The University of Calabar (Unical) Alumni Association, Abuja chapter has explained why it picked the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, among the 27 awardees selected for this year’s awards ceremony, scheduled to hold in Abuja on Thursday December 14, 2023.
President of the alumni association Barrister Norbert Onyemechalu told our reporter in an interview that, apart from the fact that the Senate President is an alumnus of the University of Calabar, he has equally contributed immensely towards the development of the institution.
Onyemechalu noted that when he was the governor of Akwa Ibom state, Senator Akpabio was instrumental to the establishment of the Faculty of Engineering in the university, adding that he has also lifted up many graduates of the school to their present positions.
According to him, “This award night/dinner is the second time in recent time. And it is meant to award people who have distinguished themselves in various fields of human endeavours, particularly those who have been very helpful to the university.
Some members of the alumni have been instrumental to the development of some faculties in the university, because they have made money available for the development of certain infrastructure in the institution.
I can say that the University of Calabar (Unical) is blessed, because many graduates of the university are today occupying various important positions in the country and beyond.
For instance, the current Senate President is an alumnus of the university, including the deputy speaker, house of representatives, the current vice chancellor of the university, the president of the international criminal court at the Hague in Netherlands are also Malabites and Malabresses, including other distinguished personalities who graduated from the university.*
He explained that one of the reasons for holding this year’s award night/dinner is for the Malabites and the Malabresses to come together and find solution towards making the University of Calabar bigger, which he noted is the reason for the alumni association.
Onyemechalu noted that many universities in the country are not finding their feet at the moment, even as he called on members of the alumni associations of these universities to unite, come and assist the schools.
He continued, “The university has given much to us, so we have to give back to the university. And we must also lift others who graduated with us in the same university.
This is why we are advising those in positions of authority to assist the young graduates of the university who are roaming the streets and looking for jobs.”