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In memory of former the WMO Secretary-General

Professor Godwin Patrick Olu Obasi

Professor Obasi, Secretaiy- Depaiti'nent of Meteorology sphere, fresli water and tl'ie ah'nospheric dynainics -
General of the World and Dean of the Faculty of OCeallS. He was at tlie fore- including experiments
Meteorological Organi- Science. h'il978, he moved front ii'i drawiiig the world's related to the WestAJrican
zation (WMO), from 1 to Geneva to joiii tlie WMO attention to the issue of di- Monsoon and to global
January 1984 to 31 Secretariat as Director of the mate cl'iange, notably in atinosplieiic research. He
December 2003 passed Education and Training convei'iing tlie second World was lionoured by inany
away on 3 Marcli iit Abrija, Departi'nent. Clii'nate Conference, lield in professional meteorologi-
Nigeria. Geneva in 1990. He played calandhydrologicalsocie-
In May 1983, he was elected an impoitant role in the ties, acadeinies of sciences
Professor Obasi, aged 74, Secretaiy-General of WMO negotiations leading to tlie and universities throu-
held a B.Sc (Honors) degree by the World establislu'nent of the United ghout the world.
in Matliematics and Pl'iysics Meteorological Congress Nations Framework
from McGill University, witli a forir-year maiidate Convention on Climate For those of us who had
Montreal, Canada, a Master begiiuiing on 1 January Change, the United Nations the chance of working
of Science degree and a 1984. He was subseqriently Convention to Combat with Professor Obasi, we
Doctorate in meteorology re-elected for fotir more Deseitification, the highly cherish the memo-
from tlie Massachusetts tei'ins (iii 1987, 1991, 1995 hitergovernunental Pazqel on ties of this great man who
Ii'istitute of Technology, and 1999). Upon comple- Climate Cl'iange, the World dedicated his wliole life to
USA. He won the Carl tion of lffs fifth tenn, l'ie Climate Research meteorologicalsciences.A
Tossby Award for tlie best became Secretai'y-General Programme, the Global man of honour, and who
doctoral degi'ee tliesis. Emerihis of WMO, as was Climate Obsei'viiig System was afraid of nothing -
decided by the foirteentl'i and the Vienna Convention except God, as Prof. Obasi
Following lffs graduation, World Meteorological on tlie Protection of tlie himself used to say-he
Professor Obasi joined the Congress. Ozone Layer and its was bighly respected not
National Meteorological Montreal Protocol. only by his staff but also
Sei'vice of Nigeria. Four During liis tenure, Prof. among scienhsts, meteo-
years later, lie joined tl'ie Obasi was active in promo- Professor Obasi's name is rologists and diplomats.
Faculty of the University of tiiig global solutions to envi- closely associated with We here at DIVA present
Nairobi, wliere he was later roiu'nental issues, with spe- scientific breakthrorighs iii our sincere condolences to
appointed Cliainnan of tlie cial attention to the ah'no- liis field of specialization-his fainily and friends.

2 2007 Diva 3

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