Cornucopia: Anambra Nurses House, and Prof Ngozi Egbuna International Center for Regional Integration and Trade Research 

By Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, PhD 

ASUU NAU, that’s ASUU in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka election is by this July, baring any unforeseen circumstances. Karma is a bitch!

 There are people ASUU members should be encouraged not to vote for, because they have no humanity in them, even though they cover up with Church. Pretenders! 

Prof Ngozi Ijeoma , needless saying what she is now in Unizik because she isn’t today’s focus of our Cornucopia but needed to be mentioned for clarity.  When she was HoD, Accountancy department Unizik in 2015, she hosted an international conference , unfortunately she hasn’t paid off all, before handing over. Those who she handed over refused to pay a particular debt to a young man struggling with life then at N250,000 plus or minus, then add interests from then till date , yet they clap and dance unto God daily as Christians, even seeking God’s grace upon them ,yet a struggling younger person was frustrated without mercy. 

Prof Emma Okoye, Director Unizik Business School, UBS Awka then a member of the Unizik Governing Council intervened and appealed that the youngman be paid, even if it’s N200,000. Till date he hasn’t been paid. Prof Ijeoma admitted to Prof Okoye owing, but not upto N250,000, but said she shouldn’t be held responsible because administration is a continuous. She asked her successor to pay the young man, but he refused insisting Prof Ijeoma enjoyed her tenure and should have paid. Prof Ijeoma wanted the case to be before the VC as she was ready to come and defend herself but Prof Emma Okoye advised against as the youngman would be paid. Brothers and sisters, this is 8 years and the debt hasn’t been paid. Christianity is good, but humanity is better. How can one of these characters without a thought to a hopeless youth then, come out to be ASUU NAU Chairman? 

Prof Emma Okoye saw me at Prof Charles Okechukwu Esimone, FAS fourth year anniversary lecture and beckoned on me. He was with a Prof or so who he told me is his choice of candidate to be ASUU NAU Chairman. I was disappointed and told him pointedly before the person that such character can’t be ASUU NAU Chairman as he can’t speak for others. I told him I shall mobilize the media and x-ray my reasons on why he should not be, even mobilize ASUU members as much as I can against his candidate. He was shocked, but he knew me and knows I was saying the truth.  He said something that made me forgo my plan out of respect and not out of cowardice. A journalist must stand by the society always, not minding whose ox is gored. Prof Emma appealed to me to sheath my sword for his sake. That I have done. He painted a picture to save his face by saying it was completely not his fault to pay the debt. I didn’t want to argue with him, but I made my point that wickedness has no home as it goes round unknown to those who exhibit such. His candidate was telling Prof he knows I was playing. In my mind, he doesn’t know what I  had planned to do with his name if not for Prof Okoye.  Let the Accountancy department pay off this young man, because nobody knows what next tomorrow. That money would have been paid long ago if not that I as a person was calm to avoid placing the institution in bad light. Why should they owe a struggling youth with reckless abandone? We shall revisit this discuss. 

National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives , NANNM, 

Anambra State Council induction of newly elected unit branches at Nurses House, Inenzu Estate near new Jerusalem hotel ended in praise. 

Did you hear that? At Nurses House! What an edifice built by Comrade Edith Onwuka led executive. It was unprecedented. The house shall be inaugurated this October or so by Governor Charles Soludo. The association even has a land to develop nearby as events center to cater for the needs of residents of that estate and beyond. The location is just a stone throw from Unizik junction.

 Barr Mrs Theodora Okwy Igwegbe, mni , the state Head of Service, HoS was the guest of honor at the Nurses event while the digital state NLC Chairman, Comrade Humphrey Emeka Nwafor was the Chairman of the occasion. Comrade Onwuka Edith, the host. Dateline was 24th and 25th May, 2023.

Have you ever met Enichuks ,the Enchanter from Theartre and Film studies department, Faculty of Arts, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka? If you do, you forgo your stress and sorrows even if momentarily, because he is good in scintillating chants and mind blowing eulogies. Let’s try him out at an affordable fees. 08033736334 is his contact. Enichuks the chanter is good for colouration of our events, particularly cultural. 

