University dons who converged on Enugu Governor’s Lodge Tuesday night have commended Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for effective leadership in the coal city state, especially over the high level of fight against insecurity in the state.
The university teachers, including three vice chancellors were in Enugu to attend a dinner organized by Enugu state government in honour of the immediate past vice chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Professor Hilary Edeoga.
Prof. Edeoga who took his turn during the time for speeches noted that the security status of the state was quite impressive, adding that Governor Ugwuanyi was a rare genius who, in spite of the economic crunch in the country, has continued to pay his workers their monthly salaries as and when due while also executing over nine roads reconstruction projects across the state.
He noted that the honour accorded him by Governor Ugwuanyi was historic in the sense that it was the first time a Vice Chancellor of a Federal University outside a state is being honoured by a state governor, a feat, he said, was rare in the history of the country.
Professor Edeoga also extolled the governor’s giant strides in the general development of the state and urged him not relent in these efforts.
While urging the governor not to relent, Professor Edeoga who was accompanied by his wife, advised the people of Enugu State to give their maximum support to him for him to succeed.
In their separate brief remarks, the Vice Chancellors of some of the higher institutions in the country, including that of Federal University of Technology Owerri, Imo State, Prof. C.C. Asiabaka, the vice chancellor Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Prof Luke Agbo Anike, and the current vice chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Prof. Francis Otunta as well as other university dons who were part of their entourage poured encomiums on the governor for the able way he was so far piloted the ship of state in Enugu.
On the honouree, the dons observed that Professor Edeoga passed through the proverbial eye of the needle to make the institution an enviable citadel of learning, describing him as a dogged ambassador that deserved to be honoured.
The Vice Chancellors while commending Governor Ugwuanyi for honouring
their colleague, called on other state governors to emulate the kind gesture.
The event was also attended by members of the Enugu State Executive
Council, the speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly and other members of the House, local government chairmen, friends and family members of the celebrant, among others just as several cultural troupes added much colour to the event.
