Mgt Fetes Ekekwe For His Services As UniPort News Editorial Chair
It was a spectacular moment to remember on Friday, October 4, 2019 as Management of the University rolled out the drums and clinked glasses in honour of the pioneer Chairman of the Editorial Board of UniPort News and Unique UniPort, Professor Eme Ekekwe, following his statutory disengagement from the services of the University last September.
Speaking at a reception ceremony organised by Management in concert with staff of the Information, Publications and Public Relations Unit, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Ndowa Lale, heaped praises on Professor Ekekwe for providing adult leadership and selfless services to the IPPR Unit Editorial Board.
“I am glad to personally head this reception in honour of Professor Ekekwe who served the University with uncommon zeal in diverse capacities. I missed his Valedictory Lecture as I was out of the campus on an official trip at the time. Professor Ekekwe is a very peace-loving and personable gentleman who is at peace with himself. He did a lot for the University and the IPPR Unit. The greatest asset every human being has is the mind and Professor Ekekwe dutifully deployed his mind in such important service roles that contributed to the growth of the University.
“Each time he left the University to do something else, Professor Ekekwe always came back to where he began his career. His impact was felt in the Faculty of Social Sciences and the entire University. We are gathered here to express our collective gratitude to Professor Ekekwe for his meritorious services and to honour him for the quality services he rendered as Chairman of the Editorial Board of UniPort Weekly which was later renamed UniPort News by my administration,” the Vice Chancellor said.
In her goodwill message, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Professor Regina Ogali, described Professor Ekekwe as a scholar of the old order, whose services would be sorely missed in the Department of Political and Administrative Studies and the Faculty of Social Sciences. She wished him well in his future endeavours. Also speaking, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Professor Hakeem Fawehinmi, described Professor Ekekwe as a consummate scholar and a political colossus whose impact was felt across the University. Professor Fawehinmi enjoined Professor Ekekwe to continue to make himself available for the younger ones to tap from his rich fountain of knowledge.
In her contribution, the Registrar, Mrs Dorcas Otto, recalled her encounter with the then Dr Eme Ekekwe at the Imo State Government House in 1988, during her National Youths Service Corps. She expressed gratitude to Professor Ekekwe for his unimpeachable services to the University, wishing him graceful retirement. Pioneer Dean of the Faculty of Law, Professor Kaniye Ebeku and Editor of UniPort News, Williams Wodi also took turns to shower praises on the Chairman Emeritus of the UniPort Weekly and Unique UniPort Editorial Board.
In his response, a highly enthused Professor Ekekwe expressed gratitude to Management of the University and the Editorial team of UniPort Weekly for honouring him. “I feel very humbled for the honour done me. I can’t recall if this type of reception was accorded to any of my colleagues who retired from the services of the University in the past. I wish that I truly deserved and really reciprocated the honour which the University conferred on me, because this institution gave me everything,” Professor Ekekwe said. He reminded staff of the IPPR Unit of their critical role to the smooth-running of the University in terms of effective information dissemination.
The Vice Chancellor and Editor of UniPort News later presented gift items to the honoree, who was accompanied by his wife, Mrs Ifeoma Ekekwe. Also in attendance were Mr Aribite Princewill, who stood in for the Bursar, Dr Felicia Ayuwo, Dean of the Faculty of Law, Professor Lucky Worika, Director of Quality Assurance and Quality Control, Professor Ikechukwu Agbagwa, Special Assistant to the Vice Chancellor, Mr Kingsley Wogwu and former Associate Editor of UniPort News, Dr Obinna Nwodim, including the entire IPPR staff.
