New Fedpoly Oko Alumni Exco Pledges to construct N100m Museum in the school

By Praise Chinecherem

Federal Polytechnic Oko Alumni Association has disclosed its plans to construct a museum in the institution to be named after former military President, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.

National President, Nze Henry Nnebe who disclosed this while addressing newsmen shortly after his reelection held in Awka, said the association had also commenced construction of an ultra modern gate at the Ufuma campus of the institution.

He said the museum which is going to gulp over N100million would be named after the former president following his outstanding contributions to the institution.

He said, “We have two projects we’re embarking in the school, IBB museum and Ufuma gate we’re constructing. We’re going to finish and commission them this year by God’s grace. The museum is going to cost us not less than N100m.

“IBB in 1993, converted the then AnamPoly to Federal Polytechnic and attracted funding to the institution. He gave us N36million which projected Oko to limelight and overtook some of its contemporaries.

“We’ve also started IBB annual lecture, all targeted at immortalizing his name. The school’s Administrative block was built after his visit to the institution.”

On his vision for the next term, Nnebe pledged commitment to mentorship and support to the management of the institution.

His words: “Oko Poly is one of the best east of the Niger with over 500,000 graduates. Currently, we have 10 branches. We’re going to open more to ensure a more vibrant association.

“We intend having international forum which will include our members in diaspora. Drawing one percent of our teeming graduates will be wonderful. We want to bring in our champions.

“The dichotomy challenge of Nigerian Polytechnics is affecting our membership. Many of our graduates are moving over to the Universities, thereby resulting to double identity.

“We call on those yet to join to identify with us. Those already here are proud members. We currently have a 2-storey secretariat and a hostel in the school. Most of the universities don’t even have a complex.

Oko has been consistent with the right people. We’ve been able to remove the chaf from the seeds. We witnessed good results today because we allowed due process.

“This is the first time we’re having a peaceful transition. I consider this is an achievement.”

Also speaking, Metu Augustine, a Board of Trustees member and one time Students Union President expressed satisfaction with the election outcome, which he described as peaceful.

“Today we started a process we’ve been dreaming of, the process of making everything about our institution democratic.

“Under Nnebe’s leadership, we’ve witnessed a very serious, committed and transparent leadership, amidst hiccups. Today we recorded a milestone with a peaceful, rancor-free election, midwifed by the President.

“We commend him on his first term and pray he’ll do better in the second term. We call on him to start the process of mentorship to avoid leadership vacuum. The beauty of a leader is having a successor,” he added.

Among the newly elected national officers of the Association included Nze Henry Chukwuka Nnebe (National President); Chief Henry Belonwu Onyekwelu (Vice President); Dr. Nwazue Chimemela (National Secretary) and Dr. Magnus Ugwa (Assistant National Secretary)

Others were Hon. Gabriel Nwafor (national treasurer); Chidi Jean Ikechukwu (National Publicity secretary); Stephen Goodluck Omamuzo (Director of Protocol); Dr. Beatrice Ezechukwu (Director of Welfare) and Peter Odera Muonwe (Director of Finance).