African robes will take the place of an academic gown when retired Professor Neville Birdsall takes up his latest appointment.

For an offer of a home to a student nearly 40 years ago launched a chain of events which next month will see the 72-year-old become the honorary chief of a Nigerian village.

The Darlington academic and his late wife, Irene, struck up a friendship with Nigerian student Adeyinka Ola when he stayed with them while taking a chemical engineering degree in Britain in the early 1960s.

In 1991 Dr Ola, who became head of the Nigerian Oil Company, invited the couple to his home village of Saki, when they decided to sponsor two children through secondary school.

Now, in appreciation of their work, the village chief, the Okere of Saki, is to bestow the title of honorary chief on Prof Birdsall and, posthumously, on his wife.

"I was flabbergasted when they told me," said Prof Birdsall. "I was delighted but quite astonished.

"I'm not apprehensive, I'm like somebody looking forward to a big match in a league he has not played in before."

Two students were chosen from a list submitted by primary school headteachers of children of outstanding ability who would not otherwise be able to go to secondary school.

Prof Birdsall said: "Primary education is free but only those who can pay fees can go to secondary schools.

"We were comfortable so we said we would give two scholarships."

Prof Birdsall, whose wife died from a brain tumour in 1998, will be accompanied by his son-in-law David May, for the February 3 ceremony.

The ceremony is scheduled to last four-and-a-half hours, and will end with Prof Birdsall being given the title of the Alawajoye of Saki, meaning "He whose goodness transcends boundaries", with his late wife becoming the female equivalent, Yeye Alawajoye of Saki.