Unizik new VC needs support to actualize his dreams —Obidife
Odogwu Emeka Odogwu
Vice Chancellor, Nnamdi Azikiwe University , Awka, Prof Charles Okechukwu Esimone needs solidarity and support of the staff, students and management to actualize his vision for the University. That was the view of Hon. Ifeanyi Collins Obidife, a politician and contractor from Ekwulobia, Anambra state.
Hon Obidife spoke to The Oracle on the side line of an international conference at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Business School (Unizik Business School). He prayed for God’s grace and guidance for Prof Esimone to succeed.
Obidife said: ‘’Prof Esimone needs support of management and staff to drive the institution to a greater level. I pray that the Lord God Almighty will keep him and strengthen him throughout all his tenure to lead Unizik to His greater glory’’.
In an interview, a political Scientist from the University’s Department of Political Science, Sir Tony Mary Amali summed the journey of Prof Esimone since appointed so far thus: ‘’Prof Esimone is doing wonderfully well for now, because he knows the problems of Unizik and the shortcomings of the previous administrations. He is leveraging on that, meeting the people to be able to hear their challenges first hand.’’
Meanwhile, a two day International Conference of UNIZIK Business School with theme “Re-engineering Africa’s economies for sustainable development” has ended in Awka with participants still worried on how to resolve Africa’s numerous challenges.
Speaking, Dean of the foremost Lagos Business School, Professor Enase Okonedo described some economic statistics as disguising the fact of Africa’s retarded development. She advocated a total change of the educational systems in Africa and Nigeria in particular where rote learning has been the order for a system that encourages critical and value based thinking as a way to meet the market needs.
Former Director General of the Standard Organization of Nigeria, SON, and Senior Research Fellow at UNIZIK Business School, Dr. Ikem Odumodu raised concerns over the new African Free Trade Agreement, stressing that there must be proactive steps towards addressing the manufacturing sector, to protect Africa from becoming a dumping ground with borderless pact.