I was not happy that Associate Professor and Head of Department of Psychology,  faculty of social science, Unizik, Dr C.A.F  Okoye invited me as a Moderator in his event and my phone crashed soon after, denying me the opportunity to analyze his event. During the build up to the 2023 general elections,  he organized a roundtable on a vexed topic and timely too. The topic was “Paradigm for active voter participation in the 2023 General Elections” and the Keynote speaker and immediate Past President Psychological Association of Nigeria.

Prof Michael Ezenwa delivered top-notch. He reinforced the decision by voters to vote as it’s their civic responsibility and as well to vote out bad leaders. He did not spare journalists, as he urged them to shun all forms of junk journalism during and after the elections, by continuously reporting eye witnesses in their reports. For the judiciary,  he maintained Judges should be guided in all decisions concerning election matters to avoid being tools in truncating our democracy. 

The traditional ruler of Umudioka and a member of the Governing Council of Unizik who represented the Vice-Chancellor, Ezedioka n’Umudioka, Prof Harry Obi-Nwosu and a product of the department, a top police officer, Barr Umeoji Ifeanyi, PhD did justice to the topic as discussants. Unfortunately, the INEC Resident Electoral Officer in Anambra state, Dr Queen E. Agwu was absent and sent no Representatives even when she was the official special guest of honour, too bad. But, the Ubom Nibo, Dr Kodilinye Okelekwe , senatorial candidate of APC in that 2023 general elections, showed class with his contribution to the topic and his history. The number of scholarships he has given as a person without government patronage shocked the attendees. The houses he has built for widows and the downtrodden was another shocker. The hall stood still as he spoke professorially. SP Okundayo Ewere Uyi Officer in charge of SIB Anambra State spoke also at the event on implications of crime to the society, encouraging information flow from the masses to the police as the security agencies cannot do much without information from the masses. HoD of Sociology, an Associate Professor, and a dignified Rotarian Dr Uzo Bonaventure and then Dean of Faculty Sciences,  Prof Collins Nwogwugwu, also a senor Rotarian spoke eloquently too on the need for electoral participation no matter the odds as one day, it will be gotten right in the county. Unfortunately,  election  in this clime sometimes go on primordial sentiments and prejudices, hence best candidates often fail to get the expected results in elections. 

Recently,  Prof Ngozi Egbuna International Center for Regional Integration and Trade Research in the department of Economics ,faculty of Social Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka was established. 

Dr Christopher Kalu is the HoD Economics Department. He was speechless it was happening in his era as HoD, describing it as investment in perpetuity, while the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Charles Okechukwu Esimone FAS, FPSN lauded Prof Ngozi for leading the Vanguard of founding the international center. 

For Prof Ngozi Egbuna, visiting Prof Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka who was until 2021, Director-General of the West African Monetary Institute (WAMI) said the center will be open to carry out research studies,  Consultancy as well as human capacity building. She described Research Center as a legacy program of Unizik as it is aimed at Post Graduate degrees in Regional Integration and Trade and Advanced Trade Analysis course : Regional Integration and Trade performance as well as other short courses in Trade policy and Economic integration; Trade Negotiation skills for Business men and merchants; Trade Ethics and Business Etiquettes ; Foreign Trade Assistance; Foreign Trads Management and Non-Tarrif measures to trade. She said the target patronage will come from all Regional Economic communities like AMU, AU, COMESA, EAC, ECCAS, ECOWAS, WAMA, WAIFEM, WAMI, IGAD,SADC, among others as well as Diplomatic Corps,  judiciary,  parliament,  trade unions, Media and security organizations to mention but a few. The husband, her Odogwu,  Engr Ikechukwu Egbuna and a handful of family members were there in solidarity with the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, CFR reassuring that he is going to mobilize resources from all Onitsha indigenes across the globe to ensure the reality of the Research center. 

