ASABA/Nigeria: Alumni Associations in the country had been called upon to always have as one of its agendas to contribute to the development of University Education.
This charge was given by the Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa during the University of Ibadan Alumni Association, Asaba Chapter Annual Public Lecture, held at Orchid Hotels, Asaba on Thursday July 22, 2021.
Governor Okowa who was the Special Guest of Honour, represented by the State Commissioner for Lands and Surveys, Barr (Mrs) Kate Onianwa, called on UI alumni to leverage on the university’s goodwill in attracting more development projects for the institution’s sustainable growth.
He underscored the impact of alumni associations in the development of university education, with their key roles in the development of infrastructure and facilities that have aided the growth of some of the world – famous institutions.
He noted that the university had contributed immensely to the nation’s human resource development, adding that the event was a clear testimony that the alumni still cherished their stay and study in the university.
Stating further, he said he had followed the activities of the Alumni Association, Asaba chapter, with keen interest, he was impressed that it had remained unwavering in fostering scholarship, national unity and good family values, which had been a source of inspiration.
While describing the theme of the lecture: ‘The Role of Technocrats in Governance ‘as apt, especially as the guest speaker, Olorogun David Edebvie, was knowledgeable enough for the lecture, the Governor said his administration had anchored its vision on human capital development, in realization that education built around skills acquisition was key to the future of the state and indeed any society.
He commended the alumni association for putting the event together and pledged the support of the state government for the body.
Former Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin, Prof. Emmanuel Nwanze, who chaired the occasion, expressed appreciation for the lead status of the University of Ibadan, which he noted was the only one of its kind in the country for twelve years, adding that the institution had produced four generations of graduates and leading personnel for other institutions in the country.
Prof. Nwanze said all graduates of the University of Ibadan and those yet to graduate, owed it a duty to set the moral tone of the society, stressing that they must do things right to set good example for others to follow.
The Chairman of the UI Alumni Association, Asaba chapter, Dr. (Mrs) Felicia Adun, said the Annual Lecture Series was an initiative towards building an association committed to applying best practices and robust articulation of ideas to move the state and the country to greater heights.
Dr. Adun said the lecture series had been on for three decades, featuring eminent personalities as guest speakers, and expressed confidence in the capacity of Olorogun David Edebvie to do justice to the theme of this year’s lecture: ‘ The Role of Technocrats in Government ‘.
She used the occasion to appeal to the state government to allocate a plot of land to the association for the construction of its state Secretariat in Asaba.
In his presentation on the theme: ‘The Role of Technocrats in Government’, the guest speaker, Olorogun David Edebvie, said technocrats had impacted the country positively, but not to the extent they would have done if they were in the mainstream of governance as Presidents or Governors in appreciable numbers.
Edebvie maintained that all technocrats had done in the country since 1999 was to help to design or formulate policies that ended up being poorly implemented or even abandoned, leading to the rupture of expectations by disappointments.
The PDP governorship hopeful emphasized that the future of the nation’s development depended on proper synchronization of democracy and technocracy into a symbiotic relationship.
