UNN Alumni Need to Roar More _HRH, Igwe Ikechukwu Asadu

The traditional ruler of Edem-Ani Ogwugwu Ancient Kingdom, in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, HRH, Igwe Ikechukwu Asadu (Ogadagidi), has charged the Alumni Associations of the University of Nigeria, to step up their actions in order to remedy the ailing infrastructure at the University.

The traditional ruler who bemoaned the lackluster dispositions of the University alumni towards the development needs of the citadel of learning, challenged the Alumni Associations to save the University from its present infrastructure dilapidation.

He made the call as a Special Guest of Honour during the 2023 Annual Convention of University of Nigeria Alumni Association, United Kingdom, UNAA-UK, held at the Shirley Parish Hall in London Croydon, UK on October 21, 2023.

While saying that the alumni of University of Nigeria have attained wonderful accomplishments at all walks of life globally, he enjoined them to become pillars of development in their Alma Mater.

While speaking on the topic of the convention “The Role of Alumni Association in Nation Building,” the royal father said “You guys are the most accomplished and visionary Alumni Association of any University in Nigeria. I didn’t school at the University of Nigeria, but I was trained with the University fund because my father worked as a cook and a security man at UNN.

“I thank you guys for being Nigerians because I know it is not easy to be a Nigerian.

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“I was born poor but I had to change it because I know where I am coming from. I want to encourage you to know that the University of Nigeria is where you started from. Nobody will develop the University more than yourselves. I am the Patron of the home branch of the UNN Alumni Association.

“Your Association needs to show more gratitude to the University that produced all of you. Unfortunately, I am not hearing enough roar of the lions and lionesses. What I mean by this is that I am yet to see developmental projects executed by your Association at your Alma Mater despite the impressive accomplishments you have attained individually and collectively. UNN products are the best you can get in almost all the disciplines; be it Medicine and Surgery, Statistics, Engineering, Law, Geology and Mining etc.

“You guys shouldn’t forget that the trip started from that little space, UNN. The University is 63 years old and some of the infrastructure are already old and in need of attention. We need to do more to help the University renovate its ailing infrastructure. In the University, there are students living with disability and they need our help. As a Nurse of 36 years of experience, I know what disabled people go through.

“Nobody will develop your University or community more than yourselves. We shouldn’t wait for anyone else to do it for us. The Vice Chancellor needs your help because his office is overwhelmed with problems. Whenever I drive around his office, I see students everywhere looking for internet connectivity to do their assignments and research works, we can help by providing reliable internet connectivity at every nook and cranny of the University. If you look down from the VC’s office, students surround his office every time looking for Wi-Fi connection. The Vice Chancellor needs help and the help has to come from us.

“In my community, I built a 20-bed hospital for my community, Edem Ani Ogwugwu Ancient Kingdom in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State. I run the hospital free of charge and it remains the best private hospital in Enugu State. I also built Food Bank for my community where I feed at least 200 people from my community everyday free of charge. I also built 2.5 asphalted road for my people because we don’t have roads. I have equally put street lights at every corner of my village. The community has built a statue of me which they will unveil by December, 2023 in appreciation.

” I am telling you these things to motivate you to be that difference you need to see in your University. My charge to you guys is that the lions and lionesses need to roar more.”

He equally called on the UK embassy in Nigeria to accord respect to royalty, adding that four of his domestic staff were denied visas over flimsy reasons by the embassy.

While chatting with Vanguard, the President of UNAA-UK, Obianuju Amamgbo, said that the choice of HRH Igwe Asadu, as the Guest of Honour in this year’s convention was hinged on his purposeful community development initiatives.

“We have come to recognise HRH Igwe Ogadagidi as a purposeful and very generous community builder – he has constructed roads and built a medical centre for his people as a traditional ruler of Edem-Ani community.

” Igwe Asadu has demonstrated his keen desire to support UNN, and UNAA-UK, we are therefore most delighted to partner with him in that regard,” she said.

While talking about the vision of the Association to the University of Nigeria, she said “Our vision is to put the university on the world map in academics, equality, diversity and inclusion, to make it a renowned university. To achieve these, we have set programmes such as the Reverse Brain Drain (RBD) and the Disability Support Initiative (DSI).

” RBD seeks to plough back human and material resources to the Alma Mater through facilitating knowledge exchange and transfer involving members, lecturers/students and friends of UNN worldwide. This is geared towards maintaining academic excellence, promoting pride and loyalty, and protecting the value of the University’s degree and global image as a reputable citadel of learning.

“In doing so, we help to uphold the motto of the University which is “To restore the dignity of man.”

“The DSI on the other hand is designed to help the university to establish a Disability Support Services unit that focus solely on providing reasonable support to all disabled students in UNN and its campuses, enabling them to achieve the greatest level of independence, confidence, moral boost etc, that they can so as to contribute to the society on their own.”