•Prof. Of GRAPHOLOGY, BENJAMIN EZEOHAGWU
Professor Ikechukwu Benjamin Ezeohagwu is a Professor of Graphology, the art of judging a person’s character, disposition and attitude from his handwriting. It is an art where you can describe or read a person through his handwriting.
He is the first Black African Professor and also the first Nigerian Professor of Graphology.
During the book launch of veteran journalist, Yinka Fabowale in Lagos, he spoke to City People Reporter, TITI AKINBO OSHUNLALU. Below are excerpts.
Who is Prof. Ezeohagwu?
I am Professor Ikechukwu Benjamin Ezeohagwu (popularly known as Professor Ben Ezeohagwu) is a Writer, Author, Artist, Poet and Professor, among others.
As the first Nigerian professor of Graphology and also the first black African Professor of Graphology, how has the journey been so far?
As the first Nigerian Professor of Graphology (Graphoanalysis) and also the first black African Professor of Graphology (Graphoanalysis) …..no doubt, it has been tedious and certain kind of complicated terrain of a new field of human endeavour in terms of access to Graphology books, resource experts and other non-human facilities, particularly in our clime in Nigeria and in Africa as a continent ……thanks to goodness for my unwavering and unraveling commitment urge and passionateness …..in reading a few Graphology books and my early Higher Diploma programme ( graduating with Distinction) through UNIFECS/OAU, Ile-Ife (1996-1999) ……with sound foundation, this provided the much needed broad-based knowledge, understanding and experience of the field of Graphology which assisted me to forge further ahead vigorously and courageously ….and subsequently earned my B.Sc degree (first-class) , M.Sc and Ph.D (in Graphology) in Porto-Novo, Republic of Benin, after some years thereafter was appointed a Professor in the field of Graphology (Graphoanalysis) by the Edexcel University, Ifangni Plateau, Republic of Benin (2014/2015)….. becoming the first Nigerian Professor of Graphology (Graphoanalysis) as well as the first black African Professor of Graphology ( Graphoanalysis). The journey as been amazingly tedious and tough ….all the way.
You are also an author,can we know some of your books?
I have authored some books in Graphology, namely: As a man writes, Graphoanalysis of Wole Soyinka’s Signature, Chinua Achebe and his signature, an introduction to Graphoanalysis, Handwriting Features of Terrorists, Identification of Rapists through Handwriting Features, and so on….
Can you tell us about BLERF’S?
BLERF stands for Biographical Legacy and Research Foundation (BLERF), as the first-ever authoritative, comprehensive and award-winning Biographical Encyclopaedia in Nigeria, founded and Chaired/Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Nyaknno Osso, he is widely acknowledged as the pioneer of mass media research and documentation in Nigeria following his groundbreaking publication in 1990, Newswatch who’s who in Nigeria, among other feats. BLERF serves as a unique Biographical Encyclopaedia for researching and rewarding great achievements of notable Nigerians, both men and women, encouraging them for further outstanding contributions……
Can we also talk about your professional bodies?
I am a Pioneer Fellow of The Institute of Graphologists of Nigeria (FIGAN, 2011), FIGAN is the foremost Graphology professional body in Africa that evolved from Nigeria, and I served in several capacities as Secretary, Public Relations, Examination Research, Planning and Executions Unit, among others. Fellows of the following professional bodies: Institute of Business Technology Management, Nigeria (FIBTM, 2015), Institute of Leadership and Human Resources , Nigeria (FILHR,2018), Institute of Crisis Resolution, Peacebuilding and Conciliation (FICRPC,2020) …….a result of my outstanding training, Services and contributions in diverse fields of human endeavour. A master artist member (with a B.A.Ed, in Fine and Applied Arts, EKSU) has worked as a studio artist and a Visiting Visual Arts teacher to several Schools in Lagos and Ogun States for over two decades.
I am also fellow and National President of the African American Institute of Forensic Examiners (FAAIFE,2019), Graphological Science Society of Nigeria (FGSSN, 2022)………as two different training, researching and examining professional bodies in the field of Graphology (Graphoanalysis), enhancing and promoting qualitative Graphological Practice and professionalism, and also fellow and National President Enterprise Management and Technology Institute, Nigeria (EMTI, 2022), a professional body researching and examining students in diverse Vocational, Technical and Entrepreneurial fields of human endeavour, among others.
I’m also a Doctor and a fellow, Nigerian Council of Physicians of Natural Medicine (Dr/FCPNM, 2022)……a result of my outstanding researches in applying Graphology and Graphotherapy to unravel emotional and mental health issues…. resulted into Introducing HEALTH GRAPHOLOGY, while lecturing at Green Centre Academy, Ikeja, Lagos (a Natural Medicine School). …..presented papers on this Health Graphology entitled:” Identification of Mental Health Disorder Indicators and its Management Using Graphology”, Ascertaining Mental Health Curves, etc
As the first black African writer,winner of Onigraffiks prize in Literature (2017) can you tell us more about it?
