By Gabriel Chy Alonta
The Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof. Charles Esimone, alongside Chief Ikenna Okafor (Ide Akwaeze), have commissioned ultra modern building for the Unizik Business School.
The edifice when completed would enable conducive academic interaction, as well as provide office space for assistant directors of the school, Orient Daily reports. The foundation-laying ceremony of the new building took place on Thursday April 13, 2023 at the UBS premises, Orient Daily reports.
Speaking during the commissioning exercise, Prof. Esimone, lauded the benefactor, Chief Okafor for donating a take-off fund of N100,000,000, which, he said, was leveraged to launch the project, and expressed hope that it would be completed before the end of his administration. He eulogized the benefactor for extending his community development services to the university, remarking that such a gesture would place UBS at the center stage, as well as attract international presence.
In a remark, benefactor, Chief Okafor, said what informed the gesture was to promote knowledge especially in the area of business education, which, according to him, has suffered neglect, adding that education must be done with a business mindset.
“The reason I do what I do is to propagate knowledge because knowledge if not shared will perish. Business education has been neglected, and many people prefer to choose other professions. “I have training in business school, and I know what is required to do business having received training from one of the best schools in the world.
“I am challenging UBS to develop a curriculum that should be situated in our environment, and the school should be able to teach local and practical skills that students can relate to, so that when they go outside the shores of Nigeria, they can excel very well. “I am willing to partner with UBS as a way of giving back to society, and we will do much more in the university in the future”, Chief Okafor said, while calling on other board members to contribute to the development of the school.
Earlier, the Director of Unizik Business School, Prof. Emma Okoye, said the gesture was occasioned by the newly introduced courses which, he said, has increased the population of students. According to him, UBS needs to come up at par with similar institutions in business education as provided by international quality assurance and rating organizations.
The director thanked the benefactor for donating the take off fund, and expressed optimism that it would be completed in record time with his support and help from other well-meaning Nigerians. He said the edifice would further attract partnership with foreign Universities and give the school more impetus to operate.
Prof. Chinedu Onyeizugbe, the UBS deputy director, had in a vote of thanks, highlighted the programmes available at the business school, and disclosed that the UBS is currently training 1000 youths, as part of efforts to marry the town and gown. He commended the benefactor, the university vice-chancellor and UBS director for their support to the school.