Council, provost pledge to address college’s challenges

The Chairman of the sixth Governing Council of the Federal College of Education (technical) Umunze, Anambra State, Hon. Philips Shekwo, has pledged the readiness of the council to consolidate on the gains of the previous administration and to take the institution to enviable heights.

 This was as he solicited the partnership of all critical stakeholders in the college project to achieve a common goal of repositioning the college of education for the production of quality teachers for the system.

Meanwhile, the immediate past Provost of the college, Prof. Josephat Ogbuagu, has expressed confidence in the ability of the new provost, Dr. Tessy Okoli, to take the college to its loftier heights. He said Dr. Okoli with her over 25 years working experience in the college is competent to bring transformation to the institution.

The duo of Shekwo and Ogbuagu disclosed this during the send-forth organised in honour of Ogbuagu by the governing council and management of the college. According to the former Provost, Okoli has proved her mettle in the college as a reputable scholar, whose academic pedigree and contribution to knowledge encouraged the growth of the institution.

The Council chair, however, described leadership as a sacrifice, lauding Ogbuagu for his visionary leadership, which according to him has raised the bar of the college in terms of academic and infrastructural development.

Shekwo explained that their appointment as Council members comes with enormous responsibilities, stressing that the members would continue to harness skillful potentials and stimulate policies that would move the college forward.

Also speaking, the Provost, Dr. Okoli, who said her predecessor, Prof. Ogbuagu, left legacies that could not be erased in the college, however, commended him for the various infrastructural projects, as well as midwifing the commencement of degree programme in affiliation with the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka. She promised that the doors of the college would always be open in the quest to bring it to the path of academic greatness through purposeful leadership, which will be anchored on adequate welfare of staff and students.

The former Acting Chairman of the Council, Ibrahim Abdu Radda, who described Ogbuagu as a leader par excellence and a man dedicated to duty, said the former provost had during his administration redefined leadership by his impassioned zeal to work, challenging the new provost to surpass his numerous achievements in the college.

 “Ogbuagu’s administration provided the necessary ground work needed to upgrade the college to a full-fledged university for the production of quality teachers for the country,” he added.