By Ikenna Nwokedi
The Society of Petroleum Engineering Students (SPES) UNIZIK Chapter in conjunction with the Department of Petroleum Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka on Friday, 30th August 2024 honoured Engr. Daniel Osondu Enuma, a major player in Nigeria’s Oil and Gas sector, with an award of excellence on the occasion of their induction and award ceremony.
The colourful event with the theme, “Energy Transition: The Role of Petroleum Engineering in a Sustainable World”, was held at the Needs Assessment Hall of the Faculty of Engineering, UNIZIK.
In his opening remarks, the Father of the Day and immediate past Head Department of Chemical Engineering, Professor Victor Ugonabo thanked the Head of the Department and his team for elevating the status of the programme. Prof. Ugonabo gave a brief history about the advent of the Department and how it has grown in leaps and bounds while calling on all stakeholders to ensure they provide the necessary support in elevating the department to be at par with sister departments in top state, federal and private Universities in the country.
In his address, the Head, Department of Petroleum Engineering, Engr. Dr. Chigozie Uzoh eulogized all and sundry who came to witness the occasion and honour the event. The scholar affirmed that the Department could not have attained the current status without the contributions of Prof. Ugonabo and other scholars who fought for the Faculty of Engineering UNIZIK to have a Petroleum Engineering Department just like most premier Universities in the land.
Dr. Uzoh promised that under his watch, the Department is poised to achieve greatest in line with the motto of the University in the areas of research with functional laboratories and workshops, curriculum development, teaching and proper training for the students. He eulogized the past administration under the former Vice-Chancellor, Professor Esimone for his immense contributions and quest in ensuring the Faculty had an additional Department in the mould of Petroleum Engineering while also encouraging the students of the Department to study hard to graduate with good grades so as to take up some of the available positions in Nigeria’s Oil and Gas industry.
Earlier in her opening speech, the President of SPES UNIZIK Chapter, Comrade Claire Okeke thanked Dr. Uzoh for his tutelage and providing an enabling environment for a seamless academic programme for the students of the Department. Comrade Okeke encouraged the inductees to embrace the opportunities that will come their way in the course of their academic pursuit while assuring that SPES as an association is at the forefront of the welfare of her members and ensuring that they have a smooth sail in the course of their academic sojourn in the institution.
Also speaking, the Departmental Staff Adviser, Engr. Lawrence Igbonekwu stated that the induction ceremony was to inundate the students about the Department of Petroleum Engineering as well as to give them vital information on how to have a successful spell in the course of their academic pursuit. He called on the students to make the best out of their stay in the institution by studying hard and eschewing all forms of social vices.
On his part, the Special Guest of the ceremony and CEO Lanza Chemical and Engineering Services Ltd, Engr. Daniel Osondu Enuma thanked the Department for the honour and privilege to be part of the colourful programme. Engr. Enuma who made a huge financial support to the department stated that as a way to support the growth of education, he will offer scholarships by payment of tuition fees for the best graduating student of the Department of Petroleum Engineering for all the levels while promising to facilitate Industrial Training (IT) slots for 400 level students of the Department in major Oil and Gas Exploration Companies and Firms in the land.
In their separate speeches and support for the event, the CEO Peak Value Real Estate, Chief Emeka Orogbu and CEO Vinco Paints, Engr. Ikechukwu Offor commended the management team of the Petroleum Engineering Department for their innovation and noble initiative in highlighting the roles of the Oil and Gas sector in the land. They assured the students that they are studying the right course and should work hard to graduate with good grades.
Highpoints of the occasion was the presentation of an award of excellence to Prof. Ugonabo, Engr. Enuma, Chief Orogbu, Engr. Offor and Engr. Onwuatuegwu.
The ceremony also featured administering of oath of allegiance by the HOD on newly inducted SPES members, lecture on the theme, cutting of event cake, red carpet, comedy and skills advert.
