PROVINCE OF THE NIGER HOLDS ONE-DAY SUMMIT, LAUDS DIOCESE ON THE NIGER FOR FLOATING-OUT OWN UNIVERSITY

(By Alex Uzoigwe)

      The Provincial Council of the Niger, Anglican Communion, held her annual one-day meeting at the All Saints' Cathedral, Onitsha, Anambra State, Thursday, September 7, 2023 showering encomiums on the Diocese on the Niger for singlehandedly establishing a university.
      According to the council, the university initiative was launched at the most appropriate time, adding that it was symbolic of the recovery of "what the early missionaries did for people East of the Niger".
      The Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province, His Grace, the Most Rev. Alexander Ibezim, made the commendation on behalf of the council while delivering his presidential address at the summit.
      In his words, "We use this time to congratulate the people of On the Niger led by the Rt Rev Dr Owen Nwokolo on the establishment of the University on the Niger. To God be the glory. In deed God is helping us and we are on the right track".
      He expressed joy that the university was not only to run various medical and paramedical programmes, but had also had the Iyienu Mission Hospital approved, upgraded and attached to it as the "University on the Niger Teaching Hospital".
         The archbishop was optimistic of the university admitting students in the current 2023/2024 academic session, describing the entire university project as a rare feat. 
      In the 12-page address which theme was "Overcoming the storms of life in our days", the archbishop identified poverty, sickness and joblessness among others as the causes of storms of life and appealed to individuals to genuinely identify with Christ and His words in order to have relief.
      Earlier in his welcome address, the host Bishop, the Rt Rev Dr Nwokolo had said that the university was for everyone, explaining that the Diocese on the Niger was merely its promoter.
       He remarked, "As a faith-based university, it is our prayer and wish that everyone will support and pray for the success and growth of this university which is the pride of Anglicans in the Church of Nigeria".
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