Last Saturday will remain ever green in the minds of the people of IbionoIbom as the day they rolled out drums and red carpet to give honour to one of them, the vice chancellor of University of Uyo, Professor Enefiok Essien.
The honour came in form of a royal reception of the 5th vice chancellor of the University of Uyo, organised by HRM Dr. Ime Udousoro Inyang, the paramout ruler of Ibiono Ibom in collaboration with IbionoIbom welfare and development union (IWADU).
Even though the event started hours behind schedule perhaps due to logistics reasons, the venue of the epoch making event, Ikpa pavilion, was decorated on time and dignitaries started trooping in, in droves as early as possible.
Honour, according to an adage, is earned as a result of credibility and achievements one has recorded. In case of Prof. Essien, a lot has been credited to him since he mounted the saddle as the University of Uyo 5th vice chancellor.
The purpose of this write up is not to blow his trumpet but to call a spade by its name and give chance to those the legal luminary has affected positively within and without the ivory tower to testify.
Opening the flood gate of testimonies was the Dean of Faculty of Agriculture, University of Uyo, Prof. Ndaeyo who described him as an excellent administratorand expressed thanks for the new accommodation he is about to pack into any moment from now, made possible by the Vice Chancellor and presented a live goat reared by the department to him in appreciation.
Another member of the university community who also spoke of the achievements of Professor Essiensince he came into office was Professor Mendie, a proud son of IbionoIbom, as he called himself. Apart from joining the previous speaker to eulogize the Vice Chancellor for doing wellso far and also presenting him with a live goat,Mendie added a few words of advice on how he could make the University better than he met it.
‘I advise him to associate himself with only friends who can give him advice that would help add value to the university, not the other way round. He should improve on the achievements of his predecessors and carve niche for himself such that at the end of his tenure he would have left one or two legacies behind’, he said.
Reception of those appointed or elected into positions of authority by kith and kin is a global phenomenon. It provides opportunity for people who would not have been able to feel and talk with them under office atmosphere to do so freely. Even in the developed countries where seeing these people in the office is not a big deal people still prefer reception as a better option.
Reception is also seen as an avenue to seek help from these appointees, little wonder that organizers of such events are always expectants.
But in the case of the Saturday reception there was a detour. Rather than use the occasion to heap requests on the vice chancellor, the president general of IbionoIbom welfare and development union, Dr.EffiongEssienInyang had one appeal to the VC thus: ‘One particular request we have for him is to realise that he comes from a home and integrity of that home must be nurtured, maintain and made better so that if any of us ventures out again they would say I have known them’.
Dr.Inyang who is running his second year as the president general of the front line socio- cultural organisation, said the occasion went as planned, ‘if you noticed it rained cat and dog yesterday, but today not even a single rain drop was noticed. This means elements were in agreement with the people of IbionoIbom, hence the success we are seeing today’.
He informed the crowd that the royal reception was held for the vice chancellor for making IbionoIbom people proud and to appreciate him for his selfless service and contributions to the progress of IbionoIbom while saluting the people for turning out en masse to grace the occasion.
The secretary general of IbionoIbom welfare and development union and chairman of the central planning committee, Prince Godwin Okon corroborated the request of the President general and commended the paramount ruler, Okuku Imeh Udousoro Inyang, illustrious sons and daughters of IbionoIbom and others too numerous to mention, for their contributions towards the success of the event.
In recent times the paramount ruler has been attending public functions in proxy for health reasons, but in this event he was not only conspicuously present but also joined the short speech presenters to appreciate the celebrant for what he called excellent performance so far.
However, he challenged the learned professor and his colleagues of Ibibio extraction, as a matter of necessity, to put heads together about the issue of establishing a private university in Ibibio land, either individually or collectively, to provide opportunity to more qualified youths to gain access to university education adding, ‘this is the surest way to secure leadership for our youths in future’.
Beauty and intelligence are often said to be a very rare combination. The Vice Chancellor is an embodiment of this rarity. And he confirmed this when he was handed a microphone for response.
Acknowledging the love and support of the paramount ruler and entire people of IbionoIbom for their contributions to the royal reception, Prof. Essien who said he was overwhelmed by what he saw assured that he will not let his people down.
In an abridged resume of Professor Essien which spanned three pages read by Professor Antia obong Ekong, Prof. Essien was described as a round character who practises what he preaches, amongst so many other attributes.
Professor Essien started his education in Lagos, but had to transfer to his village due to relocation of his father to the village. At a community secondary school, he shone like a million stars and passed his WASCE with flying colours as the only grade one distinction.
What is today blossoming like the lily of Labanon was planted at a community secondary school in the remote area of IbionoIbom, it therefore means that if the challenge by the royal father on community universities in Ibibio land is heeded therecould be more of his kind in the nearest future.
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