Ifite-Ogwari Community Visits UNIZIK Ag. Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Arinze-Umobi

By Ikenna Nwokedi

Ifite-Ogwari Community made up of the community leaders and staff of the University on Thursday, 8th August 2024 paid a courtesy visit to the Acting Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Professor Carol Arinze-Umobi at the Vice-Chancellor’s Conference Room.

The team led by Rev. Fr. Basil Ekwunife stated that the visit is to congratulate the new sheriff on her appointment as the first female Vice-Chancellor of the institution and also show solidarity to her administration as the community continues to be a part of the University having one of the campuses domiciled in the community.

Rev. Fr. Ekwunife informed that the visit was also to seek audience with the Ag. Vice-Chancellor by reminding her that the institution and the community are partners in progress in the areas of research, agricultural practice, teaching, welfare of staff and students as well as community service. The clergy affirmed that Ifite-Ogwari is a very important place for UNIZIK and also vital for Anambra and the country at large in the area of farming and food production.

Rev. Fr. Ekwunife while eulogizing Prof. Arinze-Umobi for her charisma and tenacity appealed to the Vice-Chancellor to take the Faculty of Agriculture as her pet project and attend to pressing matters between the community and the Faculty through dialogue and mediation.

On his part the Special Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor on Land Resources, Prof. Peter Nnabude thanked the team from Ifite-Ogwari for the solidary visit to the Ag. Vice-Chancellor, he stated that Ifite-Ogwari remains a key part of the institution while also emphasizing on the existing bond between the community and the institution to be strengthened for unity and progress.

Responding, the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Arinze-Umobi appreciated Ifite-Ogwari Community for the visit stating that they are her own people and one of the institution’s landlords. Prof. Arinze-Umobi informed that the institution is yet to fully utilize the land resources allocated to UNIZIK by the community owing to challenges of funding in permanent movement of the Faculty of Agriculture.

The Ag. VC said that any form of misunderstanding between UNIZIK and Ifite-Ogwari must be resolved as the community remains the home of UNIZIK. She disclosed that the 119.5 hectares of land given to the institution will be fully utilized but on a gradual process owing to funding challenges occasioned by the meagre allocations to the institution. Prof. Arinze-Umobi described the community as people that are good natured while promising to set up something running on a dynamic note within the period of her tenure.

In a vote of thanks from the institution’s side, the Dean of Faculty of Agriculture, Professor Cordelia Ebenebe thanked the Acting Vice-Chancellor for her audience, response and presentation. The scholar commended the community leaders and education stakeholders in community for their contributions toward the welfare of the students, she highlighted challenges such as mobility for the students, high cost of living and pockets of security challenges faced by students and staff while calling on the community leaders to address the challenges.

Responding through his vote of thanks, one of the community respected figure and promoters of education, Engr. Paul Okafor thanked the Vice-Chancellor for granting the crew from Ifite-Ogwari the audience. Engr. Okafor congratulated Prof. Arinze-Umobi on her appointment as the institution’s Chief Executive and coincidentally a scholar and farmer being the Head of the institution.

An emotional Engr. Okafor stated that Ifite-Ogwari community has done more than a whole lot in supporting the institution’s Faculty of Agriculture in areas of hostel accommodation, research, community welfare as well as provision of basic amenities and infrastructure. He stated that the challenge of insecurity is not peculiar to the community but the entire state and country, while expressing the community’s resolve towards addressing the challenges head-on.

He concluded by pleading with Prof. Arinze-Umobi to ensure that in her handover note at the end of her tenure that she highlights the contributions of the community towards the success of the Faculty of Agriculture.

Highlights of the visit was exchange of pleasantries and group photograph.