As Reported By Hon (Amb) Stanford Arinze Nwokedi
On the 27th day of March, 2024, another significant milestone was again achieved at the newly upgraded ND/HND-awarding Higher Health Institution in Imo State - the Imo State College of Nursing Sciences, Orlu, Imo State.
The NBTE newly upgraded Nursing Institution had on 27/3/24 held her maiden Convocation/10th Matriculation Ceremony inside the expansive premises of the College in Orlu, Imo State.
The Maiden Convocation/10th Matriculation Ceremony was chaired by the Umuzike-born erudite scholar, the former Vice Chancellor of Imo State University and the erstwhile National President of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) - Professor Ukachukwu A Awuzie, FNIA, KSM. The renowned scholar, who extolled the Government of Imo State and the Provost of the College for their exploits in the success stories of the Nursing Institution, gave the Convocation/Matriculation Ceremony a top-notch academic imprimatur.
The Governor of Imo State and Visitor to the College, His Excellency Dist Sen Hope Uzodimma (CON, GSSRS) was officially represented at the academic event by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Barr (Mrs) Chinyere Ibe; Alhaji (Dr) Umar Farouk - the Registrar/CEO Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) was ably represented by Mrs Izundu Nneka (Imo/Abia Zonal Co-ordinator, NMCN), The Executive Secretary of National Board For Technical Education - Prof Buraje was represented by Mr Cyril Mbong (the South-South Director NBTE office), The Federal House of Representative Member Representing Orlu Orsu and Oru East Federal Constituency - Hon High Chief CaniceMoore Chukwugozie Nwachukwu (Omeogo, Ogbaturuenyi N'Orlu) was represented by Hon Evang Magnus Nnadi, The Royal Father of the Day was His Royal Majesty, Eze (Dr) E.C Okeke (CON) - Eze Udo II of Amaifeke/ Chairman Imo State Traditional Institution (Eze Imo) was ably represented by HRH Eze Engr Marcel Uzegbu (Ọkata II of Ofekata).
The long protocol list at the Ceremony included the Director of Nursing Services, Imo State - Barr Mrs Uche Oranusi, Hon (Dr) Henry Agbasonu - Chairman House Committee on Education IMHA, Hon Barr (Dr) Ikenna Ihezuo (Member Representing Orlu State Constituency at the IMHA), the Heads of Department of the various Campuses of the Imo State College of Nursing Sciences - Mrs Ekechukwu Edith Ugochi (Head, Dept of General Nursing, Orlu), Noble Lady Linda C Mgbechi (Head, Dept of Midwifery, Aboh Mbaise), Mrs Njoku Georginia C (Head, Dept of Midwifery, Awọ Omamma) and Mrs Onyeneke Uche J (Head, Dept of Public Health Nursing, Orlu) were physically present with their staff too.
The Guest Speaker who anchored the Convocation Lecture with the theme : "RE- ENVISIONING NURSING EDUCATION AND PRACTICE IN NIGERIA FOR THE 21ST CENTURY" was Rev Sr (Dr) Laureta Madu. The details of her very insightful lecture shall be serialized in subsequent publications.
In her Welcome Address delivered at the 1st Convocation/10th Matriculation Ceremony of Imo State College of Nursing Sciences, Orlu by the Provost, Mrs Hannah Chigereokwum Offor, the passionately professional, tenacious and workaholic Provost of the College chronicled the enormous challenges that confronted the Institution on her way to the serial and present milestones. She unequivocally thanked the Governor of Imo State, His Excellency Dist Sen Hope Uzodimma CON for not just providing the enabling environment for the growth of the College, but for the strategic vision of a multi-Campus concept which the Governor introduced, whereby two different Departments of Midwifery at Aboh Mbaise and Awọ Omamma which the Shared Prosperity Government had recovered with the re-accreditation by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) in 2022 were joined together with the Department of General Nursing, Orlu whose re-accreditation by the same NMCN was also achieved by the State Government in 2023, to birth a mega-Campus for the Imo State College of Nursing Sciences, headquartered at the Orlu Campus.