Back to the induction course for the newly elected National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Anambra State Council (NANNM) unit branch officers, at Nurses House Awka.

Head of Service of Anambra state,  Barr Theodora Okwy Igwegbe, mni was asked to address the event because yours sincerely represented the NLC Chairman Anambra State, Comrade Humphrey Emeka Nwafor KSJI, who was the Chairman of the event. We also had the Chairman of TUC, Comrade Chris Ogbonna,  Deputy Director Nursing Services, Psychiatric Hospital Nawfia, Mrs Ngene Francisca, State Secretary of NANNM, Comrade Dr Ikedi Onah and Provost,  College of Nursing Nkpor, Dr Mrs Nwazuruoke Juliana. 

They had lectures on Assertiveness: A key attribute towards Trade unionism and Nursing practice by Dr Ezekiel Omeh, Collective bargaining; A tool for conflict resolution by Mrs Gozie Nwosu Nkechi Patricia, Industrial Relations Officer, HOS office and Financial Management in trade unions by Comrade Mrs Okoli Mabel. 

Other papers were Nursing Ethics : The Sin Qua Non of professionalism sustenance and quality Nursing practice by Mrs Anene Perpetual DNS,MOH,Awka , Professionalism and trade unionism movement: NANNM is perspective by Deacon Ikedi Onah PhD and Trade Union administration by Comrade Edith Onwuka. 

It was commendation galore for the HoS as NANNM state chairman who is also the JNC Chairman in Anambra, Comrade Edith Onwuka, and State Chairman of NLC, Comrade Humphrey Emeka Nwafor as well as TUC Chairman,  Comrade Chris Ogbonna were full of praises for the Head of Service for an exceptional performance so far in office. The secretary of NANNM,  Comrade Ikedi Onah, PhD capped it when he publicly said HoS”s disposition made him fell in love for her personality in the office.  According to him, experiences he had across the Federation showed that HoS Anambra State stood far above her peers in service to the workers as the workers problems literally becomes hers. 

Adding glamour to the statement by Comrade Ikedi, the HoS, Barr. Theodore Okwy Igwegbe, mni affirmed her love too for the NANNM secretary having comported himself dignified. 

Declaring the induction open, the HoS urged the Nurses and Midwives not to abandon their service to humanity since they are endowed with the art and science of caring with integrity and discipline in line with the motto of NANNM. She reminded the elected officers that they have been entrusted with the responsibility of representing the interests of Nurses and Midwives in their units and that, they must do with integrity, visionary thinking and deep understanding of the evolving Healthcare landscape.  She encouraged them as leaders to foster a culture of inclusiveness, collaboration and innovation, seeking out diverse perspectives and harness the collective wisdom of their members to shape policies and drive advancements in Healthcare delivery, thus elevating the status of nursing and midwifery in our society.  

On the requests made by NANNM,  she advised their leaders to write her office for immediate action attaching relevant documents. 

Appreciating the HoS and all others who came, the NANNM state chairman,  Comrade Mrs Edith Onwuka appealed to Governor Chukwuma Soludo to look into the salaries of Nurses and Midwives to curb the massive exodus of trained nurses and Midwives from the state service for greener Pasture, as according to her , the little number remaining in the system are overwhelmed by work. 

She commended Governor Soludo for his investment in the health sector and thanked him for employing Nurses into the state civil service and giving approval for recruitment of nurses and Midwives into the Primary Healthcare Services. She encouraged union members to unite against manipulation for division as any union united will be stronger. She announced that her Executive elected in October 2019 have achieved a lot including the Nurses House to be opened October this year by Governor Soludo, even as she commended NANNM national president,  Comrade Michael Ekuma Nnachi and General Secretary of NANNM,  Comrade T.A Shettima for their solidarity, articulated and Innovative leadership. 

Cornucopia is a weekly column of Comrade Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, PhD. 

Odogwu is a known Journalist, Editor, Media Consultant, Teacher, Motivator, Unionist and Famous Blogger ,as well as Social Media Entrepreneur, Publisher and Conversationalist @ www.odogwublog.com among others. 

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