The governor of Enugu State, Rt. Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi acted out his
passion for viable student unionism in the country as he announced the
plan of his government to donate a Student Union Centre (SUC) to his
Alma Mater, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
The governor announced the gesture at the Princess Alexandra Unity
Hall and Theatre, the venue for the 55th Founders’ Day Lecture, making
the jubilant students of the university, who had yearned for a
befitting student union centre sing the governor’s praises.
On completion, the proposed centre would provide the Student Union
Government (SUG) a venue where its members would comfortably
deliberate on policies of student welfare and also begin the process
of learning leadership.
While delivering the 55th Founders Day Lecture entitled “Legislation
as an Instrument for Social Justice in a Growing Democracy, Governor
Ugwuanyi broadened the knowledge of the university dons as well as
other members of the audience as he demonstrated his legislative
know-how/prowess.
He stated that social justice remains the panacea for our society that
has become theatre of conflicts of various dimension spawned by
various reason such as lack of access to life-chances, discrimination,
lack of inclusion, restrictive market to mention but a few.
Quoting Chapter 11 (13 – 21) of the 1999 Constitution of Federal
Republic of Nigeria, he said that the constitution has provided for
equitable representation of all the component units of the federation.
“The composition of the government of the federation or any of its
agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a
manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to
promote national unity and also to command national loyalty, thereby
ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few
state or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that
government or in any of its agencies” he said.
He also said that economic growth is an essential component of
development but without a deliberate policy focus on equity and social
justice, there would be society-wide deprivations of the individuals.
The governor, therefore, called on the legislature to make laws that
would guarantee social justice as well as to impeach serving
government functionaries with corrupt tendencies.
Earlier, in an address, the Vice Chancellor of the University of
Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Professor Benjamin Chukwuma Ozumba, thanked the
governor for finding time to honour his invitation as the Founders Day
lecturer despite his busy schedules. He stated that the university,
which had a humble beginning of 220 students, 13 members of the
academic staff and few utilitarian buildings can now boast of over
30,000 students, approximately 2,000 staff strength and wonderful
structures scattered in her different campuses, pointing out that his
administration would always promote the dreams of the founding
fathers, anchored on the initiatives of late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe which
is geared towards the restoration of the dignity of man.
He further stated that his administration is working tooth and nail to
return the university to her glory days through promotion of
impact-based research, and encouragement of staff to embark on
research through cash enticement. “This administration went into the
task of improving the rating of the institution with seriousness. It
went into the promotion of impact-based research, and encouraged staff
through cash reward and sponsorship of conferences and lectures in
different parts of the world. In the governor’s consortium, the
University of Nigeria is second in Nigeria and thirteenth in Africa.
I assure you without fear of contradiction that the next ranking will
be great joy to our stakeholders” he promised.
The Chairman of the occasion, Chief John Nnia Nwodo (Jnr) was all
praises for the governor. He disclosed that he has made history by
being the first governor of the state to deliver Founders’ Day lecture
since the inception of the university in 1960. He equally praised the
efforts of the Vice Chancellor in encouraging research in the
institution, stressing that, that is the only way to truly restore the
dignity of man.