish of his teachers and colleagues, returned to Nigeria in 1974. He joined the
services of the University of Ife as a Senior Lecturer in Physics (1974-81)
before transferring to the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, as the
Pioneer Professor in the Department of Physics and Mathematics. Some of his
career experiences are summarized: Research Scientist, U.S. Atomic
Energy Commission, the Enrico Fermi Institute, Batavbia III USA (1970-71);
Visiting Assistant Professor of Mathematics, University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign USA (1971-74); Senior Lecturer in Physics, University of Ife
(1974-81); Member, Science Panel on Academic Standard in charge of Physics for
the National Universities Commission (1980-85); Chief Moderator, Physics,
Interim JAMB (1980-85); Professor of Theoretical Physics and Applied
Mathematics, Federal University of
Technology, Owerri (1981-2017); Dean, Postgraduate School, Federal University
of Technology, Owerri (1982-86); Visiting Senior Scientist, University
of California, Berkley (1983); Visiting Senior Scientist, California Institute
of Technology, Pasedena, California (1983); Visiting Senior Scientist,
University of Chicago, Chicago III (1983); Visiting Senior Scientist,
International Centre of Theoretical Physics, Triester, Italy (1982-83);
Visiting Senior Scientist, Columbia University, New York (1985); Visiting
Senior Scientist, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria (1985);
Senior Traveling Fellow, Association of
Commonwealth Universities (1985), and a host of others.
A former Vice
Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (1987-91), Professor
Nduka held two professorships – one in Theoretical Physics and another in
Applied Mathematics. He was a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Physics. In
fact, he was among the first three Nigerians inducted into the Fellowship of
this great institute in 1986. He was also a Member Emeritus of the American
Mathematical Society (AMS) and the American Physical Society (APS). He
published in leading journals in Theoretical Physics and Applied Mathematics.
In fact, two of his works published in Applied
Mathematics (The Geometrical Theory of Science, November 2012 and The
Neutrino Mass, February 2013) earned him the Google Scholar of the year for
2012 and 2013 respectively.
Professor
Nduka was known for his many outstanding contributions to science. Most
profound is his theory: The
Geometrical (Absolute) Theory of Science. This theory is the Third
Revolution Science, and explains (theoretically and mathematically) nuclear
physics, atomic physics, boson physics, nuclear fusion, astrophysics and
elementary particle physics – areas of physics which its theorization has since
the 1920’s remained static. The theory also provides, for the first time ever,
explanations to boson and fermio-boson physics – areas which have eluded
physicists since the inception of physical enquiry.
He created an
entirely new mathematics called discrete
geometry or quantum mathematics,
with which arsenal he made yet another striking contribution by giving a formal
theoretical determination of the mass of the neutrino. He also invented another
mathematics called the 4-operator mathematics – a formal and elegant
mathematics that unifies the classical theories of Newton, Einstein, Lagrange
and Hamilton via the invariant operator theory of classical physics.
In a paper The Geometrical Theory of the Structure of
Nuclei, Atoms and Molecules published in Applied Mathematics (August 2014), Professor Nduka gave a formal
theory to the treatment of many-electron atoms, an area where the available
treatment methods, the Schrondinger and Dirac based approximation methods, have
failed to yield correct results. With this, A. Nduka solved the riddle for
which his colleagues in atomic, nuclear and particle physics could not. As if that was not enough, Professor Nduka,
in 2015 gave a formal theory of fusion, the well known but unrealized solution
to the global energy challenge, and at the same time, showed that its occurrence
on earth is responsible for global warming and earthquake – two of the most
well-documented natural phenomena whose origins are yet to be fully understood.
His perspective overwhelmingly flawed the claim of environmental scientists
that change in the atmospheric greenhouse gas concentration is the sole cause
of global warming, but attributed ultra high energy machines, such as particle
accelerators operating in the terra energy range, as the cause of global
warming and incessant earthquakes of great vehemence. Such machines, according
to him, serve
as earth’s secondary source of energy and they are the drivers of ultra high
energy nuclear reactions here on earth similar in magnitude to those occurring
in the sun and stars.
Not tired of
making contributions, Professor Nduka in a paper Magnetic Monopoles (Applied Mathematics, February 2017) solved a
riddle that has lasted for almost 200 years. He disproved the
conclusion that ordinary matter consists of electric charges (electric
monopoles) and not magnetic charges (magnetic monopoles), and showed that
magnetic monopoles exists in nature even though they cannot be isolated. He
also went further in a paper Magnetic
Monopoles and the Quantum Theory of Magnetism in Matter (Applied
Mathematics, January 2018) to give a microscopic theory of magnetic substances
– an issue of fundamental and technological importance.
Professor
Amagh Nduka was a highly sought scientist. He chose to remain in this country
because of the love he had for Nigeria. He also wanted to prove to the world
that Africans are good, respective of where they are – be it in a Nigerian or
American university. Another reason why Professor Nduka returned to Nigeria is
that he wanted to make Nigeria a world superpower, and this was why he chose
the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), as there was an ongoing
nuclear project in the university at the time and the then Vice Chancellor was
traveling all over the world scouting for knowledgeable and high skilled
Nigerians in the area. Unfortunately, this project was abandoned by the Federal
Government.
Nobel Prize or
not, Professor Amagh Nduka was a very great scientist. In his area of interest
in theoretical physics, he is the only black (not Nigerian or even American) in
its frontiers. If you are in doubt, check the references in some of his papers.
He was named among the “100 Astrophysicists in the World” even though only a
fringe part of his work borders on astrophysics. While commenting on his
contributions to science, he said, “If I
were to be in the US, with all these things I’m doing here in Nigeria
[referring to his works], I would have won three Nobel Prizes in Science”.
The question is: why did this professor not win a Nobel Prize in science? The
Royal Swedish Academy of Science owes Nigeria and Africa at large, some
explanations.
An honest and
transparent man, he was the Chair man of the Special Taskforce Committee
on the Supervision of Federal Government Projects in the nation during the
Ibrahim Babangida Led Military Administration. For some people, this would have
been a platform for personal enrichment, but not for him. He was also highly
apolitical, and many of his friends who later became politicians can tell
better.er.
Retirement has
never been for distinguished scientists. Distinguished professors do not
retire! Their services are always in demand. It was based on this premise that Professor
Amagh Nduka, after an illustrious teaching career at the Federal University of
Technology Owerri, joined the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, as
Professor of Theoretical Physics and Applied Mathematics. This was where he was
until his death in December 26, 2019.
As we mourn
his demise, we do so with the happy knowledge that he lived a fulfilled life
and left lasting legacies that have put Nigeria on the world map in science.
According to him, “What
we have done puts Nigeria as number one in science [referring to his works and
contributions], and I’m the only authority in the world in it”.
I bid you
farewell – Professor Amagh Nduka. May your journey be smooth. Although you did
not receive the necessary accolades and honours that should have accrued to
you, but I have this consolation for you: posterity will admire you; posterity will
establish your theories.
CHIGOZIE UBANI
Coordinator, Science Nigeria Lectures
And Chairman, Global Science Development Initiatives