The Ukwa La Ngwa Ethnic Nationality Comprising of Nine Local Government Areas of Abia State, Wednesday, organised a grand civic reception in honour of the immediate past Vice Chancellor of the Abia State University,Uturu Professor Uche Ikonne on his meritorious service to the State.
The event held at the Ngwa High School Aba also featured the conferment of “Ugo Ocha” Ukwa-Ngwa Chieftaincy title on Professor Ikonne by the traditional Rulers of Ukwa La Ngwa, and the unveiling of the book “Divine Mandate…. And Our Story Changed”, authored by Erudite Professors and Doctors.
Speaking during the ceremony, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu congratulated Professor Uche Ikonne for his Meritorious service and ablility to manage the university environment excellently during his five years tenure as Vice Chancellor of the Abia State University.
Governor Ikpeazu further commended the people of Ukwa La Ngwa for organizing the event which he said represents a celebration of excellence that will spur others to do better.
He assured that his government will continue to associate itself and celebrate excellent performance by Abians who have done well in their chosen fields.
“I am proud to associate myself with this event. In recent times, we seem to spend alot of time orchestrating and bringing to the fore what our brothers and kinsmen were not able to do properly while in office and consistently, that has become a pattern to criticize those in power.
“This event today represents a celebration of excellence at this point. We want to establish a mainframe of performance here in Abia State and elsewhere.
“We want to say that it is possible for our people to come together and celebrate and congratulate us when we do well. This attribute is referred to as postive induction in training.
“The challenges of being a Vice Chancellor is beyond all those things that were reeled out and documented in the brochure that I just saw. It is not about buildings, neither is it about accreditation of courses.
” It is not even about moving the University from number ninety something to twenty seven. It is about being able to manage the University community, including the students, staff and professors and bringing them together to move in a certain direction that will give the result that we seek.
“So i am celebrating Professor Uche Ikonne today for his ability to bring about unison in these cacophony of talents and ideas as represented in a typical University”, Ikpeazu said.
He also Congratulated a former Vice Chancellor of the University Professor Chibuzo Ogbuagu for grooming Professor Ikonne and urged
Professor Uche Ikonne to continue to stand on those laudable things he has done.
In his speech, the Chairman on the occasion and former deputy Governor Chief Acho Nwakanma who described Professor Uche Ikonne as a worthy Ambassador of the state, said that the grand civic reception is in line with the tradition of the Ukwa-Ngwa people to appreciate hardwork.
He noted that the tenure of Professor Uche Ikonne as vice chancellor of ABSU witnessed positive turn around as the ranking of the University moved from 93rd to 27th in the ranking of universities across the country and 2nd best in the comity of state Universities among other monumental achievements.
In his remarks, the Celebrant Professor Uche Ikonne said that he is overwhelmed with the show of love by his people and appreciated the organizers of the event for the honour done him.
He commended Governor Okezie Ikpeazu for demistifying the act of Governance and showing example which challenged him and served as tonic which set the tone for him to serve creditably.
In a remark onbehalf of the Central Organizing Committee, the Director of Publicity Sub-committte and Deputy Chief of Staff office of the deputy Governor Sir Don Ubani said that the People of Ukwa-Ngwa are pleased with the remarkable achievements of Professor Uche Ikonne as the first Vice-Chancellor of the Ukwa-Ngwa extraction thus the grand civic reception and thanked the invited Guest for gracing the ceremony.
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