By Tony Adibe
The Vice President, Alhaji Kasim Shettima and Governor Alex Otti of Abia State will on 22nd November unveil the new Lux Mundi University , said to the be the first university established “on the soil of Umuahia”, capital of Abia State.
Pro-Chancellor/Founder of Lux Mundi University, Prof. Gabriel Chinedum Okenwa made the disclosure on Wednesday during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the young, private university and the Catholic-owned Godfrey Okoye University (GOUNI), Enugu which is going to serve as mentor to Lux Mundi. The ceremony was performed inside the main auditorium of the Faculty of Law, Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu in the presence of principal officials of Lux Mundi and the 15-year-old GOUNI.
Addressing the gathering, Prof Okenwa, who recalled how he worked as subordinate to Vice President Shettima at the Zenith Bank and Governor Otti at the United Bank of Africa (UBA), respectively, said that both prominent Nigerian leaders would officially unveil the University on Friday, 22nd November 2024 at Umuahia. He said: “The University will be officially unveiled on 22nd day of November 2024. As we speak, the Vice President, Alhaji Shettima happened to be my oga in Zenith Bank; and as we speak, the Governor of Abia State, Dr Alex Otti happened to be my oga at the UBA. So, I have told them to come and unveil the university.
And my Archbishop in Abuja and the Pope’s Representative in Nigeria, Archbishop Ignatius kaigama is the Chancellor of GOUNI, and the Chancellor of Lux Munbi University, the president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), His Grace, Archbishop Ugorji, who happens to be the chancellor of Lux Mundi University, have fixed the date on 22nd November 2024. They will all be at the event.”
Okenwa, who described the new university as a “design and mandate from Almighty God,” explained that the National University Commission (NUC), considered the Catholic background of the proprietor/founder (Okenwa) before allocating to GOUNI led by Rev. Fr. Prof. Christian Aneke, the mentorship of Lux Mundi, a name he said, was chosen by Archbishop Luscious Ugorji. Lux Mundi is a Latin word, which, when translated in English, means Light of the World, according to Okenwa.
He also spoke on the permanent site of the university and the efforts being made to build it to an enviable status, stressing that, “Our permanent site is 180 hectares; certificated and gazette by the Abia State government; we have started developing about 10 hectares out of 180.” He added that the Acting Vice Chancellor of the new university is Prof. Austin Uwakwe, who “is the immediate past Vice Chancellor of Gregory University, Uturu, also in Abia State, otherwise known as God’s Own State.”
The Pro-chancellor further commented on his vision of the university, which he said, had commenced its 2023/24 academic sessions. “My vision is to make Lux Mundi one of the best universities east of the Niger; and on the global scene, to interact and work with global institutions to raise research and to raise men and women of goodwill that will be able and confident entrepreneurial leaders worldwide.”
On his academic background, the 60-year-old Okenwa said: “I’m a Professor of Organisational Engineering; that’s my professorial chair. That’s why after I delivered a public lecture in Singapore a Professor there said this young man is joining the world of ‘Pracademics’. It’s what you should know hands-on; it’s not all about theory, theory; it has to be practical. I have seen it as a banker; I have seen it as an academic. And I’m combining the two to give this knowledge. To extend this understanding and knowledge to the young generation.
That is the level of inspiration we want to inspire; we want them to see what we have done and then learn from it. I want to give back to society what God has given me graciously. I am from a humble background to the extent that my parents couldn’t pay my school fees. At a stage, a Yoruba man, Chief David Agbola of the blessed memory sent me to the University of Jos; he paid for me all through. Another person who contributed and paid for my school was Chief Nwachukwu from Mgbidi in Imo State.”
“I am making this narration to inspire the young ones that you can through hard work make money; that you can make honest money not through fraud or being a politician; but you can make money through honest means with which you can build a university. That is the key point of this my narration. I am recalling this story to prove the fact that God is wonderful; God is great, and whoever believes in God will never fail.”
In his remark while signing the MoU, the Vice Chancellor GOUNI, Prof Christian Aneke said: “We are going to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) so that we can give the new university all that it requires to succeed; so that it can grow and expand and become light not just for the southeast but for Nigeria and the whole world.”
Commenting further on the specifics of the mentorship, the Aneke said: “It may get to a point where we will even be learning from them; the young shall grow and even become stronger than the old. And that’s what we want; our prayer in Igboland is that my child should be greater than I. Our prayer is that Lux Mundi should be greater than GOUNI so that others should learn from them.”
On the conditions of the MoU, the Vice Chancellor said that both universities would exchange lecturers, ideas and other things. “Some of their lecturers are coming to this place and we will be sending lecturers from GOUNI to Lux Mundi. Also, our students will be going there and their students will be coming here. We are also going to encourage healthy competitions among students of both institutions and other academic things that can help students to grow. We have to collaborate with them in research. We are a member of the African UNET, which is a network of about 100 universities across Africa. We are going to bring them in Austria and in Africa; because I’m a Board member, I will bring them in to be part of it. So, we share the ideas and other things to enhance growth and expansion.”
