News
Why I founded ASUTECH — Jim Nwobodo
Nwobodo said that the in addition to the establishment of the University, he ensured that bursary awards were given to the students to help them succeed in their studies.
He revealed that because of the bursary that he gave, the then Governor Sam Mbakwe of old Imo State, took it up as well to offer bursary to the Imo State students which catalyzed and blossomed tertiary education in the south east.
He said that he was happy today because the graduates of such educational establishments and support have become the leaders of Nigeria and have been coming to back to in appreciation for his focast, 43 years ago.
Nwobodo made the remarks, on Thursday, when the ASUTECH Family Forum presented an Award to him in his country home, Amechi Awkunanu Enugu, as “a visionary leader who established the first University of Technology in Nigeria, the Anambra State University of Technology (ASUTECH), on the 30th of July, 1980.”
Leader of the ASUTECH family delegation and former Managing Director of Enugu State Water Corporation, Engr. Martins Okwor, said that the Alumni considered it wise to remember the Man who made their youthful dreams come true.
Accompanied by another ASUTECH Alumni-turned Catholic priest, Rev Fr Simon Onyia, Okwor said the award on Nwobodo was a decision reached during their biannual reunion in 2022 at Awka Anambra state.
“This is because there is no time that we discuss about ASUTECH without mentioning you (Nwobodo) or having you in mind. So we said that we may not have much but we can show appreciation in our own little format. I and the late Engr Engr Dons Udeh were nominated to come and do the presentation to you but Udeh died and I had to contact the Reverend Father,” Okwor said.
Responding, the octogenarian, Nwobodo, said that everywhere he went, both within and outside Nigeria, the ASUTECH alumni always besieged him, citing a particular incident in the United States of America where such two Alumni hosted him and his wife.
He disclosed that he has received Four Honourary Doctorate Awards form the universities that emerges as offsprings of ASUTECH. Such Universities, he said, include the Ebonyi State University (EBSU), the Anambra state University, renamed Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU); the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (Unizik) and the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT).
Nwobodo said that he was pushed to establish the state universities because some students came to him and told him unpalatable stories in the process of their University studies.
“They told me that they were being profiled as Ndi Wawa, secondly they were not well dressed, thirdly they did not have money and I felt bad and said ok, fine! I decided that whoever that was from Anambra state, that is in a Nigeria University will receive Bursary. It was not much, just N300 per student and they assured me that with the money they can make noise in any University they are. They now had confidence and said they were no longer ashamed of taking part in the civil war because it’s was the war that brought about all these.
“When others now saw what has happened, the Imo student went and met Mbakwe and confronted him, telling him that all the Igbo were part of the war, why would they not receive the bursary as the Anambra people do. Mbakwe called and said, Jim! why did you send boys to come and insult me, and I told him no, that these are boys who some of their parents died during the war, they are not working and they are poor, how do you want them to manage?
“I told Mbakwe that he should just do the same thing as I have done and he agreed. That’s how the bursary went round the south east and it did not deplete government expenses,” Nwobodo narrated.
He went further to recall that the idea of making ASUTECH the first multi campus University in Nigeria came up during his meeting with late Prof Kenneth Dike who who was his Vice Chancellor as a student in the University of Ibadan.
Nwobodo said he consulted the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe on making ASUTECH a multi campus University and Zik approved of it, adding that he wanted the students of the University to be proud graduates, adding that he was happy his dream came true.
He urged the ASUTECH Alumni to ensure that they participate in further development of their alma mater such as ESUT, EBSU, Unizik and COOU, disclosing that ESUT has slated November this year to host it’s first founders day celebration.
He asked the ASUTECH alumni to ensure that they participate actively in the Founders day ceremony where he will also be honoured. (Vanguard)
Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has approved a fresh round of appointments involving a commissioner, three Special Advisers and 1,000 other aides.
The appointments comprise 90 Senior Special Assistants and 910 Special Assistants, with the governor saying the move is intended to reinforce his administration and improve its reach across the state.
Erelu Taibat Yemi Oloruntoba, from Akoko North-West Local Government Area, has been nominated as Commissioner for Special Duties. Her nomination has been transmitted to the state House of Assembly for consideration and confirmation.
The governor also appointed Hon. Abimbola Fajolu as Special Adviser on Environment, Chief Ade Adeniyi as Special Adviser on Rural and Community Development, and Mr Muyiwa Ogunyemi as Special Adviser on Transport.