Mrs Hannah Offor credited the successful accreditation of the College by the National Board For Technical Education (NBTE) for the award of ND/HND in Nursing to the support of Imo State Governor and his Government. According to the elated Provost, going forward, "...the students of our College will upon graduation have the badges of Registered Nurse (RN), Registered Public Health Nursing, and Higher National Diploma (HND) Degree. They shall be eligible to participate in the National Youth Service Corps."
For all the above mentioned milestones, the joyful Provost thanked the Governor - Dist Sen Hope Uzodimma, the Leadership and membership of the Imo State House of Assembly, especially the House Committee on Education chaired by Hon Dr Henry Agbasonu, the Ministry of Education, the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), the National Board For Technical Education (NBTE), the Traditional Institution in Imo State, all stakeholders, Staff and students of the College for the wonderful sundry supports and collaborations that have brought the College to the present status.
To help the College maintain her outstanding academic excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Council qualifying Examinations, the Provost listed some other challenges confronting the Institution and prayed that the supportive Government of Imo State, public-spirited individuals and Corporate Bodies might help the College to solve the problems. The challenges include the Construction and equipment of a 250-Capacity ICT Center for the Computer-Based Tests that have been introduced nationally in Nursing Institutions, the provision of a 150KVA sound proof generator, provision of serviceable vehicles for management Staff, provision of two Coaster (32-seater) buses for Students' Clinical Experiences and other movements, Subvention for the general administration of the College and the asphalting of the College internal roads.
The highpoints of the dual academic ceremonies were the Matriculation/Capping of about 410 new intakes into the three Campuses of the College in Orlu, Aboh Mbaise and Awo Omamma. Also the different batches of the 2018 - 2023 sets were officially declared graduates of the Institution as approved by the Council. The Best Graduating Student/Valedictorian award went to Miss Egwuatụ Ifeoma Mercy, with a CGPA of 3.58/4.0); the Best Behaved Student was named as Amaechi Chrisantus; Emmanuel Favour C, Ugochi Esther Nzubechi and Ezecheakibe Ihechi emerged as the Best Matriculating Students of their various sets. Nkwazeme Janefrancis and Iwuala Nora Oluchukwu were awarded the Best Academic Students of Midwifery.
The representative of the Federal House Member For Orlu/ Orsu/ Oru East Federal Constituency assured the Provost and the College of noting the challenges enumerated by the Provost and in due course, shall collaborate with the College in fixing some of their infrastructural needs. In the interim, he made a donation of One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (#150,000.00) to the College.
In his speech, the Governor and the Visitor to the College who was represented by Barr Mrs Chinyere Ibe, expressed his absolute confidence in the competence level and the tenacity of the Provost - Mrs Hannah Offor, the Acting Registrar and other Principal Officers of the College to maintain high standards in the training of potential nurses and midwives for our health institutions. She said, "His Excellency, The Governor of Imo State is passionate about education and particularly this institution, for which reason he is doing everything possible to ensure that this institution meets the prerequisite and competes with every other institution globally."
In a vote of thanks artfully done by the Acting Registrar of the Imo State College of Nursing Sciences, Mr Kennedy Duru, the College expressed her absolute gratitude to the Governor of Imo State (the Visitor to the College), His Excellency, Dist Sen Hope Uzodimma (CON, GSSRS), the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, the National Board For Technical Education, the Chairman of the Convocation/Matriculation Ceremony - Prof Ukachukwu A Awuzie, the Guest Speaker/Lecturer - Rev Sr Dr Laureta Madu, the IMHA, the Staff and Students of the College for the success story that Imo State College of Nursing Sciences, Orlu, Imo State has become. Mr Kennedy Duru assured the NBTE that the inclusion of Skills Acquisition as a way of adding values to the Nursing Profession, which challenge the NBTE put across to the College, shall be vigorously pursued with the Youths/Education Friendly Governor of Imo State, His Excellency, Dist Sen Hope Uzodimma.
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