History was made in the annals of tertiary education in Anambra State in particular and in Nigeria in general, Sunday, January 21, 2024 when the University on the Niger (UNINIGER), Umunya, had in a groundbreaking move formally took off for normal academic activities.
When the Iyi-Enu Mission Teaching Hospital take-off campus of the university was visited, staff of the institution were seen busy receiving and checking the students into their various hostels.
The Bishop on the Niger, Rt Rev Dr Owen Nwokolo had while responding on the development during an interview in Onitsha, physically expressed profound joy, beaming a radiating face surffused with smiles and satisfaction.
Having expressed warm welcome to the students, the bishop extensively prayed for them assuring them of blessed fruitful scholarship in the university.
He told the students how lucky they were to have been offered admission into the institution, saying that the volume of applications for admission was quite far above what the university was allowed to admit.
According to him, “The number of applications for courses like Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing and the like were quite bigger than the respective departments could admit. That shows you the interest people have in the University on the Niger.
“For now, we are trying to restrict people from stampeding us, but we can’t help it, for we still want them to keep coming, hopefully before long, NUC and JAMB may open up more opportunities for admission.
“For now we have a very good number for take-off which we are certain will not constrain us because we want to start reasonably well on a very sound footing”, he remarked.
On his take on how the school would handle its Scholarship Scheme, Bishop Nwokolo replied that the institution had designed it to be on first-come-first-served basis.
The President, Niger Diocesan Council of Knights of St Christopher, Sir Ikechukwu Ejelue, had in a two-page address he presented during the reception session marking the Knights’ Family Day organised at the Archbishop C. J. Paterson Auditorium, Onitsha, narrated in part, exploits of the council so far.
In his words on the University on the Niger projects, he said,” I appreciate the Lady Knights led by Dr Ngọzi Agbasimalo for the completion and dedication of the second University Gate.
“The block work on the second floor of our hostel project has been completed, we shall soon commence work on the third and final deck of the building”, he further explained.
He profoundly appreciated Bishop Nwokolo and his wife, Dr Elsie Nonyelum Nwokolo, whose material, moral and spiritual supports, according to him, have helped to boost the morals of the members towards their active participation in the university project.
Reacting on the historic formal take-off the university, the Director of Communications, Diocese on the Niger, Sir Oselloka Offoh, corroborated Bishop Nwokolo’s accounts, expressing delight over the development.
He assured members of the public of minute-by-munute authentic progress reports on the university.
