By NewsBits
A former Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo, has lauded the Imo State Governor Hope Uzomdima for completing Owerri-Okigwe Road, abandoned over the years.
Professor Nebo gave the commendation at the 15th Eni Njoku Memorial Lecture held at Princess Alexandria Auditorium, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN). The lecture was entitled, “Science and Technology as allies with Governance in Wealth Creation and Poverty Reduction.”
NewsBits reports that the Eni Njoku lecture series was celebration of the life and times of a “renowned Nigerian scholar, teacher, administrator and scientist, late Professor Njoku,” who was the pioneer Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos and the first indigenous Vice Chancellor of UNN.
Prof Nebo, who was the 12th Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and the pioneer Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti, in Ekiti State, reiterated the need for a nexus between research, industry needs and government policies.
He said, “It is a requirement that is currently lacking in Nigeria’s educational and leadership parlance.” While commending Imo State Governor for completing Owerri-Okigwe Road, Nebo recalled the woes faced by motorists prior to the intervention by the the state governor.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Dean, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Professor Emeka Nweze thanked guests who attended the event from all over the country, adding, “the lecture series every two years was uniquely impactful and inspiring life of an outstanding compatriot, Late Professor Eni Njoku.”
He regretted that the lecture has not been held since 2018, due to COVID-19 global pandemic in 2020 and the prolonged national ASUU strike in 2022. Professor Nweze called for assistance in upgrading the Faculty Eni Njoku Library and the Central Laboratory, which he said, are both vital for effective research and learning in the faculty and the university at large.
The Vice Chancellor, University of Nigeria Nsukka, Professor Charles Igwe, represented by Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, Professor Okpoko, in an opening remark, thanked the faculty for organizing the lecture.
He expressed delight in the quality of the lecturer chosen for this year’s lecture.
Impressed by the quality of the lecture, Okpoko promised to adopt the salient points raised by Professor Nebo, which would help him to further reposition the UNN.
Mr Nwokorie Uzoma also promised to assist the Faculty of Biological Sciences upgrade its central laboratory. The ceremony featured the presentation of plaques to the chairman, the Guest Lecturer and other dignitaries who attended the ceremony.
NewsBits learnt that the lecture series was established in 1981 by the Faculty in conjunction with the family of Late Professor Eni Njoku as a way of immortalizing him. Governor Uzodimma was represented by his Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Chief Declan Emelumba.
