The ceremony, held in the historic environment of the Hörsaalruine was attended by senior leadership, current and former colleagues of Charité, Robert Koch Institut, WHO Hub for Pandemic Intelligence, international Academic Fellows and PhD students,  representatives of the German government and many other Berlin-based and international Global Health stakeholders. It celebrated not only Dr. Chikwe’s outstanding achievements, but also the shared vision of advancing global health through collaboration, and trust.

Prof. Dr. Beate Kampmann, Director of the Charité Center for Global Health, opened the ceremony and aligned Dr. Ihekweazu’s journey to leading principles of Rudolf Virchow. She mentioned surveillance work of her team in Africa with Chikwe as Head of Nigeria CDC and ended by sharing a quote from Nelson Mandela, that illustrates the African philosophy also representing the guiding spirit for Chikwe, underpinning his considerable achievements.

“In Africa, there is a concept known as Ubuntu — the profound sense that we are human only through the humanity of others; that if we are to accomplish anything in this world, it will in equal measure be due to the work and achievement of others.”

Vivianne Ihekweazu, Director of Health Watch Nigeria and also Chikwe’s wife, contributed to the ceremony as the “mystery speaker”.  She emphasized the importance of public trust in leadership, “Public trust in leaders is missing in the world, including in Nigeria. Chikwe is recognized as a trustworthy leader who has proven integrity and dedication through his work.”

Prof. Dr. Joachim Spranger, Dean of Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, presented the Honorary Professorship Certificate and highlighted the significance of this recognition: “We are delighted to host this professorship. To have you as part of our Charité Faculty is witness to the growing strength and commitment to global health research here at the Charité and in Berlin.”

In his acceptance remarks, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu reflected on his professional journey: “I sometimes feel like I won the lottery a few times in my career — from RKI to WHO and many incredible projects. Applying epidemiology to real-life contexts has been invaluable. I’m very happy to be here and to join this outstanding organization.”

Closing the ceremony, Charité’s CEO, Professor Heyo Kroemer, expressed gratitude and best wishes: “We are happy to have you with us. Thank you for everything you have already done, and we look forward to the future together.”