Onigraffiks Prize in Literature is specifically: African Graphology Literature. I became the first black African to be awarded and honoured ( 2017), as a result of my pioneering and resourcefully outstanding researches and writings/ publications that Onigraffiks Prize Committee ( founded in 1998) researched and received about my published writings. Some of these published works include: Historical Stages of Development of Graphology in Africa (A Nigerian Case), As A Man Writes, Handwriting Features of Terrorists, among others.
As a Professor of Graphology and Chancellor with African American University Porto – Novo, Republic of Benin, can you tell us about the school,campus and their courses?
African American University is an International University with some of the Faculty member representative offices/campuses in Canada and USA, and affiliate Universities in Porto-Novo, Republic of Benin, driven by superlative research, development and teaching services. We have a quite number of courses been offered via Online lecture facilities….aside other forms of Physical contact lectures newly incorporated. Further information and enquiries can be obtained from the African American University website: http://www.africanamericanuniversity.org/.
Can we also know about HGR 201 Health Graphology?
HGR 201 stands for Health Graphoanalysis meant for the 200 level Students of Green Centre Academy, Ikeja Lagos (A Natural Medicine School) where I serve as a Faculty member. HGR 201 has been part of my Doctoral researches in the field of Graphology. …there has been correlation between Handwriting Features and human Mental-Emotional health status . I introduced HGR 201 Health Graphoanalysis to the 200 level Students of Green Centre Academy, Ikeja Lagos in 2018. I have published some works in the field of Health Graphoanalysis, namely: Handwriting Analysis and Mentally challenged Individuals, Identification of Mental Health Disorder Indicators and its Management Using Graphology, and so on.
Who is your mentor in writing?
I have no special specific mentor in my style of writing. Though I have diverse influences having been reading diverse books and authors……and I do appreciate them, namely: Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, and several others. My mentor in writing is from within…..I don’t just write just because I need to get something done on paper, I write because something from within urges me to put pen to paper….. something new from within wishes to see the light of the day and then I am encouraged to pick my pen and start drawing from within…..like a flowing river flows downwards from the ink of the pen down onto paper like rainfall. When the urges from within siezes to urge me on…..I stop and wait for when it will be necessary for another rainfall. In other words, I only serve as a glowing channel for receiving despite my expertise on the topic I write about……. passionateness and the urging fire must be imbued from deeply within….. which can happen while sleeping , in a meeting, walking, driving, discussing, and so on. While I am often prepared for this immeasurably sacred activity of Writing. It may not usually happen, while at some season it may become constant. The reason and season dependent on a number of factors but chief of such factors are my mood, environment and inner urges that require expression….that seeking to put to bed….
what has been hanging out and up there requiring expression…..for the usefulness of myself and fellow human beings …..who could require such information and knowledge.
Can we talk about your research work and findings?
I have undertaken a number of groundbreaking researches during my undergraduate and Postgraduate degree programmes in the field of Graphology, namely: (a) Awakening and developing human potentials through certain manner of handwriting styles (1997), this research requires employing and deploying creative use of lines in diverse forms inscribing and forming letters, words and sentences in specific and varied styles, over certain period of time. This instills courage, diligence, and passionateness in handwriting process , among other handwriting skills… (b) Scribbling exercises (1998): Involves engaging pupils within ages (1-3) years in repetitive handwriting exercises. This encourages early childhood learners to learn to hold handwriting implements of different kinds and make appropriate handwriting movements, Scribbling lines , and curved lines and shapes, letters and a words in bold, big and legible manner.