Among those named as Senior Special Assistants are Erelu Toyin Ogungbure, Women Mobilisation (South); Bidemi Obayangbon, Forestry; Gboluge Olufunmi Alex, Community Engagement (South); Hon. Akin Adeniyi, Community Engagement (Central); and Obayan Theophilus Ayodeji, Community Engagement (North).
Others include Kelvin Solomon, Students Affairs; Adeolu Iwakun, Volunteer Services; Samson Job Bazuaye, Oil and Gas; Fade Ojamomi, Youth Empowerment and Job Creation; Sam Adepoju, Public Engagement; and Alhaji Samad Orijeminiyi, Scholarship.
Also appointed are Victor Omodara, Grassroots Mobilisation; Abayomi Adefolalu, Photography; and Alhaji Abdukadiri Adenoyi, Prince Nzuoma Egbulefu and Alhaji Garba Goni, all for Non-Indigenes.
About 40 people are suspected to have lost their lives after a boat carrying farmers to their rice farms capsized in Gorau town, Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
The incident occurred while the victims were crossing a stream to access their farms.
An eyewitness said more than 70 people were on the boat when it capsized shortly after taking off.
The village head was among those on board but he was reportedly rescued.
“So far, we have recovered about 40 bodies, while six people, including the village head, were rescued,” a local journalist who was at the scene, Sharhabilu Yahuza Kiliya, told our reporter.
According to him, the victims comprised farm owners and labourers who had been engaged to harvest rice.
“The canoe capsized shortly after take-off. Rescue operations are still ongoing, with local divers searching for those still missing and recovering bodies,” he said. (Daily Trust)
Ahmed Tinubu has joined the US Department of Justice in seeking a 10-day extension to respond to a motion seeking the release of records relating to allegations of drug trafficking.
Tinubu’s legal team filed a notice of joinder before the US District Court for the District of Columbia, asking to be placed on the same schedule as the defendants in the case.
The filing was published online by Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., a US-based policy advisory and lobbying firm retained by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
In the notice, Tinubu’s lawyers said they were joining the defendants’ request for a 10-day extension to respond to the motion for summary judgment.
“Intervenor joins Defendants’ motion for a 10-day extension of time to file response to the motion for summary judgment (DE 92), inasmuch as Intervenor requests that the responses remain on the same schedule,” the filing stated.
The notice was signed by Christopher W. Carmichael and Victor P. Henderson of Henderson Parks, LLC.
According to the filing, the plaintiff opposed the request, while the defendant did not.
However, US District Judge Beryl Howell subsequently denied the application for an extension, according to the lobbying firm.
In a post on X, Von Batten-Montague-York alleged that the requested delay could give Tinubu additional time to lobby US officials against the release of the records.
The firm claimed that the records could become a subject of discussions around US-Nigeria relations and Tinubu’s cooperation with Washington on security matters.
It also raised concerns about what it described as possible attempts by US government officials to influence the judicial or Freedom of Information Act process.
The case, Aaron Greenspan v. Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, et al., Civil Action No. 23-1816 (BAH), has been pending for more than three years.
The records sought in the case concern US investigations and allegations relating to Tinubu and suspected drug-trafficking activities.
Previous reports have linked a $460,000 asset forfeiture involving Tinubu to a US federal investigation into a Chicago-based heroin-trafficking network in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Court records and affidavits from US authorities have been cited in reports about the forfeiture proceedings.
In 1993, a US District Court ordered the forfeiture of $460,000 held in an account in Tinubu’s name to the US government.
The order stated that the funds represented proceeds of narcotics trafficking or were involved in transactions violating money-laundering laws.
Tinubu has consistently denied wrongdoing and rejected allegations that he was involved in drug trafficking.
His lawyers have maintained that the forfeiture proceeding was an in rem civil action against the money, rather than a criminal case against Tinubu.
They have also argued that he was never arrested, indicted, arraigned or convicted of a drug offence in the United States. (Nigerian Tribune)
-
News23 hours agoBREAKING: Gunmen attack Adeleke’s convoy in Osogbo shortly after receiving Certificate of Return
-
International1 day ago
Canada invites 1,000 candidates to apply for permanent residence
-
Uncategorized1 day ago
2027: Obi unfolds agenda as campaigns begin
-
News21 hours ago
Lagos shuts churches over noise pollution
-
News1 day ago
Why I won’t apologise to Okpebholo — Davido
-
News21 hours ago
Two shot as police attempt to arrest suspects in Anambra
-
News1 day ago
Even if Tinubu appoints Seyi as INEC chairman, he’ll be defeated in 2027 — Dalung
-
News1 day ago
Access Bank asks court to recover N1.3bn stolen by Yahoo Boys
