The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Umunze

  • Group promotes reading culture

    To improve reading, a group, Making Orumba Great Again (MOGA), has organised Readers’ Challenge, in collaboration with the Alumni Association of Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze, Anambra State.

    The event, held at Dr Alex Ekwueme auditorium main campus of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze, attracted secondary school pupils from Orumba North and South local government areas of the state, as well as from other parts of the country.

    MOGA President Mr Victor Okoli and the President, College Alumni Association, Mrs Ugwu Laeticia Udodiri, noted that the contest was aimed at awakening and promoting reading among youths.

    Okoli said: “Readers’ Challenge is an offshoot of MOGA and it is targeted at revamping the reading culture of youths in Orumba South and Orumba North.

    “It is crystals, clear that when people read, they are educated and education is the most powerful weapon with which we can change the world, starting from Orumba South and Orumba North  Local Government Area, Anambra State.”

    He continued: “The Reader’s Challenge was divided into two categories: Young Stars Category  (11-17) and Youth Category  (18-25). This year, in the young stars’category, they read Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe for six hours with a break,  after which they wrote an exam based on the book that they read.

    ‘’In the youth category, they read Anthill of the Savannah by Chinua Achebe for six hours with a break after which they wrote an exam based on the book they read. The first position for each category will go home with N50,000, the second N30,000 and the third  N20,000 and cash prizes.

    ‘’Participation in the competition was free and over 170 participants took the examination.”

    In his keynote address, Professor Gershon Ejeckam stated that education is the bedrock of any nation. According to him, any nation that neglects education, neglects the future of its youth and, consequently, the future of the nation.

    He urged the youth to cultivate the habit of reading as academics remain the custodians of knowledge, hence advancement in the society. Continuing, he said: “The solution lies in the youth re-evaluating their values, their mission and their vision and accepting their responsibility to the society and the government recognising the problem and ensuring a sound and robust policy to carter for youth development and advancement of our country.”

    On the choice of career, he advised the students to choose a career that fits their temperament, skills and personality, to get equipped for great opportunities.

    Earlier, Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze Provost Dr Tessy Okoli called for concerted efforts to revive the reading culture, enhance writing skills and acquire knowledge that will serve the country well.

    She urged the youth to take advantage of the knowledge, information and education available in books even as she commended the organizers for making out time on impacting on young stars.

    Winners in the senior category are: first position, Marah Bright Ifechukwu, a pupil of Unizik in affiliation with FCET Umunze; second, Okoyeocha Ifeanyichukwu, a pupil of University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and third, Ibekwe Favour Ozioma, a pupil of FCET Umunze.

    For Junior category, Agba Makuochukwu Jacinta, a pupil of Community Secondary School, Owerre-Ezukala, second position, Chigozie Akachukwu Precious, a pupil of Ezira Community Secondary School and third position, Isaac Jacinta Oluebube, a pupil of Madonna Girls secondary school, Umunze.

  • Kidnapped female lecturer regains freedom

    A lecturer at the Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze, Anambra State, identified as Mrs Okwuchi kidnapped by unknown gunmen has regained her freedom.

    The victim, lecturing at the Agricultural Department of the institution was reportedly kidnapped on Saturday afternoon at the market square.

    The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Haruna Mohammed, said the victim was released in good condition.

    He however assured that the Command was making frantic efforts to arrest the abductors.

    “The victim was released in good condition and manhunt for the perpetrators is ongoing to bring them to justice,” he said.

    Read Also: Varsity lecturer’s abductors demand N30m ransom

    Okwuchi was said to have been abducted while purchasing some house hold items in the market.

    The Nation learnt her abductors had forced her to enter their vehicle after shooting sporadically into the air.

    “She was kidnapped at Nkwo Umunze on Saturday when she drove into the market in her Toyota Camry.

    “People in the market fled and they took her away, leaving her car there in the market,” the source said.

  • Two minors found wandering in Anambra

    Two little male children were on Wednesday found roaming round the streets with a bag containing their clothes in Agulu, Aniocha local government of Anambra State.

    The minors, Chinonso Ogoh (9) of Onitsha South council area and Udochukwu James (11) of Umunze, are said to have been found by a Vigilantee group who reportedly could not trace the houses of their guardians.

    The State Police Public Relations Officer, Haruna Mohammed, who confirmed the report, said the kids were brought to Neni police division by the vigilante group attached to Agulu town.

    “On the 8/8/2018 at about 0800hrs, vigilante group attached to Agulu town brought to Neni division, the two children roaming around with a bag containing their clothes but could not locate their guardians’ houses,” he said.

    Read Also: Dumped six-month-old baby rescued in Anambra

    He however assured that effort were on to trace their biological parents in order to reunite them with the family.

    He said, “The Command enjoined members of the Public with useful information that could help trace the parent of the children to report at Neni division or call this number 07039194332.”

  • Festival of arts

    Festival of arts

    Artworks by staff and students of the Federal College of Education, Technical (FCET), Umunze in Anambra State, were exhibited at the 10th African Arts and Crafts (AFAC) Expo held in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). EMEKA ONWUDINJO reports.

    Artists  from about 18 countries exhibited their works at the 10th African Arts and Crafts (AFAC) held at the Arts and Crafts Village in Abuja.

    Organised by the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), the event  started on August 27 and ended last Monday.

    Described by organisers as the biggest art exhibition in Africa, the event’s theme was: Our crafts: The untapped treasure.

