Twelve students of the Odumegwu Ojukwu University have lost their lives in road accidents.
The Acting Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Kate Azuka Omenugha, somberly announced this while delivering her speech at the third Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Memorial Lecture series, held at the university’s ETF Auditorium on Friday.
Prof. Omenugha revealed that these unfortunate incidents, which occurred within 10 months of her assumption of office, were due to the lack of residential apartments (hostels) and school buses for the teeming students who reside in neighboring communities.
According to her, “I feel terrified as a mother about these incidents.
“Since I assumed office as the acting VC ten months ago, about twelve students have lost their lives in tricycle (Keke) and motorcycle (Okada) accidents along inter-community roads leading to the university.
“The loss of these brilliant students could have been avoided if we had hostels in the university.
“If you look around the campus, you will see so many uncompleted buildings begging for attention.
“We need assistance from the general public, especially Ndi-Anambra who are well-to-do, to come to our aid.
“We need hostels in the university to curb the rising spate of these avoidable accidents.
“We also need staff quarters for our restive staff.
“There are numerous areas for partnership. One of our concerns is also to establish an Ojukwu Hall of Fame, where we will display names and images of individuals who have contributed to the development of the university.
“Our governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has been doing wonderfully well for this great university.
“However, he needs support through his Private Public Community Partnership (PPCP) initiative in the state.
“We should not allow this university, the only state-owned university in our great state, to languish.
“I am calling on Ndi-Anambra and other well-to-do individuals in the state to come to our aid because the state government cannot do it alone.
“We cannot continue to lose our future leaders to the cold hands of untimely death. We need hostels and school buses for our students,” the VC cried out.
The Nigerian Tribune gathered that the event, which featured Chief Osita Chidoka as the guest lecturer with the theme “Harnessing Education for National Development: Lessons from the Life and Vision of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu,” was well-attended.
Dignitaries present included the state’s Deputy Governor, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim; Mr. Labara Maku; one of the sponsors, Mr. Peter Nwosu; the immediate past VC of the university, Prof. Greg Nwakoby; CMD of Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital Amaku-Awka, Dr. Joe Akabuike; Dr. Ameachi Nwachukwu; the Traditional Ruler of Ogidi, Igwe Alex Oyido; the State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chima-Udeh; and Prof. Kingsley Nwozor, among others. (Adapted from a Saturday Tribune report)
