Unizik makes Prof Nwunneli proud , launches book in his honour --- as Anambra Monarchs harp on girl child education

www.odogwublog.com reports that Mass Communication department, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka led by Dr. Uche Ebeze on Wednesday made a Mass communication scholar and traditional ruler of Igbakwu, Igwe Prof Onuorah Nwuneli proud by presenting a book “Doing DevCom: Engaging the new media” in his honour.
This is coming as the traditional institution in Anambra state has called on parents and communities to partner schools in the development of curriculum and management of children’s education in Nigeria.
The traditional ruler of Awka, His Royal Majesty, Dr. Gibson Nwosu (Eze Uzu Awka) in a lecture, during the public presentation of the book, “Doing DevCom: Engaging the new media” in honour of a Mass communication scholar and traditional ruler of Igbakwu, Igwe Prof Onuorah Nwuneli said the girl child education is essential for nation building.
The book launch was attended by over 30 high profile traditional rulers from Anambra state, led by their state chairman, and Obi of Onitsha, Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe.
Igwe Gibson Nwosu singled out a two term commissioner in Anambra state, Prof Chinyere Stella Okunna, late Prof Dora Akunyili and a literary icon, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and others as women that radiate in intelligence because of their parents attention to education.
Why highlighting the significance of girl child education in national development, the royal father also noted that investing in girl child, means investing in a nation, adding that women’s education reduces child and maternal mortality, reduces child marriage, domestic and sexual violence and improves socio-economic growth of a nation.
In his address, Head, department of Mass Communication, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Dr. Uche Ebeze, described Igwe Nwuneli as a colossus and academicicon of international repute whose name cannot be left out in the entire field of Mass Communication in the institution.
He commended the great achiever’s resolve to domicile the financial proceeds of the book launch as an Endowment Trust Fund for academic research to assist Ph.D student undertaking a research on girl-child education during their field work at the university.
Dean Faculty of Social Sciences , Prof Chinyere Okunna who was overwhelemed by the mobilization of royal fathers and academics for the event traved his hostory with Prof Nwuneli at Unilag.
While the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Joseph Ahaneku described the gathering as celebration of royalty and intellectualism as well as loyalty.
He extolled Igwe Nwuneli for his decision to plough back the proceeds of the book launch to education, pointing out that such gesture is and endowment legacy that will remain in the annals of the institution.
The reviewer, Prof Idowu Sobowale noted that issues raised in the book was as relevant today as it was six years ago when the conference on development communication was held.
Sobowale further emphasized that the book explored how traditional channels of communication and the new media can and have contributed to development in the rural communities of developing nations of Africa.
He observed that the authors restricted their argument to health and human rights sector, rather than monitoring other human development areas.

Photo: Prof Nwuneli and Prof Okunna