    More than 150 cultural artefacts and artworks were displayed. Exhibitors from the Federal College of Education, Technical (FCET) in Umunze, Anambra State, enthralled participants with their works.

    NCAC Director-General, Otunba Segun Runsewe, said the event provided a platform for participants from various countries to showcase their unique cultural identities. He noted that culture could serve as a tool to change the narratives of countries, adding that the cultural diversity of Nigeria could be harnessed for the nation’s development.

    He said: “The expo served as a marketplace for showcasing arts and crafts products, such as fabrics, leather and souvenirs from Nigeria and other African countries. The expo is also apt as Nigeria needs to record remarkable achievements in developing the culture industry to enviable heights through festivals like AFAC.”

    Runsewe said the cultural festival would be geared towards harnessing and developing arts and crafts and other creative endeavours in the country.

    “It was a unique opportunity for artists, craft dealers, manufacturers and other stakeholders to buy and sell their brands,” he said, noting that the expo would play a key role towards job creation and economic empowerment.

    When CAMPUSLIFE visited the exhibition pavilion of one of the participating academic institutions, FCET Umunze, various indigenous arts and crafts were displayed, including sets of furniture with installation wood and bio-arts as media, intricate bead works, advanced textile works (tie and dye), new media graphics, paintings, pencil and charcoal drawings and other innovative works produced by staff and students of the college.

    The FCET Dean of Fine and Applied Arts, Mrs. Bella Onu, who led the college team, praised the organisers for providing a platform and the opportunity for young people to showcase their entrepreneurial skills, as well promoting local arts and culture.

    She commended the Provost of the college, Prof Josephat Ogbuagu, for emphasising the teaching of entrepreneurship education in the institution. She said the effort had equipped students with various skills to boost their employability. She said the skill acquisition programmes had helped in enhancing students’ ability to become self-reliant and job creators.

    Ogbuagu described culture and arts as untapped Nigeria’s treasures, noting that they could be fully explored to boost the Gross Domestic product (GDP). He hailed NCAC for organising the event, which he said would make art attractive to the youth.

    The event was attended by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Acting Secretary to the Government of the Federation Mrs. Habiba Lawal, Edo State Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu, and former Deputy Governor of Plateau State Pauline Tallen.

    Others were Emir of Abaji, Alhaji Adamu Baba Yunusa, Emir of Karshi and FCT Council of Traditional Rulers Chairman Alhaji Isma’ila Mohammed.

     

  • Community seeks varsity status for college

    Community seeks varsity status for college

    Members of the Governing Council of the Federal College of Education, Technical (FCET) in Umunze, Anambra State, have held their inaugural meeting. They toured the insitution after the meeting. EMEKA ONWUDINJO reports.

    LAST week’s Governing Council meeting of Federal College of Education, Technical, (FCET) in Umunze, Anambra State, was spectacular. It was the inaugural.

    Apart from focusing on the state of facilities in the institution, they also, thereafter, toured the campus.

    But what they did not discuss –  the institution’s upgrade into a university- came up during a visit to the monarch of Umunze, Igwe Promise Ezeh, who urged them to support the call for the elevation of the college to become the first University of Education in the Southeast.

    Igwe Ezeh said: “I can tell you that every member of the town is interested in the progress of the school, and the management has maintained cordial relationship with members of the host community. We have seen the college becoming one of best in the country in terms of academic performance and teachers’training. This is why we want the college to be upgraded to a university.”

    The traditional ruler pleaded with the council to consider appointing a qualified indigene of the host community to succeed the college provost, Prof Josephat Ogbuagu, noting that nobody from the area been a provost of the college since its inception in 1989.

    Responding, the Council Chairman Mr Ibrahim Radda, assured the traditional ruler that the selection of the next provost would follow due process, pointing out that Ogbuagu’s successor should be ready to work with the council to address olege’s challenges.

    Earlier, he said the tour was prompted by members’ desire to ascertain the state of the college’s infrastructure, promising that the council would consolidate on the gains recorded by the college management led by Prof Josephat Ogbuagu.

    After the tour, Raddah said council members were thrilled by the management’s achievements, claiming that the facilities were better than those of other Federal Government colleges. He praised the provost for his “giant stride”.

    A member of the council, Hon. Uche Anakor, said there had been improvement in the institution in the last three years. He said most of the council members did not oppose the proposal for the college’s elevation to a university when it was raised during their meeting. He praised the college’s degree programme with the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka.

    He said: “With the state of the college facilities, the council will make case for its upgrade to a university because it has the personnel and good location.  And since the college has started to run degree programmes in affiliation with UNIZIK, there will be no hindrance to its quest to be upgraded to a university.

    “We will approach the federal government and Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) for funding and build more structures. If the college must be upgraded to a university, there is need for more classrooms, auditoriums and other necessary facilities to be in place.

    “We are going to throw our weight behind that proposal and see what we can do to assist the school by looking out for necessary funding of these projects. To upgrade from a college to a university requires a lot of processes.”

    Anakor lauded the cordial relationship between the college and the host community. He praised  Ogbaugu for providing leadership, which he said, transformed the college to a centre of excellence.

    He said: “I think the provost has done so well. If it is possible to give him a third term, I am sure most of the council members would strongly support it. Under him, the students’ population grew and he embarked on projects that improved the rating of the institution.”

    Other members of the council on the tour included Mrs Helen Abdu of Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Paul Onochie, Mr Edmond Nkalu, Dr Jane Madichie, Dr Christopher Ugwuogo, and Secretary to the Council, Mr Augustine Udensi.