Functional alumni key to varsity development – UNIZIK VC

By Praise Chinecherem

Vice Chancellor, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Anambra State, Prof Charles Esimone has underscored the importance of active and functional alumni association in all-round development of any institution.

Esimone who stated this while hosting special guests and principal officers of the faculty of Management Sciences, charged universities to establish database of their grandaunts.

He disclosed plan to recognize graduands who had contributed to the development of the institution.

“Our initial plan is to organize a general homecoming of all their graduands, but we decided to decentralize it to faculties and departments in order to contain the scope and recognize every graduand who has in one way or the other, contributed to the development of the institution,” he said.

While appealing to well-meaning Nigerians to assist in developing the institution as it could not achieve much relying on its fiscal strength, the VC lauded the efforts of the Dean, Faculty of Management Sciences, Prof. Pius Okoye for keying into the idea within barley one year in office.

Member representing Awka North and South Federal Constituency, Prof. Oby Orogbu said she has the growth and development of the faculty including its staff and students as her priority having served in the department at different capacities.

Speaking shortly after receiving an award of excellence on innovative representation and service to humanity, called on their graduands to come together and build the alumni association of the faculty.

Delevering a paper titled, “Leveraging the global power of alumni association” the chairman, Editorial Board, Daily Times Group of Newspapers, Dr. Uche Nworah, charged universities to always enrich their students experience to avoid apathy on graduation.

Nworah, who is also the immediate past Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Anambra Broadcasting Service, ABS, stressed the importance of establishing an endowment fund in institutions to aid research and development, infrastructure, scholarship and grants among numerous others.

Earlier, Prof. Okoye, who described alumni as the pride of every institution, said they gathered not just to relive cherished memories but to honour the unwavering bond that their alumni share with their beloved institution.

“The essence of the event is beautifully captured in the theme, “Alumni: The Nucleus of University Development” hence, the cornerstone of the alliance that supports the university’s growth,” he said.

The event, held at the ASUU NAU Secretariat Hall, which witnessed presentation of awards to 53 distinguished personalities, endowment and medical tests, attracted the academia, politicians, captains of industry, traditional rulers and the university community.