(c) Graphostylistics and graphetic System (1999): A set of handwriting styles that encourage effective and creatively individualized system of handwriting. This requires that the Graphologists examine each handwriter learner or patient to ascertain his/her handwriting style challenges, before modifying and directing the handwriter in question…to suit his/her individualized uniqueness…..as peculiar as it should be. (d) Neurographiasics Graphoanalysis (2010): A special Graphoanalysis research based on the concept of:” Handwriting is a brain-wriring “…… initially researched about by Wilhelm Preyer (1895), was an English-born Physiologist who worked in Germany , opined that:” Handwriting originates in the brain ,not in the fingers and that handwriting is actually brain-wriring”. Neurographiasics Graphoanalysis interrogates Intellectual-Intuitive brain malfunctional imbalance, manifesting in all men on earth today in relatively varying degrees, resulting in so much Mental-Emotional health disorder causing diversely negatively impacted Social, Psychological, economic, and political upheavals militating against normal human life and living, for instance: Traumatic human experiences, terrorism, rape cases, domestic violence, bullying, corruption, divorce cases, war, famine and economic recessions in all Countries of the world at different times, and so much other evils of men….. have their root causes in Intellectual-Intuitive brain malfunctional imbalance otherwise also called Over-cultivation of the Intellect and subsequently bringing about stunted Intuitive brain…….a painful retrogression in human history of development and fulfilment of higher goals in creation of man. (e) Comparative Graphoanalysis: Graphoanalysis of Visual Arts Works – Drawing, painting, pottery, Sculpture, textile design, and graphic design (2017), among other Visual Arts Works. Despite the fact that when mention is made of Graphology, many people always link it to Handwriting (Analysis), whereas with the increasing research findings, Graphology covers all human activities (Works) that involve the use of hand to produce handiworks, such as Visual Arts Works highlighted above. My Comparative Graphoanalysis Thesis researched into Graphoanalysis of Drawing, painting, pottery, Sculpture, textile design and graphic design (2017), which require the use of hands without interference in the use of technological devices such as Computers/laptops, machines. This Comparative Graphoanalysis of Visual Arts Works examine and ascertain (unravel) the manner of man (reveal the personality traits, attitudes and behavioural patterns) of such artistists that create such visual Arts Works …..
(f) BENEZOGRAFS (2018) : BENEZOGRAFS stands for Ben Ezeohagwu Graphical and Statistical System of graphoanalysis for ascertaining human personality traits, attitudes and behavioural patterns in relation to determining Mental-Emotional health status of the individual human in pictorial renditions. Statistics is employed to obtain figures and graphical linear curves through BENEZOGRAFS Graphoanalysis System…..as obtained altogether from the letters, words , sentences and paragraphs of Handwriting specimen used .
How did teaching start for you? Can you trace the journey back?
I have taught and lectured in several Schools: Primary, Secondary and Tertiary ( Private/ Public) levels, either as a full-time Staff or as a visiting visual arts and music teacher,in over 50 Private Schools in Lagos and Ogun States (1996-2010)., I have lectured with considerable number of Higher Institutions in Ogun and Lagos states ( Polytechnic Ibadan, Amje Study Centre, Onigraffiks Institute, Lagos,Yewa Central College of Education, Ajegunle study Centre.,Alagbado Lagos, etc).
Poma International Business University, Ifangni plateau, Republic of Benin, Faculty member and Head of Department of Arts (5th January 2015-20th May 2015), Dean , Faculty of Arts (21st May—9th December 2015).
Edexcel University, Ifangni Plateau, Republic of Benin, Head of Social Sciences and Management, and Professor of Graphoanalysis (December 2015-Dec 2017)., Faculty member and lead Editor, Edexcel University Academic Journal (January 2016-june 2018)., Dean, Postgraduate School, Edexcel University, Ifangni plateau, Republic of Benin (January 2018-June 2018).,
Instead of the word LECTURING, let us use the word, TEACHING. Teaching is a basic term for LECTURING ( Lecturing is a teaching method, often used in Higher Institutions of learning). Teaching really started with me while I was in form 2 (1985/1986) academic session at Ipetu-Ijesa Grammar School, Ipetu-Ijesa (Oyo State now in Osun State). It started with my classmates and Junior Students at Ipetu-Ijesa Grammar School, often coming to me during breaks and after- school hours to explain topics and concepts to them in Mathematics. I was known then as a local Mathematics genius , not just only at Ipetu-Ijesa Grammar School but also in other two existing public secondary schools at Ipetu-Ijesa then, namely: Aro-Odo High School, Ipetu-Ijesa, and Elefosan Grammar School, Ipetu-Ijesa. As I progressed in learning at Ipetu-Ijesa Grammar School School, even my some of my Seniors at Ipetu-Ijesa Grammar School, started coming to me to explain to them some topics and calculations in Mathematics. By the time I got to form four (1987/1988) academic Session….my parents rented apartment in Odo-Ise, Ipetu-Ijesa, in the evening as turned into Evening School For Mathematics (where I engaged different classes of Secondary School students…. teaching them Mathematics on a voluntary basis. After my secondary school education ( form five,. 1988/1989 academic session), I established Basic Science Academy, Ipetu-Ijesa to continue my voluntary teaching exercises, while been employed to teach at Tayelolu Private School, one of the foremost private primary school at Ipetu-Ijesa then (May 1990-October 1990), so I could be paid to support my further education plans . I did travel to my native town (Mgbidi, Awgu local Government area, Enugu State) by the December 1989 ……so I subsequently taught at Mgbidi Technical (Secondary) School, Mgbidi (January 1990-April 1990) on a voluntary basis to assist the then SS3 (Senior Secondary school 3) students 1989/1990 academic session. My early journey and choice of career started from my above story in a brief manner. Teaching has been a career and a calling leading me to other adventures of life.
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